The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is a 2008 American fantasy-drama film directed by David Fincher.

The screenplay by Eric Roth and Robin Swicord is loosely based on the 1922 short story of the same name by F.

Scott Fitzgerald. The film stars Brad Pitt as a man who ages in reverse and Cate Blanchett as the love interest

throughout his life. The film was released in the United States on December 25, 2008.
The film received thirteen Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor for Pitt, and

Best Supporting Actress for Taraji P. Henson. It won Oscars for Art Direction, Makeup, and Visual Effects.
Contents

• 1 Plot
• 2 Cast
• 3 Production
o 3.1 Development
o 3.2 Adaptation
o 3.3 Casting
o 3.4 Filming
o 3.5 Music
• 4 Reception
o 4.1 Box office performance
o 4.2 Critical reception
o 4.3 Top ten lists
o 4.4 Plagiarism claim
• 5 Home media
• 6 Awards and honors
Plot
This article's plot summary may be too long or overly detailed. Please help improve it by removing

unnecessary details and making it more concise. (December 2009)
Daisy (Cate Blanchett), an elderly woman, is on her deathbed in a New Orleans hospital as Hurricane Katrina

approaches. Daisy tells her daughter, Caroline (Julia Ormond), the story of a blind clockmaker named Gateau who

was commissioned to create a clock to hang in the New Orleans train station. After receiving news of his only son's

death in World War I, he continued work on his clock, but intentionally designed it to run backward, in the hope

that it would bring back those who died in the war. After her story, Daisy asks Caroline to read aloud from a diary

containing photographs and postcards written by Benjamin Button (Brad Pitt).
On November 11, 1918, just as the people of New Orleans are celebrating the end of the Great War, a baby boy

is born with the appearance and physical maladies of a very elderly man. The baby's mother dies shortly after

giving birth, and the father, Thomas Button (Jason Flemyng), abandons the infant on the porch of a nursing

home. Queenie (Taraji P. Henson) and Mr. "Tizzy" Weathers (Mahershalalhashbaz Ali), a couple who work at the

nursing home, find the baby. Queenie, who is unable to conceive, decides to take the baby in as her own and

names the baby Benjamin.
Queenie takes Benjamin to a Christian faith healing service where Benjamin rises from his wheelchair and walks for

the first time. In 1930, while still appearing to be seventy-three, Benjamin meets six-year-old Daisy (Elle Fanning),

whose grandmother lives in the nursing home. The children play together and listen to Daisy's grandmother read

from a storybook. As Benjamin gets older, he accepts work at on the docks of New Orleans for Captain Mike

(Jared Harris). Benjamin also meets Thomas Button, who does not reveal that he is Benjamin's father. In 1936,

Benjamin leaves New Orleans with the tugboat crew for a long-term work engagement. While in the Russian port

city of Murmansk, he begins an affair with the older, married Elizabeth Abbott (Tilda Swinton).
While in Russia, the tugboat crew hear of the Pearl Harbor attack. Captain Mike tells his crew that his tugboat has

been commissioned into the United States Navy. They work through the war hauling crippled ships until one night,

when they come upon an allied transport that had been torpedoed and sunk by a U-boat. They are able to ram

and sink the U-boat when it surfaces, but the ship is critically damaged. Benjamin is the sole survivor.
In 1945, Benjamin returns to New Orleans, and learns that the twenty-one-year-old Daisy has become a successful

ballet dancer in New York City, and that Tizzy just died. Benjamin crosses paths with Thomas Button again.

