A PRAIRIE HOME COMPANION

Year: 2006
USA: Picturehouse
UK: The Works UK Distribution
Cast: Woody Harrelson, Tommy Lee Jones, Garison Keillor, Kevin Kline, Lindsay Lohan, Virginia Madsen, John C Reilly, Maya Rudolph, Meryl Streep, Lily Tomlin, Marylouise Burke, L Q Jones, Sue Scott, Tim Russell, Tom Keith, Jearlyn Steele, Robin Williams, Linda Williams, Prudence Johnson, Rich Dworsky, Pat Donohue, Andy Stein, Gary Raynor, Arnie Kinsella, Peter Ostroushko, Christopher K Grap, Butch Thompson, Debbie DeLisi
Director: Robert Altman
Country: USA
USA & UK: 105 mins
USA Rated: PG-13 for risque humor
UK Certificate: PG contains mild language and comic references to suicide and sex
USA Release Date: 9 June 2006
UK Release Date: 5 January 2007


Synopsis

A wonderfully whimsical musical drama, A PRAIRIE HOME COMPANION, is written by Garrison Keillor, the creator and host of radio show 'A Prairie Home Companion', and directed by Robert Altman (Gosford Park, The Player), A PRAIRIE HOME COMPANION boasts an impressive ensemble cast as it tells the story of the last night at a long-running live radio variety show.

The recipient of an Honorary Academy Award in 2006, Robert Altman was recognised for "a career that has repeatedly reinvented the artform and inspired filmmakers and audiences alike.'' One of the true Hollywood greats, A PRAIRIE HOME COMPANION is his swan song.

Backstage and awaiting the start of that evening's show, players and performers on 'A Prairie Home Companion' discover that this broadcast will be their last. Among the performers are Yolanda Johnson (Meryl Streep) and her sister Rhonda (Lily Tomlin), Yolanda's aspiring singer daughter Lola (Lindsay Lohan), Garrison Keillor (as himself) and singing cowboy duo Dusty (Woody Harrelson) and Lefty (John C.Reilly). As the night's events unfold, the arrival of a mysterious and beautiful stranger (Virginia Madsen) captures the attention of security guard Guy Noir (Kevin Kline), as he deals with the arrival of the Axeman (Tommy Lee Jones) who has come to shut the programme down. There is backstage gossip, a word or two from a sponsor and some beautiful music. In what may be its finale, the show goes on.

Shot entirely on location in the Fitzgerald Theater, the show " A Prairie Home Companion" (a staple of radio station WLT) plays out to an audience on a rainy Saturday evening in St Paul, Minnesota. Little does everyone know though that this is the last performance as WLT has been sold to a Texas conglomerate...