View source for Flowers in the Attic (2014 film)


{{Long plot|date=June 2021}}

{{Infobox television
| image                = FlowersInTheAttic2014.jpg
| image_size           = 230
| image_alt            =
| caption              = 
| genre                = Drama<br />Romance<br />Thriller
| creator              = 
| based_on             = {{based on|''[[Flowers in the Attic]]''|[[V. C. Andrews]]}}
| writer               = 
| screenplay           = Kayla Alpert
| story                = 
| director             = [[Deborah Chow]]
| starring             = [[Heather Graham]]<br />[[Kiernan Shipka]]<br />[[Mason Dye]]<br />Ava Telek<br />Maxwell Kovach<br />[[Dylan Bruce]]<br />[[Chad Willett]]<br />[[Ellen Burstyn]]
| narrator             = 
| theme_music_composer = Mario Grigorov
| country              = United States<br>Canada
| language             = English
| num_episodes         = 
| executive_producer   = [[Charles W. Fries]]<br />Lisa Hamilton-Daly<br />Merideth Finn<br />Tanya Lopez<br />Michele Weiss<br />Rob Sharenow
| producer             = Harvey Kahn<br />Damian Ganczewski
| editor               = Jamie Alain
| cinematography       = Miroslaw Baszak
| runtime              = 90 minutes
| company              = {{unbulleted list|Front Street Pictures, Inc.|Cue the Dog Productions|Fries Film Company, Inc.}}
| budget               = 
| network              = [[Lifetime (TV channel)|Lifetime]]
| released             = {{Start date|2014|01|14}}
| related              = {{Plainlist|
* ''[[Petals on the Wind (film)|Petals on the Wind]]'' 
}}
}}

'''''Flowers in the Attic''''' is a 2014 [[Lifetime (TV network)|Lifetime]] [[psychological thriller]] [[Drama (film and television)|drama]] movie directed by [[Deborah Chow]]. It is the second adaptation of [[V. C. Andrews]]’ [[Flowers in the Attic|1979 novel of the same name]].

A sequel, ''[[Petals on the Wind (film)|Petals on the Wind]]'', based on [[Petals on the Wind|the novel of the same name]], premiered on May 26, 2014, on Lifetime. The network announced the developing of the following [[Dollanganger series|books in the series]], ''[[If There Be Thorns (film)|If There Be Thorns]]'' and ''[[Seeds of Yesterday (film)|Seeds of Yesterday]]'', which both aired in 2015.<ref name="West">{{cite press release|url=https://www.cinemablend.com/television/Petals-Wind-Sequels-There-Thorns-Seeds-Yesterday-Coming-Lifetime-64313.html|title=Petals on the Wind Sequels If There Be Thorns and Seeds of Yesterday Are Coming to Lifetime|publisher=Television Blend|last=West|first=Kelly|date=May 27, 2014|access-date=June 6, 2014}}</ref>

==Plot==
In 1957, the Dollanganger children — 14-year-old Chris, 12-year-old Cathy, and 5-year-old twins Carrie and Cory — live happily with their parents, Christopher and Corrine, in [[Pennsylvania]]. This changes when Christopher dies in a car crash, leaving the family devastated and heavily in debt. Four months later, Corrine announces that they are going to move and live with her wealthy parents in [[Virginia]]. She explains to her children that she was estranged from her parents and that's why she changed her last name.

On arrival at Foxworth Hall, Corrine's grim, cold-hearted mother, Olivia, takes the children to a small room in the attic. The next day, the children are given a list of rules and Olivia tells them to stay in the attic at all times. Corrine explains that her father, Malcolm, disowned her for eloping with Christopher, who was actually her biological half-uncle (her father's younger half-brother) and they were disinherited. She promises the children she will make her father forgive her; once he has forgiven her, she will introduce him to the children, and they will live happily together at Foxworth Hall.

Corrine's visits to the attic become less frequent as she begins to enjoy her new-found wealth and starts a relationship with her father's lawyer, Bart Winslow. She informs the children that while her father has forgiven her, she cannot let them meet him because she claimed that she did not have any children; thus, they will have to remain in the attic until Malcolm dies. Corrine's visits all but cease during the next year. Due to lack of fresh air and sunshine, the twins' growth has severely stunted; meanwhile, Cathy and Chris are entering [[puberty]]. Chris accidentally walks in on Cathy while she is trying on her first [[bra]]. Olivia catches them and calls them sinners and tries to cut off Cathy's hair as punishment. Chris stops her, but she threatens to starve them for a week if he does not cut Cathy's hair himself. Cathy and Chris refuse to comply and give their remaining food to the twins while they rely mostly on water. Olivia appears to relent and leaves them a basket of food; however, Cathy awakens to find tar in her hair the next morning. As Chris reluctantly cuts her hair, he tells her that he finds her beautiful, but knows it is wrong to think of her like that.