Thomas, who is dying, reveals he is his father. Thomas wills Benjamin his house, his button factory and other

possessions before he dies.
Benjamin later travels to New York to meet Daisy at a performance, and finds Daisy has fallen in love with a fellow

dancer. Daisy's dance career is ended in 1957 by an accident in Paris when she is hit by a taxi cab that breaks

her leg. When Benjamin goes to see her, Daisy is amazed at his youthful appearance, but frustrated at her own

injuries; she turns him away by telling Benjamin to stay out of her life. In 1962, Daisy returns to New Orleans and

reunites with Benjamin. Now the same physical age, they fall in love and get an apartment together.
Queenie dies and Daisy becomes pregnant. Daisy gives birth to a girl, Caroline. Benjamin, believing he cannot be a

father figure to his daughter due to his reverse aging, sells his belongings, and leaves the proceeds to Daisy and

Caroline. He travels to India.
Benjamin returns to Daisy in 1980. Daisy is now re-married. Daisy introduces Benjamin to her husband, and

Caroline as a long-time family friend. Daisy and Benjamin then meet privately in Benjamin's hotel where they share

their passion for each other, but decide to remain apart. Benjamin departs again.
In 1991, Daisy receives a phone call from social workers. They inform her that they found Benjamin — now a

young twelve year old — living in a condemned building. The social workers believe that he has dementia as he

cannot remember much of his past. Daisy moves into the nursing home where Benjamin grew up and takes care of

him as he becomes increasingly younger.
In 2002, Mr. Gateau's old clock is removed from the train station. Shortly afterward, Benjamin, who is now

physically an infant, dies in Daisy's arms.
Cast
• Brad Pitt as Benjamin Button – apparent adult
• Spencer Daniels as Benjamin Button – apparent age 12
• Shiloh Jolie-Pitt as Benjamin Button – apparent baby
• Cate Blanchett as Daisy Fuller – adult
• Elle Fanning as Daisy Fuller – age 6
• Madisen Beaty as Daisy Fuller – age 11
• Taraji P. Henson as Queenie
• Julia Ormond as Caroline Fuller
• Jason Flemyng as Thomas Button
• Mahershalalhashbaz Ali as Tizzy Weathers
• Jared Harris as Captain Mike
• Elias Koteas as Monsieur Gateau
• Ed Metzger as Theodore Roosevelt
• Phyllis Somerville as Grandma Fuller
• Josh Stewart as Pleasant Curtis
• Tilda Swinton as Elizabeth Abbott
• Bianca Chiminello as Daisy's Friend
• Rampai Mohadi as Ngunda Oti
• Edith Ivey as Mrs. Maple
• Tim Harvey as Soda Jerk
• Vanessa Bell-Gentles as Anacalir Fuller
Production
[edit] Development
Producer Ray Stark bought the film rights to do The Curious Case of Benjamin Button in the mid-1980's, and it

was optioned by Universal Pictures. The first choice to direct it was Frank Oz, with Martin Short attached for the

title role, but Oz couldn't work out how to make the story work. The film was optioned in 1991 by Steven

Spielberg, with Tom Cruise attached for the lead role. But, Spielberg left the project to direct Jurassic Park and

Schindler's List. Other director's attached were Patrick Read Johnson and Agnieszka Holland. Stark eventually sold

the rights to producers Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall, who took the film to Paramount Pictures, with

Universal Pictures still on as a co-production partner. By summer 1994, Maryland Film Office chief Jack Gerbes was

approached with the possibility of making the film in Baltimore.[3] In October 1998, screenwriter Robin Swicord wrote

for director Ron Howard an adapted screenplay of the short story, a project which would potentially star actor John

Travolta.[4] In May 2000, Paramount Pictures hired screenwriter Jim Taylor to adapt a screenplay from the short

story. The studio also attached director Spike Jonze to helm the project.[5] Screenwriter Charlie Kaufman had also

written a draft of the adapted screenplay at one point.[6] In June 2003, director Gary Ross entered final

negotiations to helm the project based on a new draft penned by screenwriter Eric Roth.[7] In May 2004, Warner

Bros. Pictures and Paramount Pictures joined to co-finance the project, with Paramount Pictures marketing the film in

foreign territories and Warner Bros. handling domestic distribution (those were eventually switched).[citation needed]

