Beyond the Sea (2004)

A swooning study of "Mack the Knife" singer Bobby Darin (Spacey) specifically, and his relationship with his wife Sandra Dee (Bosworth).

Director:

Kevin Spacey

Writers:

Kevin Spacey, Lewis Colick

Stars:

Kevin Spacey, Kate Bosworth, John Goodman

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Kevin Spacey	...	Bobby Darin
Kate Bosworth	...	Sandra Dee
John Goodman	...	Steve Blauner
Bob Hoskins	...	Charlie Cassotto Maffia
Brenda Blethyn	...	Polly Cassotto
Greta Scacchi	...	Mary Duvan
Caroline Aaron	...	Nina Cassotto Maffia
Peter Cincotti	...	Dick Behrke
William Ullrich	...	Little Bobby
Michael Byrne	...	Dr. Andretti
Matt Rippy	...	David Gershenson
Gary Whelan	...	Jules Podell
Jake Broder	...	1st Assistant Director
Tayfun Bademsoy	...	Ahmet Ertegun
Tomas Spencer	...	Delivery Guy

Storyline

Consummate entertainer Bobby Darin (1936-1973) is making a movie about his life. He's volatile, driven by the love of performing, ambition, perfectionism, and belief that he's living on borrowed time. He begins in the Bronx: a fatherless lad learning music and dance from his mom. His career starts slowly, then "Splish Splash" puts him at the top of the charts and on "Bandstand." He wants to be an entertainer, not a pop star, so he aims for the Copacabana; then it's on to the movies, where he meets and marries Sandra Dee. After, it's balancing career, health, marriage and family life, balances he doesn't always keep. Throughout, conversations with his boyhood self give him perspective.

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Plot Keywords:

career | sandra dee | bobby darin | love | singer | 

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Taglines:

In the era of cool, he was the soundtrack.

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | Music | Musical

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for some strong language and a scene of sensuality

Details

Country:

USA Germany UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 November 2004 (UK)

Also Known As:

Bobby Darin Biopic

Filming Locations:

Berlin, Germany

Box Office

Budget:

$23,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$29,869 (New Zealand) (17 November 2006)

Gross:

$29,869 (New Zealand) (17 November 2006)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Lions Gate Films, Archer Street Productions, QI Quality International GmbH & Co. KG

Technical Specs

Runtime:

118 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Black and White Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Andre Schneider auditioned for the part that later went to Vinzenz Kiefer.

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Goofs

When Bobby Darin is campaigning with Robert F. Kennedy, Kennedy has a Secret Service detail. Presidential hopefuls were not entitled to a Secret Service detail. That was changed after RFK's murder.

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Quotes

Polly Cassotto: You can never go wrong with the truth.

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Crazy Credits

"Andy Paterson and Kevin Spacey would like to thank the entire cast and crew from both the UK and Germany for their hard work and dedication. The film could not have been completed without their belief and effort. We are forever grateful to them for helping bring this film to the screen."

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Connections

References New American Bandstand 1965 (1952)

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Soundtracks

"Mack the Knife"
(1954)
Original German lyrics by Bertolt Brecht (as Berthold Brecht) (1928)
English lyrics by Marc Blitzstein (1954)
Music by Kurt Weill (1928)
Published by WB Music Corp. on behalf of Kurt Weill Foundation for Music, Berthold Brecht
Joseph & Josephine Davis as Executors of the Estate of Marc Blitzstein/Universal Edition A.G./European American Music Corporation
Performed by Kevin Spacey & The John Wilson Orchestra

User Reviews

Kevin Spacey is the actor that seems to be able to do anything.

Even though he's been making movies since "Heartburn" in 1986, and most of us have probably heard of "See No Evil, Hear No Evil" from 1989, "Seven" and "The Usual Suspects" from 1995, but it wasn't until "American Beauty" came in 1999 that he became a familiar name amongst movie critics. The role also won him an Oscar.

I've been a swing/jazz fan for a long time, and I'm being hit my minor anxiety attacks when artists like Robbie Williams and recently Westlife decide to do "a swing thing" and miss the whole point about the genre. Those who call Robbie Williams a crooner know just about as much about the genre as he does. So when I heard about Kevin Spacey's project a couple of years ago, I was automatically skeptical. By then I'd already heard him sing "That Old Black Magic" from the Clint Eastwood production "Midnight In The Garden Of Good And Evil" (1997) and he had a good voice, but performed the song like a pop song. Something the above mentioned artists also have a tendency to do.

Kevin showed up at the Michael Parkinson show last month to promote the movie, and announced he'd also be singing two songs: "Beyond The Sea" and "Mack The Knife" with a live orchestra. I was nervous. Up until the point where he started singing, that was. He's spent the last 12 years making this project perfect, and has received blessings from both Sandra Dee and her son with Bobby, Dodd.

Beyond The Sea - the movie: It all kicks off when Bobby Darin (Spacey) enters the stage and sings "Mack The Knife". If you've had any preconceptions of his ability to sing or perform, this will disappear before he's reached "...pearly white..." He nearly performs the whole song, but interrupts and a director shouts "cut". In the break a journalist shouts "isn't he too old to play this role?!" after him, upon where his manager sneers, "Don't listen to him, Bobby. How can you be too old to play yourself?" It appears we're on the set of the movie where Bobby Darin plays himself. Which makes it okay that he doesn't look 20 in the early scenes.

Not far into the movie he meets Sandra Dee (Kate Bosworth) on the set of the Rock Hudson movie "Come September" in 1961, and a romance blossoms. A bit of back and forth later, particularly with Sandra's mother, they become a couple and marry within two months. The fact that they hardly know each other adds up to certain problems, but even though they fight like cat and dog at points, there's always the underlying affection for each other. You get the feeling that it's the ultimate romance.

It's eventually this turbulent - but heartwarming - love affair and Bobby's performances where the focus of the movie lies, with a glimpse into his political phase during the Vietnam war when he lived in the middle of nowhere on his own. This bred the song "Simple Song Of Freedom" and an attempt at a comeback with a new image. We follow him all the way up to his last performance and an alternative ending that's very, well, swing.

The Soundtrack: Not only is the movie a work of art, Kevin shows an almost unbelievable talent for the genre. He's been taking singing lessons since the late 90's, and has studies every little detail in Bobby Darin's voice and being, most on and off stage. Everything looks and sounds right.

Kevin's vibrato is perfect. Smooth, subtle and last but not least... it's done properly. Some singers don't have a clue how to do a proper vibrato and sound like they've got something stuck in their throat when attempting one, but Kevin does it brilliantly. His phrasing is also spot-on, and he's got a lung-capacity that even professional singers can envy him. Bobby Darin went through different stages, from swing to light country, and Spacey says he's spent years with Darin songs on his iPod and kept hotel guests awake at night, singing his songs. Just to get it right.

He's done everything and then some to make everything sound as perfect as possible and succeeded. The orchestra also sounds amazing, and it's wonderful to hear real instruments on a 2004 album. He recorded all songs at the Abbey Road Studios - where the Beatles put down 172 songs

• with the legendary Phil Ramone producing.

Conclusion: Kevin Spacey once said that 'the less you know about me as a person, the easier it is to believe I am that person on the screen' and he's right. I don't know anything about him and I don't want to know, because when I watch "Beyond The Sea" it's not Kevin Spacey I see

• but Bobby Darin.