The Straight Story
A true story that proves a little determination goes a very, very long way.
1999 | 112m | English
Popularity: 5 (history)
| Director: | David Lynch |
|---|---|
| Writer: | Mary Sweeney, John Roach |
| Staring: |
| A retired farmer and widower in his 70s, Alvin Straight learns one day that his distant brother Lyle has suffered a stroke and may not recover. Alvin is determined to make things right with Lyle while he still can, but his brother lives in Wisconsin, while Alvin is stuck in Iowa with no car and no driver's license. Then he hits on the idea of making the trip on his old lawnmower, thus beginning a picturesque and at times deeply spiritual odyssey. | |
| Release Date: | Oct 15, 1999 |
|---|---|
| Director: | David Lynch |
| Writer: | Mary Sweeney, John Roach |
| Genres: | Drama |
| Keywords | sibling relationship, mississippi river, wisconsin, lawnmower, iowa, biography, road trip, based on true story, family relationships, family, journey, elderly man, brother brother relationship, personal journey, transformative journey |
| Production Companies | Le Studio Canal+, Les Films Alain Sarde, Picture Factory, Walt Disney Productions, Film4 Productions |
| Box Office |
Revenue: $6,418,028
Budget: $10,000,000 |
| Updates |
Updated: Sep 04, 2025 Entered: Apr 13, 2024 |
| Name | Character |
|---|---|
| Richard Farnsworth | Alvin |
| Sissy Spacek | Rose |
| Jane Galloway Heitz | Dorothy |
| Joseph A. Carpenter | Bud |
| Donald Wiegert | Sig |
| Tracey Maloney | Nurse |
| Dan Flannery | Doctor Gibbons |
| Jennifer Edwards | Brenda |
| Ed Grennan | Pete |
| Jack Walsh | Apple |
| Gil Pearson | Bus Driver |
| Barbara June Patterson | Woman on Bus |
| Everett McGill | Tom the John Deere Dealer |
| Anastasia Webb | Crystal |
| Matt Guidry | Steve |
| Bill McCallum | Rat |
| Barbara E. Robertson | Deer Woman |
| James Cada | Danny Riordan |
| Sally Wingert | Darla Riordan |
| Barbara Kingsley | Janet Johnson |
| Jim Haun | Johnny Johnson |
| Wiley Harker | Verlyn Heller |
| Randy Wiedenhoff | Fireman #1 |
| Jerry E. Anderson | Fireman #2 |
| Kevin Farley | Harald |
| John Farley | Thorvald |
| John Lordan | Priest |
| Garrett Sweeney | Boy in Truck |
| Peter Sweeney | Boy in Truck |
| Tommy Fahey | Boy in Truck |
| Matt Fahey | Boy in Truck |
| Dan Fahey | Boy in Truck |
| Russ Reed | Mt. Zion Bartender |
| Leroy Swadley | Bar Patron |
| Ralph Feldhacker | Farmer on Tractor |
| Harry Dean Stanton | Lyle |
| Name | Job |
|---|---|
| Freddie Francis | Director of Photography |
| Angelo Badalamenti | Original Music Composer |
| James Fierro | Stunt Coordinator |
| Jane Alderman | Casting |
| Sean Everett | Property Master |
| Rick LeFevour | Stunt Coordinator |
| Shane Patrick | Swing |
| William McConnell | First Assistant Camera |
| Scott Andrew Ressler | Assistant Camera |
| Richard Alarian | Chief Lighting Technician |
| Ron Burchfield | Grip |
| Don Cerrone | Key Grip |
| Edgar Martin | Grip |
| Lynn Blumenthal | Casting |
| Doug Jackson | Sound Effects Editor |
| Crist Ballas | Special Effects Makeup Artist |
| Scott Cameron | First Assistant Director |
| Johnny D. Culley | Assistant Property Master |
| Steven Kerlagon | Lead Painter |
| Trini Wilt | Art Department Assistant |
| Susan Lichtman | Set Costumer |
| Rudy J. Calzavara | Stunt Double |
| Bryan Arenas | Sound Engineer |
| Mary Erstad | Foley Recordist |
| Diane Marshall | Foley Artist |
| Earl Sampson | Boom Operator |
| Susumu Tokunow | Location Sound Mixer |
| Keith Bunting | Best Boy Grip |
| David L. Butler | Aerial Director of Photography |
| Gordon Hayman | Camera Operator |
| Patricia Norris | Costume Design |
| Barbara Haberecht | Set Decoration |
| Hilary Schroeder | First Assistant Editor |
| Chris Kennedy | Assistant Art Director |
| W.T. Zacha | Costume Supervisor |
| Sally J. Harper | Hairstylist |
| Eric Sherman | Second Second Assistant Director |
| David Hack | Leadman |
| David Wilt | Construction Coordinator |
| Thomas Traugott | Swing |
| Mike Weesner | Special Effects Assistant |
| Ronald Eng | Sound Effects Editor, Supervising Sound Editor |
| Patrick Giraudi | Additional Sound Re-Recording Mixer |
| Howard Neiman | Foley Editor, Foley Supervisor |
| Lucy Sustar | Foley Recordist |
| Amy Alarian | Electrician |
| Walter Spencer | Music Editor, Dialogue Editor |
| Bob Harper | Makeup Artist |
| John Neff | Sound Re-Recording Mixer |
| Deborah K. Dee | Hairstylist |