In the same month, director David Fincher entered negotiations to replace Ross in directing the film.[8] In July

2005, Fincher negotiated a deal with the studios to direct Benjamin Button and Zodiac back-to-back, with Zodiac

being produced first.
[edit] Adaptation
The completed screenplay differs from Fitzgerald's short story in numerous ways. The short story is set in Baltimore,

not New Orleans. In the short story, the baby is born speaking like an adult and with a long white beard. He is

born in a hospital, not at home, and is 70 years old, not 85. In addition, he is not deserted by his father at a

home for the elderly, but is cared for by Mr. Button and encouraged to go to college. He also mentally ages

backward, not forward.
[edit] Casting
In May 2005, actors Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett entered negotiations to star in the film as Benjamin Button and

Daisy, respectively.[9] In September 2006, actors Tilda Swinton, Jason Flemyng, and Taraji P. Henson entered

negotiations to be cast into the film.[10] The following October, with production yet to begin, actress Julia Ormond

was cast as Daisy's daughter, to whom Blanchett's character tells the story of her love affair with Benjamin

Button.[11]
Filming


Some filming was conducted in the Garden District of New Orleans, including this home at 2707 Coliseum St.


Parisian scenes shooting in Old Montreal
For Benjamin Button, New Orleans, Louisiana and the surrounding area was chosen as the filming location for the

story to take advantage of the state's production incentives, and shooting was slated to begin in October 2006.[12]

Filming of Benjamin Button began on November 6, 2006 in New Orleans. In January 2007, Blanchett joined the

shoot.[13] Fincher praised the ease of accessibility to rural and urban sets in New Orleans and said that the

recovery from Hurricane Katrina did not serve as an atypical hindrance to production.[14] In March 2007, production

moved to Los Angeles for two more months of filming.[3] Principal photography was targeted to last a total of 150

days. Additional time was needed in post-production to create the visual effects for the metamorphosis of Brad Pitt's

character to the infant stage.[15] The director used a camera system called Contour, developed by Steve Perlman,

to capture facial deformation data from live-action performances.[16] Overall production was finished in September

2007.[17] The movie props were donated to the victims of Hurricane Katrina in the Ninth Ward of New Orleans.

Some of the scenes were shot in Montreal as well.
[edit] Music
The score to The Curious Case of Benjamin Button was written by French composer Alexandre Desplat, who

recorded his score with an 87-piece ensemble of the Hollywood Studio Symphony at the Sony Scoring Stage.[18]

The film's first trailer featured the "Aquarium" movement of Camille Saint-Saëns' The Carnival of the Animals. The

choir singing in the trailer is Libera, a group of boys from South London. The international trailer contains the song

"A Moment of Greatness" by Immediate Music. One of the TV spots contains the song "My Body is a Cage" by

Arcade Fire. Some TV spots use the song "The Return", which is part of APM Music's Liquid Cinema Collection

"Cinematic Emotions & Drama". There are also songs in the film shared with O Brother, Where Art Thou?,

including "Didn't Leave Nobody But the Baby" and "I'll Fly Away", from a different recording. The piano piece that

Benjamin learns and which is reprised at the end of the film is Bethena: A Concert Waltz by Scott Joplin.
Benjamin and Daisy watch The Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show singing "Twist and Shout".
Reception
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button was originally slated for theatrical release in May 2008,[19] but it was

pushed back to November 26, 2008.[20] The release date was moved again to December 25 in the United

States, January 16, 2009 in Mexico, February 6 in the United Kingdom, February 13 in Italy[21][22] and February

27 in South Africa.
[edit] Box office performance
On its opening day, the film opened in the number two position behind Marley & Me, in North America with

