Gloria
- Rate Movie[Total: 8 Average: 2.1]
- Directed By: Sidney Lumet
- Written By: Steve Antin
- Release Date: January 22, 1999
- Domestic Distributor: Sony
- Cast: Sharon Stone, Jean-Luke Figueroa, Jeremy Northam
Box Office Info:
Budget: $30 million | Financed by: Mandalay Pictures |
---|---|
Domestic Gross: $4,197,729 | Overseas Gross: $800,000 |
Veteran director Sidney Lumet helmed this major critical and commercial failure Gloria — a pointless remake of John Cassavetes’ 1980 picture.
The budget for Gloria was $30 million and it was financed by Mandalay Pictures, which offset some of their risk on this stinker through foreign pre-sales
— which kicked off at the American Film Market in February 1997. Summit was tapped to handle additional sales at the 1997 Cannes Film Festival. Mandalay had been based at Sony since 1994 and the studio handled domestic (and some international markets) distribution for Mandalay’s movies.
Gloria was first announced as a summer 1998 release, but it was pushed back to the January dumping ground on January 22, 1999 where it was the only wide release opening. Buzz was largely negative going into release and tracking was pointing to a terrible $3.5M to $4M opening weekend. Knowing they have a total misfire on their hands, Sony did not screen Gloria for critics and the reviews that eventually posted were miserable. The movie was dead on arrival with just $2,143,089 — placing #15 for the frame led by holdover Varsity Blues. Those that showed up opening weekend gave Gloria a toxic C+ cinemascore and it sank 61.1% to $832,846 the following session and then promptly lost most of its theater count. The brief domestic run closed with only $4,197,729. Sony would see returned about $2.2M after theaters take their percentage of the gross, which barely even covers the cost of striking release prints — and leaving the marketing spend in the red.
Recorded overseas numbers were an anemic $800,000.
The remake with Sharon Stone was an embarrassment. Loved the original. The acting comparison between Gena and Sharon is non existent. Easy to believe Gena – tough, heart, depth, class. SS – overacting, trying to be believable in this role – comical. Would like another shot at a remake…nothing could take the original. But would like to see a remake with better directing and acting in present day.
I remember the late Fall day in 1998 working on the set of Gloria with George C Scott and Sharon Stone. The location was the Belmont Raceway, LI, NY. I was dressed up as an extra stand-in for Sharon. George had to be carried out to the set and seated in a chair. He was obviously ill during those days. Very sad. Back in the good times, May 1976 I was on the Rotterdam cruise with him his wife and comedian to Bermuda celebrating my honeymoon. Sharon and I had a lot in common and George was a great actor that didnt get enough credit for all he has done.