Blaze (1989 film)

Blaze is a 1989 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Ron Shelton. Based on the 1974 memoir, Blaze Starr: My Life as Told to Huey Perry, by Blaze Starr and Huey Perry, the film stars Paul Newman as Earl Long and Lolita Davidovich as Blaze Starr. Starr makes a cameo appearance as well.

At the 62nd Academy Awards in 1990, the film received a nomination for Best Cinematography for Haskell Wexler. However, the award went to Freddie Francis for Glory. This was Wexler's fifth and final nomination, having previously won for Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966) and Bound for Glory (1976).

Plot
The film tells a fictionalized story of the latter years of Earl Long, a flamboyant Governor of Louisiana, brother of assassinated governor and U.S. Senator, Huey P. Long, and uncle of longtime U.S. Senator, Russell Long. According to the memoir and film, Earl Long allegedly fell in love with a young stripper named Blaze Starr.

Cast

 * Paul Newman as Governor Earl Long
 * Lolita Davidovich as Blaze Starr
 * Jerry Hardin as Thibodeaux
 * Gailard Sartain as LaGrange
 * Jeffrey DeMunn as Eldon Tuck
 * Richard Jenkins as Picayune
 * Brandon Smith as Arvin Deeter
 * Robert Wuhl as Red Snyder
 * James Harper as Willie Rainach
 * Rod Masterson as Alexandria Daily Town Talk Reporter

Reception
The film received mixed reviews from critics. Audiences surveyed by CinemaScore gave the film a "B+" on scale of A+ to F.

Box office
Blaze debuted at number 9 at the North American box office on its opening weekend.