$11,871,831 in 2,988 theaters with a $3,973 average.[2] However, during its opening weekend, the film dropped to

the third position behind Marley & Me and Bedtime Stories with $26,853,816 in 2,988 theaters with an $8,987

average. The film has come to gross $127.5 million domestically and $206.4 million in foreign markets, with a total

gross of $333.9 million.[2]
[edit] Critical reception
The film has received mostly positive reviews. The review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reports that 71% of critics

gave the film positive reviews based on 221 reviews, with 79% of selected "Top Critics" giving the film positive

reviews, based on 33 reviews.[23][24] According to Metacritic, the film received an average score of 70 out of

100, based on 37 reviews.[25] Yahoo! Movies reported the film received a B+ average score from critical

consensus, based on 12 reviews.[26]
Todd McCarthy of Variety gave the film a positive review, calling it a "richly satisfying serving of deep-dish

Hollywood storytelling."[27] Peter Howell of The Toronto Star says: "It's been said that the unexamined life is not

worth living. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button suggests an addendum: a life lived backwards can be far more

enriching..." and describes the film as "a magical and moving account of a man living his life resoundingly in

reverse" and "moviemaking at its best."[28] Rod Yates of Empire awarded it five out of a possible five stars.[29]

Kirk Honeycutt of The Hollywood Reporter felt the film was "superbly made and winningly acted by Brad Pitt in his

most impressive outing to date." Honeycutt praised Fincher's directing of the film and noted that the "cinematography

wonderfully marries a palette of subdued earthern colors with the necessary CGI and other visual effects that place

one in a magical past." Honeycutt states the bottom line about Benjamin Button is that it is "an intimate epic about

love and loss that is pure cinema."[30]

A.O. Scott of The New York Times states, "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, more than two and a half hours

long, sighs with longing and simmers with intrigue while investigating the philosophical conundrums and emotional

paradoxes of its protagonist’s condition in a spirit that owes more to Jorge Luis Borges than to Fitzgerald." Scott

praised director David Fincher and writes "Building on the advances of pioneers like Steven Spielberg, Peter Jackson

and Robert Zemeckis...Mr. Fincher has added a dimension of delicacy and grace to digital filmmaking" and further

states, "While it stands on the shoulders of breakthroughs like Minority Report, The Lord of the Rings and Forrest

Gump, Benjamin Button may be the most dazzling such hybrid yet, precisely because it is the subtlest." He also

stated: "At the same time, like any other love--like any movie--it is shadowed by disappointment and fated to

end."[31]
On the other hand, Anne Hornaday of The Washington Post states, "There's no denying the sheer ambition and

technical prowess of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. What's less clear is whether it entirely earns its own

inflated sense of self-importance..." and further says, "It plays too safe when it should be letting its freak flag

fly."[32] Kimberley Jones of the Austin Chronicle panned the film and states, "Fincher's selling us beautifully

cheekboned movie stars frolicking in bedsheets and calling it a great love. I didn't buy it for a second."[33]
Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave the film two and a half stars out of four, saying that it is "a

splendidly made film based on a profoundly mistaken premise." He goes on to elaborate that "The movie's premise

devalues any relationship, makes futile any friendship or romance, and spits, not into the face of destiny, but

backward into the maw of time."[34]
Peter Bradshaw in The Guardian called it "166 minutes of twee tedium", giving it one star out of a possible

five.[35]
Ashley Scrace from the Sheffield Star noted: "It is a good film, but one of contradictions, some of which are far

beyond the story of young versus old. It is surprising yet clichéd; sad yet hollow; visually impressive yet ordinary."

