Rocket Gibraltar

Rocket Gibraltar
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Daniel Petrie
Written by	Amos Poe
Produced by	Geoffrey Mayo Robert Fisher
Starring	Burt Lancaster
Cinematography	Jost Vacano
Edited by	Melody London
Music by	Andrew Powell
Distributed by	Columbia Pictures
Release date	September 2, 1988 (1988-09-02)
Running time	99 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$3 million
Box office	$187,349

Rocket Gibraltar is a 1988 American drama film directed by Daniel Petrie and starring Burt Lancaster, Suzy Amis Cameron, Patricia Clarkson, Frances Conroy, Sinead Cusack, John Glover, Bill Pullman, Kevin Spacey and Macaulay Culkin in his film debut.

Plot

Levi Rockwell is a retired, widowed Hollywood screenwriter and patriarch who reunites his entire family at his Long Island estate for his 77th birthday, but personal and social problems abound. His four children - son Rolo, and daughters Ruby, Rose and Aggie - arrive, along with their spouses and children, to help him celebrate his 77th birthday. During the course of the family reunion he bonds with his youngest grandson, 4 year old Lou. One afternoon Lou brings his grandfather some lemonade. Lou sees a scale model ship and Levi explains that it's a Viking ship. Later that evening Lou and his older cousins are discussing what to get grandpa for his 77th birthday. While bike riding Lou and his cousins see a boat in the tall grass. They decide to restore it as a birthday present for their grandfather.

Levi's health begins to fail and he voices a sentimental request that he be given a Viking funeral after his death. With his adult children consumed by their own personal worries, his 7 grandchildren honor Levi's last wish.

Both Rocket Gibraltar (1988) and What We Did on Our Holiday (2014) feature the grandfather's birthday get-together, observing his grown children's foibles "every human being on the planet is ridiculous in his own way", his wish for a Viking funeral "stick me in a burning boat and float me out to sea", a scene where he seems to have died with the grandchildren reviving him, and a finale of them floating his burning body out to sea on a Viking ship unbeknownst to their parents.

Cast

• Burt Lancaster as Levi Rockwell
• John Glover as Rolo Rockwell
• Sinéad Cusack as Amanda "Billi" Rockwell
• Frances Conroy as Ruby Hanson
• Kevin Spacey as Dwayne Hanson
• Patricia Clarkson as Rose Black
• Bill Pullman as Crow Black
• Suzy Amis Cameron as Aggie Rockwell
• Sara Rue as Jessica Hanson
• Angela Goethals as Dawn Black
• Macaulay Culkin as Cy Blue Black
• David Hyde Pierce as Monsieur Henri

External links

• Rocket Gibraltar at IMDb
• Rocket Gibraltar at AllMovie
• Rocket Gibraltar at Box Office Mojo
• Rocket Gibraltar at Rotten Tomatoes