| Paradise | |
|---|---|
 Promotional movie poster for Paradise |
|
| Directed by | Mary Agnes Donoghue |
| Produced by | Scott Kroopf Patrick J. Palmer |
| Written by | Mary Agnes Donoghue |
| Starring | Melanie Griffith Don Johnson Elijah Wood |
| Music by | David Newman |
| Cinematography | Jerzy Zielinski |
| Editing by | Eva Gardos Debra McDermott |
| Distributed by | Touchstone Pictures |
| Release date(s) | September 18, 1991 |
| Running time | 111 min. |
| Country |  United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | Unknown |
| All Movie Guide profile | |
| IMDb profile | |
Paradise is a 1991 film written and directed by Mary Agnes Donoghue. The original music score is composed by David Newman. Melanie Griffith and Don Johnson (at the time married to each other) play Lily and Ben Reed, a young couple torn apart by a family tragedy. It would take a miracle to rekindle their love and a miracle arrives in the form of a summer guest - Willard Young played by Elijah Wood It is a remake of the French film "Le Grand Chemin" by Jean-Loup Hubert.
Plot summary
Willard Young is a 10-year-old boy who is sent by his mother to stay with her best friend Lily Reed, who lives in the Delta shrimp-fishing country in a town called Paradise. Lily and her husband Ben have been living in an unmentioned emotional vacuum since the death of their own three year old boy. Willie makes friends with the local 9-year-old tomboy Billie Pike, who teaches him to be comfortable with himself. When Willard gains a handle on his own emotions, he can now help Lily and Ben to connect, overcome grief and rediscover themselves.
Cast
- Melanie Griffith .... Lily Reed
- Don Johnson .... Ben Reed
- Elijah Wood .... Willard Young
- Thora Birch .... Billie Pike
- Sheila McCarthy .... Sally Pike
- Eve Gordon .... Rosemary Young
- Louise Latham .... Catherine Reston Lee
- Greg Travis .... Earl McCoy
