In the movie, the butler works under seven administrations. Of course, most of the butlerthe director lee danielss story of the. The film tells the story of cecil gaines whitakers 34year career working as head butler at the white house. Gaines had a front row view to key moments in americas history. Cecil gaines is a butler that works in the white house, he has two sons and a wife and works hard to provide them with what he never had. Take charactours quiz to get recommendations for thousands of characters, movies, tv shows, books, and games that are high matches for your unique personality. The butler dvd greene county public library bibliocommons. The audiobook version of the story is now available at audiobooksnow and is read by forest whitaker. The ambitious scope of the butler is counterbalanced by its focus on one family, eponymous white house butler cecil gaines forest whitaker, his wife gloria oprah winfrey, and their children, particularly committed civil rights activist louis a standout david oyelowo. Oprah winfrey succeeds in a tough role in the butler. I have emailed haygood and will update the post if he.
Butler books professional book publishing in louisville. Lee daniels the butler is a biographical drama depicting the story of cecil gaines, a man who escaped a life of slavery and oppression to serve for eight presidents as a butler in the white house. I cant say i disliked this book but neither was i satisfied by it. Cecil gaines from lee daniels the butler charactour. Aug 16, 20 we are introduced to cecil gaines forest whitaker as he sits outside the door of what appears to be a very elaborate and fancy office. Academy award nominated director lee daniels precious epic drama tells the story of white house.
Oprah winfrey plays his wife, gloria, while alan rickman is ronald reagan and jane fonda is nancy reagan. Aug 16, 20 and in the awkwardly titled movie lee daniels the butler, forest whitaker plays cecil gaines, a man who trades the mudsoaked clothes of his sharecropper past for the tuxedo and tails of a white. The movie, which opens august 16, is based on the real story of eugene allen in the film his name is cecil gaines and he is portrayed by forest whitaker, who served as a white house butler from. Beginning his tenure under president eisenhower robin williams.
The butler was inspired by the real story of eugene allen, a man who served in the white house even longer than the fictional cecil gaines. At its core is a decadeslong fatherson conflict thats all made up. Aug 23, 20 of course, most of the butlerthe director lee danielss story of the white house servicestaff member cecil gaines liberally reimagined from the life story of ernest allentakes. But of course gaines, played by forest whitaker in a moving, grounded performance that anchors the film and blunts its riskier excesses, hears and sees everything. Box 7311 louisville, ky 40257 if youd like to schedule an appointment, please call or email. The film focuses on african american historical events, with special concentration on the civil rights era. Lee daniels the butler is the story of an african american man who becomes the white house butler during the eisenhower years and serves through the reagan administration.
Eugene allen july 14, 1919 march 31, 2010 was an american waiter and butler who worked for the us government at the white house for 34 years until he retired as the head butler in 1986. The film stars forest whitaker as cecil gaines, who, as a boy, sees his father shot dead by the owner of the cotton plantation that employed him. Witness to history lee daniels 2014 film the butler features the story of cecil gaines, a black man who dedicates his career to serving the array of presidents who come through the white house throughout the 1950s, 60s, 70s, and 80s. Cecil gaines 87 1905 1993 this is the grave site of cecil gaines. Cecil gaines is the butler but he is also husband to gloria gaines and the father of two sons. The finished film, though, is about a composite white house butler named cecil gaines forest whitaker. The following breakdown is based on haygoods profile and the accompanying book.
The story is told in a chronological order, so that the viewer gets to see the world changing, particularly for african americans through the eyes of this butler. Lee daniels the butler style fashion in the butler. She spent her childhood years in south london, england with her parents alice and alfred edward williams. Aug 16, 20 the butler was inspired by the real story of eugene allen, a man who served in the white house even longer than the fictional cecil gaines. The butler finds daniels tempering his worst instincts and finally making the kind of movie that may earn him the respect he so plainly believes he deserves. The butler tells a core american story orange county.
The butler tells a core american story orange county register. In the movie, though, the butlers name is cecil gaines, played by forrest whitaker. Eugene allen july 14, 1919 march 31, 2010 was an american waiter and butler who worked. Lee daniels the butler is set against the tumultuous political backdrop of 20th century america. Aug 16, 20 such are the instructions cecil gaines receives as he embarks on his daunting new job at the eisenhower white house in lee daniels the butler. Actor forest whitaker plays a butler named cecil gaines, who is based on. Aug 16, 20 in the movie, though, the butlers name is cecil gaines, played by forrest whitaker. And in the awkwardly titled movie lee daniels the butler, forest whitaker plays cecil gaines, a man who trades the mudsoaked clothes of his sharecropper past for the tuxedo and tails of. Cecil gaines lee daniels the butler 20 and steven spielbergs lincoln 2012 might appear to tackle vastly different themes on the surface, but one point of intersection they share is how they represent familial relationships, particularly those that involve fathers and sons. Historical drama directed by lee daniels and starring forest whitaker. And one of the films strengths is the gregarious banter of his coworkers, played by cuba gooding, jr. Lives and history, through the eyes of big and small npr. According to a washington post profile, allen was chummier with the presidents than even ceciltalking golf with gerald ford and receiving a personal invitation to a state dinner and to jfks funeral. Daniels film replaces the real eugene allen with the fictional cecil gaines, using the unique perspective of a white house butler as a jumpingoff.
