A Soldier's Daughter Never Cries

R

Released Sep 13, 1998

2 hr. 7 min.

Drama

List

80%

25 Reviews

Tomatometer

72%

1,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

The cultural differences between France and the United States are depicted through the eyes of young Channe Willis (Leelee Sobieski), the daughter of American writer Bill Willis (Kris Kristofferson). Along with his wife, Marcella (Barbara Hershey), Bill raises his family in free-spirited 1960s Paris, but a subsequent return to America throws Channe into culture shock as she contends with a more repressed society. The film is based on the book by Kaylie Jones, daughter of author James Jones.

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Critics Consensus

A Soldier's Daughter Never Cries applies Merchant-Ivory's magic touch to a more contemporary era while empathetically observing the lives of expatriate Americans in Paris.

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Audience Member

Kris Kristofferson best father evar

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/27/23

Full Review

Audience Member

About as good as "Mr. & Mrs. Bridge" (1991) in terms of straightforward, compelling American dramas by the Ivory-Merchant team. Excellent performances all around.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/17/23

Full Review

Audience Member

great movie in the usual merch-Ivory tradition loses points for Kristofferson mangling French

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/25/23

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Audience Member

A great drama and a change of pace from James Ivory's other work.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/21/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Didn't like it when I first saw it. Watched it again last night and liked it more.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/25/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Brilliant comming of age story. Kris Kristofferson is better off singing but Leelee Sobieski does a great time adjusting to life in the u.s and france at fourteen years old.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/26/23

Full Review

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James Ivory

Director

Kris Kristofferson

Bill Willis

Barbara Hershey

Marcella Willis

Leelee Sobieski

Charlotte Anne 'Channe' Willis, Age 14

Jesse Bradford

Billy Willis, Age 14

Anthony Roth Costanzo

Francis Fortescue

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Owen Gleiberman

Entertainment Weekly

Rated: C

Sep 7, 2011

Full Review

Emanuel Levy

Variety

[A] nicely mounted, superbly acted picture, which should appeal to the art crowd that has supported Merchant Ivory productions over the last two decades.

Jan 8, 2008

Full Review

Globe and Mail

Rated: 2.5/4

Apr 12, 2002

Full Review

Carol Cling

Las Vegas Review-Journal

Rated: 3/5

Aug 22, 2003

Full Review

Ryan Cracknell

Movie Views

Rated: 4/5

May 21, 2003

Full Review

Jeanne Aufmuth

Palo Alto Weekly

Rated: 3/4

May 14, 2003

Full Review

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Synopsis

The cultural differences between France and the United States are depicted through the eyes of young Channe Willis (Leelee Sobieski), the daughter of American writer Bill Willis (Kris Kristofferson). Along with his wife, Marcella (Barbara Hershey), Bill raises his family in free-spirited 1960s Paris, but a subsequent return to America throws Channe into culture shock as she contends with a more repressed society. The film is based on the book by Kaylie Jones, daughter of author James Jones.

Director: James Ivory
Executive Producer: Nayeem Hafizka, Richard Hawley
Screenwriter: Kaylie Jones, James Ivory, Ruth Prawer Jhabvala
Distributor: Universal Pictures, MCA/Universal Pictures [us], October Films
Production Co: Merchant Ivory Productions, Capitol Films
Rating: R
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 13, 1998, Original
Box Office (Gross USA): $1.8M
Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)