He goes on to add, "I just hope this year’s Oscars do not follow a tired formula: biggest budget, plus biggest

stars, equals biggest awards." The film was rated at three stars out of a possible five.[36]
Cosmo Landesman of the Sunday Times wrote: "The film’s premise serves no purpose. It’s a gimmick that goes on

for nearly three hours," concluding "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is an anodyne Hollywood film that offers

a safe and sanitised view of life and death. It's Forrest Gump goes backwards," while awarding the film two out of

five stars.[37] James Christopher in The Times called it "a tedious marathon of smoke and mirrors. In terms of the

basic requirements of three-reel drama the film lacks substance, credibility, a decent script and characters you might

actually care for"[38] while Derek Malcolm of London's Evening Standard notes that "never at any point do you feel

that there’s anything more to it than a very strange story traversed by a film-maker who knows what he is doing

but not always why he is doing it."[39]

The screenplay also came under criticism for its perceived unoriginality. Many have noted extensive similarities

between The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and Forrest Gump, both written by Eric Roth, prompting accusations

of "self-plagiarism."[40][41][42][43]
[edit] Top ten lists
The film appeared on many critics' top ten lists of the best films of 2008.[44] According to Movie City News, the

film has appeared on 79 different top ten lists out of 286 different critics lists surveyed, the 6th most mentioned on

a top ten list of the films released in 2008.[45] According to CriticsTop10, the film appeared on over 136 film

critics top ten lists, with 12 number one mentions, and was also ranked 6th of the year in terms of appearances

on critics' top ten lists.[46]
• 1st - Rex Reed, The New York Observer
• 1st - Michael Sragow, The Baltimore Sun[44]
• 1st - Ben Lyons, At the Movies
• 3rd - Joe Morgenstern, The Wall Street Journal[44]
• 3rd - Kirk Honeycutt, The Hollywood Reporter[44]
• 5th - Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter[44]
• 5th - Lou Lumenick, New York Post[44]
• 6th - James Berardinelli, ReelViews[44]
• 6th - Kyle Smith, New York Post[44]
• 6th - Richard Corliss, TIME magazine[44]
• 8th - Stephen Farber, The Hollywood Reporter[44]
• 9th - Rene Rodriguez, The Miami Herald[44][edit] Plagiarism claim
In January 2009, an Italian writer named Adriana Pichini filed legal papers contending that the film appeared to

have been based on a story that she wrote in 1994, entitled "Il ritorno di Arthur all'innocenza" ("Arthur's Return to

Innocence"). The case will be examined by an Italian judge to see whether or not the situation merits further

inquiry.[47]
[edit] Home media
The film was released on Blu-ray Disc and DVD on May 5, 2009 by Paramount. The Criterion release includes

over three hours of special features, and a documentary about the making of the film.[48] Benjamin Button has

something of an unusual distribution arrangement for the Blu-ray release world wide. The US Criterion release does

not appear to be available in other countries and it is unknown whether Warner struck a different transfer for other

markets or used the same master outside of US. For releases in countries such as UK and Australia, the Blu-ray

is distributed by Warner Brothers with no reference to Criterion on the packaging. The Criterion edition has received

outstanding reviews for audio and video presentation. The main audio track is consistent across all editions (DTS

HD Master Audio) and the special features appear to be consistent across both editions also. The Australian edition

of the Blu-ray includes a license to download a digital copy of the movie to portable devices. This license key is

valid for 1 year from release date of the Blu-ray. There is no media in the set containing the portable digital

edition of the movie. As of November 1, 2009 the DVD has sold 2,515,722 DVD copies and has generated