| Simone Farber | Second Assistant Director |
| Timothy W. Lobdell | Carpenter |
| Gary D'Amico | Special Effects |
| David Lee Fein | Foley Artist |
| Steven R. Morales | Assistant Chief Lighting Technician |
| Eric Ritter | Grip |
| Scott Smith | Aerial Camera |
| Catherine Head | Casting Associate |
| Joan Philo | Extras Casting |
| Brendan David Butler | Aerial Camera |
| Michael Fedack | Dolly Grip |
| Bill McConnell Jr. | Second Assistant Camera |
| David B. Nowell | Aerial Director of Photography |
| Kathryn Roberts | Camera Loader |
| Wilson Webb | Electrician |
| Vicki Jo Hertz | Extras Casting Assistant |
| Joshua E. Smith | Electrician |
| Nancy Briggs | Casting Associate |
| Sarah Jane Hill | Casting Associate |
| David Lynch | Sound Designer, Director |
| Mary Sweeney | Writer, Editor |
| Jack Fisk | Production Design |
| John Roach | Writer |
| Name | Title |
|---|---|
| Neal Edelstein | Producer |
| Michael Polaire | Executive Producer |
| Pierre Edelman | Executive Producer |
| Mary Sweeney | Producer |
| Alain Sarde | Producer |
| Organization | Category | Person |
|---|
Popularity History
| Year | Month | Avg | Max | Min |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 4 | 31 | 46 | 21 |
| 2024 | 5 | 27 | 41 | 17 |
| 2024 | 6 | 23 | 42 | 14 |
| 2024 | 7 | 23 | 53 | 13 |
| 2024 | 8 | 19 | 26 | 15 |
| 2024 | 9 | 17 | 30 | 13 |
| 2024 | 10 | 17 | 32 | 10 |
| 2024 | 11 | 17 | 30 | 10 |
| 2024 | 12 | 16 | 35 | 8 |
| 2025 | 1 | 25 | 41 | 11 |
| 2025 | 2 | 17 | 26 | 3 |
| 2025 | 3 | 7 | 20 | 1 |
| 2025 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 2 |
| 2025 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 2 |
| 2025 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 1 |
| 2025 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 1 |
| 2025 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| 2025 | 9 | 4 | 5 | 2 |
| 2025 | 10 | 5 | 6 | 4 |
Trending Position
| Year | Month | High | Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 10 | 646 | 734 |
| Year | Month | High | Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 9 | 422 | 558 |
| Year | Month | High | Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 8 | 646 | 777 |
| Year | Month | High | Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 7 | 553 | 794 |
| Year | Month | High | Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 6 | 792 | 816 |
| Year | Month | High | Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 5 | 407 | 764 |
| Year | Month | High | Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 4 | 247 | 737 |
| Year | Month | High | Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3 | 307 | 645 |
| Year | Month | High | Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2 | 382 | 805 |
| Year | Month | High | Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1 | 82 | 490 |
I want to thank you for your kindness to a stranger. An absolute delight. From director David Lynch, The Straight Story finds the famous purveyor of the oblique on wonderfully mellow form. Story finds a superb Richard Farnsworth as Alvin Straight, an old boy long in the tooth who sets off across ... America on his lawn mower to visit his estranged brother. You see, he doesn't have a driving licence, so lawn mower is the viable form of transport. Lynch and writers John Roach & Mary Sweeney have offered up a wry and astute observation of Americana. The journey Alvin takes involves him meeting a number of eccentrics and confused souls, which pitches Alvin as our conduit to a rich view of the life we have - or will - live. Culminating in a finale that rewards anyone with an intelligent soul. The message is clear. A beautiful film for the beautiful of heart. 9/10
Beautifully made film. It's a difficult one to describe. <em>'The Straight Story'</em> features a very touching, true life, story about Alvin Straight. It's a very simple premise but one that the film brings to life wonderfully. There's a crap tonne of heart, alongside some brilliant cinematograp ... hy and a top notch score. Richard Farnsworth plays the role of Alvin expertly, it's an outstanding performance from him. Credit also to Sissy Spacek, who makes an impact as Rose despite not really being in the film for all that long. Harry Dean Stanton (Lyle) makes an appearance, too. It's a slow burn but one that's totally worth the 112 minute run time. What a great way to end the millennium for Disney's live-action theatrical releases.