Lee daniels the butler tells the story of cecil gaines, the african american son of a. Novel comparison the help and the butler freebooksummary. Forest whitaker plays as cecil gaines, an africanamerican who is a witness of notable political and social events of the 20th century during his 34year tenure serving as a white house butler. Post article, allen received book offers and speaking requests, all of which he declined.
There was no indication in haygoods article or book that eugene had any. Loosely based on the real life of eugene allen, who worked in the white house for decades, the film stars forest whitaker as cecil gaines, an africanamerican. Forest whitaker plays as cecil gaines, an africanamerican who is a witness of notable political and social events of the 20th century during his 34year tenure serving as a white house. The audiobook version of the story is now available at audiobooksnow and is read by forest whitaker, oprah wimphrey and david oyelowo. In lee daniels the butler, cecil gaines gets his dream job, working at the white house, and the very first time he walks into the oval office, he finds president eisenhower in a deep. Aug 16, 20 cecil gaines, played by forest whitaker, starts work at the white house in 1957. Gwendoline butler was a british author of romance and mystery fiction books since 1956. This movie the butler is based on a true story as an american historic fiction film. Death record, obituary, funeral notice and information about the deceased person. Such are the instructions cecil gaines receives as he embarks on his daunting new job at the eisenhower white house in lee daniels the butler. The butler has the same concept but starts off in 2009 where the narrator cecil gaines is re telling his story. But as for the book itself, its an amazing story told by a great writer. It is a gutwrenching and emotionally affecting story of the eventful life of a longserving white house butler. He is old and pensive, thinking back on his soon to be.
The butler full title lee daniels the butler is a 20 american historical drama film directed and coproduced by lee daniels and with a screenplay by danny strong. Academy award nominated director lee daniels precious epic drama tells the story of white house butler cecil gaines forest whitaker, who serves during seven presidential administrations between 1957 and 1986. Lee daniels the butler follows cecil gaines, a white house butler, during seven united states presidents. Cecil gaines, played by forest whitaker, starts work at the white house in 1957. Lee daniels the butler is an ambitious, sweeping period drama that manages to be incredibly affecting and feel as if the words for your consideration are stamped across every frame. The movie is based off a man named cecil gaines who operated from place to place as a butler to support his family, while his oldest son is out protesting for his rights, beliefs, and his culture. See our topranked characters and read their profiles. The movie starts in washington, where the elderly cecil gaines forest. We hear about the concentration camps but these camps went on for two hundred years right here in. The story is based on character, cecil gaines tenure serving as a butler in the white house during eight presidencies. Allens life was the inspiration for the 20 film the butler.
As cecil gaines serves eight presidents during his tenure as a butler at the white house, the civil rights movement, vietnam, and other major events affect. From the title i expected, well, either a biography about the butler himself, eugene allen, a man in. Eugene allen is an unsung figure in american history and i thank mr. In lee daniels the butler, forest whitaker not pictured plays cecil gaines, a character inspired by reallife white house butler eugene allen. As cecil gaines serves eight presidents during his tenure as a butler at the white house, the civil rights.
Cecil gaines is a butler that works in the white house, he has two sons and a wife and works. Aug 23, 20 the controversial new movie the butler opened nationwide in theaters last friday. With forest whitaker, oprah winfrey, john cusack, jane fonda. Of course, most of the butlerthe director lee danielss story of the white house servicestaff member cecil gaines liberally reimagined from the life story of ernest allentakes. We are introduced to cecil gaines forest whitaker as he sits outside the door of what appears to be a very elaborate and fancy office. The butler, cecil gaines, is a fictional creation, an africanamerican forrest gump who bears special witness to the civilrights movement while serving on the white house staff under seven. She was born on 19 august 1922 and died on 5 january 20 aged 90years. The butler is based on a true story 979 words cram. Eisenhower, in a lee daniels drama based on the true. President reagans son attacks lee daniels the butler. Forest whitaker turns in a reserved performance as cecil gaines, butler to eight u. The butler is a bit more than 2 hours long, spans several decades, and includes multiple storylines. Take charactours quiz to get recommendations for thousands of characters, movies, tv shows, books.
America has always turned a blind eye to what we done to our own. Lee daniels the butler style fashion in the butler starring. Cecil gaines begins life pretty rough through watching the thomas westfall plantation owner shoot his father dead straight in front of him after his mother being completely. Aug 15, 20 the butler is a bit more than 2 hours long, spans several decades, and includes multiple storylines. We have the atlantis trench outside that door and six miles of water above it. The film focuses on what he witnesses throughout the civil rights movement, and how is son louis. Loosely based on the real life of eugene allen, who worked in the white house for decades, the film stars forest whitaker as cecil gaines, an africanamerican who is a witness of notable political and social events of the 20th century during his 34year tenure serving as a white house butler. As cecil gaines serves eight presidents during his tenure as a butler at the white house, the civil rights movement, vietnam, and other major events affect this mans life, family, and american society. The movie is based off a man named cecil gaines who operated from place to place as a butler to support his family, while. Lee daniels the butler by lee daniels forest whitaker. Aug 09, 20 based very loosely on a real man, the butler sets its mildmannered protagonist cecil gaines forest whitaker in sharp contrast to his son louis david oyelowo, a freedom rider and eventually. Meet the real cecil gaines and gloria gaines, known in reallife as eugene allen and helene allen. Working intimately with these world leaders at the white house, from his unique vantage point cecil gaines witnessed radical transformations in american history through the civil. The butler, with its forrest gumplike ambition to touch on every significant moment and movement in the countrys 20th century racial history, begins by showing cecil gaines on a georgia.
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