$41,196,515 in sales revenue.[49]
[edit] Awards and honors
Award Category Recipient Result
81st Academy Awards
Best Picture Kathleen Kennedy
Frank Marshall
Ceán Chaffin
Nominated
Best Director David Fincher
Nominated
Best Actor Brad Pitt
Nominated
Best Supporting Actress Taraji P. Henson
Nominated
Best Adapted Screenplay Eric Roth
Nominated
Best Film Editing Kirk Baxter
Angus Wall
Nominated
Best Cinematography Claudio Miranda
Nominated
Best Art Direction Donald Graham Burt
Victor J. Zolfo Won
Best Costume Design Jacqueline West
Nominated
Best Makeup Won
Best Original Score Alexandre Desplat
Nominated
Best Sound Mixing Nominated
Best Visual Effects Won
American Society of Cinematographers[50]
Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography in Theatrical Releases
Claudio Miranda Nominated
Austin Film Critics Association[51]
Best Supporting Actress
Taraji P. Henson Won
British Academy Film Awards
Best Film Kathleen Kennedy
Frank Marshall
Ceán Chaffin Nominated
Best Makeup & Hair Won
Best Director David Fincher Nominated
Best Adapted Screenplay Eric Roth Nominated
Best Leading Actor Brad Pitt Nominated
Best Costume Design Nominated
Best Music Alexandre Desplat Nominated
Best Cinematography Claudio Miranda Nominated
Best Editing Nominated
Best Production Design Won
Best Visual Effects Won
Broadcast Film Critics[52]
Best Film
Nominated
Best Actor
Brad Pitt Nominated
Best Actress
Cate Blanchett
Nominated
Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Director
David Fincher Nominated
Best Supporting Actress
Taraji P. Henson Nominated
Best Cast
Nominated
Best Writer
Eric Roth Nominated
Best Composer
Alexandre Desplat Nominated
Central Ohio Film Critics Association Awards
Best Score Alexandre Desplat Won
Top 10 Films of the Year 9th
Chicago Film Critics Association
Best Picture
Nominated
Best Director
David Fincher Nominated
Best Screenplay, Adapted
Eric Roth Nominated
Best Cinematography Claudio Miranda Nominated
Best Original Score
Alexandre Desplat Nominated
Directors Guild of America Awards
Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures
David Fincher Nominated
Golden Globe Awards
Best Motion Picture Drama
Nominated
Best Actor - Motion Picture Drama
Brad Pitt Nominated
Best Director - Motion Picture
David Fincher Nominated
Best Screenplay
Eric Roth Nominated
Best Original Score
Alexandre Desplat Nominated
Houston Film Critics Society Awards
Best Picture Won
Best Cinematography Claudio Miranda Won
Las Vegas Film Critics Society Awards
Best Art Direction
Won
Best Cinematography
Claudio Miranda Won
Best Costume Design Jacqueline West Won
London Film Critics' Circle
Film of the Year
Nominated
Director of the Year
David Fincher Won
British Supporting Actress of the Year Tilda Swinton
Won
Screenwriter of the Year Eric Roth Nominated
MTV Movie Awards
Best Female Performance
Taraji P. Henson Nominated
National Board of Review[52][53]
National Board of Review: Top Ten Films

Best Director
David Fincher Won
Best Adapted Screenplay
Eric Roth Won
Satellite Awards
Best Adapted Screenplay
Eric Roth and Robin Swicord
Nominated
Best Art Direction and Production Design
Donald Graham Burt and Tom Reta Nominated
Best Cinematography
Claudio Miranda Nominated
Best Costume Design
Jacqueline West Nominated
Saturn Award
Best Fantasy Film
Won
Best Actor
Brad Pitt Nominated
Best Actress
Cate Blatchett Nominated
Best Supporting Actress
Tilda Swinton
Won
Best Director
David Fincher Nominated
Best Writing
Eric Roth Nominated
Best Music
Alexandre Desplat Nominated
Best Make-Up
Won
Best Visual Effects
Nominated
Screen Actors Guild Awards
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role
Brad Pitt Nominated
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role
Taraji P. Henson Nominated
Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
Mahershalalhashbaz Ali
Cate Blanchett
Jason Flemyng
Jared Harris
Taraji P. Henson
Elias Koteas
Julia Ormond
Brad Pitt
Phyllis Somerville
Tilda Swinton Nominated
St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association Awards[54]
Best Film
Won
Vancouver Film Critics Circle Awards[55]
Best Director
David Fincher Won
Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association
Best Art Direction
Won
Writers Guild of America Awards
Best Original Screenplay
Eric Roth
Robin Swicord Nominated