Another year passes and Corrine has not visited in months. Cathy and Chris conclude that their mother has abandoned them and begin planning their escape. When Corrine does return, she happily announces she has married Bart and the reason for her absence was her [[honeymoon]] in [[Europe]]. She is upset that the children are not more excited and seems oblivious to the deterioration in the twins. Olivia soon brings the children sugar-powdered doughnuts, which she says are a gift from their mother. Olivia beats Chris with a belt after he demands to be called by his name rather than "boy," because he was named after his father, whose name the family does not mention due to his marriage to Corrine. Cathy tends to his wounds and admits her fear of losing him. Chris assures her nothing will happen to him and they kiss. When Olivia comes to deliver their food, Chris tells her that she was right about them being the "devil's spawn" and pleads for forgiveness. After she leaves, Chris reveals the whole scene was a scheme to get an impression of the attic key in soap, and he carves a wooden copy.

Now able to leave the attic, Cathy and Chris begin to steal money from their mother's room to finance an escape by train. On a night raid, Cathy finds Bart asleep and kisses him. Chris later overhears his mother and Bart talking about a dream of a young, blonde-haired girl coming into the room and kissing Bart. Chris angrily confronts Cathy, who assures him that the kiss meant nothing and she only did it out of curiosity. She kisses him and they end up [[sexual intercourse|having sex]]. Cathy suggests they move to [[Florida]] and Chris tells her that he loves her and can never love anyone else. Carrie suddenly announces that Cory is seriously ill. Cathy tells Olivia and Corrine of this and demands her mother take Cory to a hospital, threatening revenge if she does not. The next day, Corrine tells them Cory had [[pneumonia]] and died, and has already been buried.

Devastated by Cory's death and in fear for their lives, Cathy and Chris decide to take all the money they have collected and grab as much jewelry as they can and escape. During their search for valuables, they discover that Corrine and Bart have left Foxworth Hall. Chris overhears a conversation between the butler and a maid, and learns that Olivia has been leaving poison to kill "the mice" in the attic and that their grandfather died seven months ago. Cathy shows Chris how Cory's pet mouse has died after eating a piece of powdered doughnut, revealing that the poison was in the powdered sugar on the doughnuts. Olivia then comes to take their key, and Chris restrains her long enough for Cathy and Carrie to escape. Olivia chases after them, but panics due to her [[claustrophobia]] when Chris shuts the door and turns the lights off. In defeat, Olivia confesses that their mother was the one who poisoned them and not her, but they ignore her and climb out the window, fleeing on foot.

During their escape, they run into the butler, who realizes they are Corrine's children. Horrified, he tells them to run while he cuts off the [[electric fence]] for them. They board a train to Florida and Chris assures Cathy that their ordeal is finally over. She vows revenge on their mother.

==Cast==
{{Cast listing|
* [[Heather Graham]] as Corrine Dollanganger
* [[Ellen Burstyn]] as Olivia Foxworth, Corrine's mother
* [[Kiernan Shipka]] as Cathy Dollanganger, Corrine's first daughter
* [[Mason Dye]] as Chris Dollanganger, Corrine's first son
* Ava Telek as Carrie Dollanganger, Corrine's second daughter and Cory's fraternal twin sister
* Maxwell Kovach as Cory Dollanganger, Corrine's second son and Carrie's fraternal twin brother
* [[Dylan Bruce]] as Bart Winslow, Corrine's second husband
* [[Chad Willett]] as Christopher Dollanganger, Corrine's first husband
* Beau Daniels as Malcolm Neal Foxworth, Corrine's father
* Andrew Kavadas as John Amos, Olivia's cousin
* Don Thompson as Conductor
}}

==Production==
===Writing===
===Casting===
''Flowers in the Attic'' was announced on July 23, 2013, as a [[television film]] for the [[Lifetime (TV network)|Lifetime]] network. It was also announced that the film would star [[Heather Graham]] as Corrine Dollanganger and [[Ellen Burstyn]] as Olivia Foxworth.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Andreeva |first1=Nellie |title=Lifetime Greenlights 'Flowers In The Attic' Movie With Heather Graham & Ellen Burstyn |url=https://deadline.com/2013/07/lifetime-greenlights-flowers-in-the-attic-movie-with-heather-graham-ellen-burstyn-547327/ |website=[[Deadline Hollywood]] |access-date=January 23, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180123120040/http://deadline.com/2013/07/lifetime-greenlights-flowers-in-the-attic-movie-with-heather-graham-ellen-burstyn-547327/ |archive-date=January 23, 2018 |date=July 23, 2013 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Eakin |first1=Marah |title=Lifetime seeking to gross everyone out with a new adaptation of ''Flowers In The Attic'' |url=https://www.avclub.com/lifetime-seeking-to-gross-everyone-out-with-a-new-adapt-1798239432 |website=[[The A.V. Club]] |access-date=January 23, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180123120054/https://news.avclub.com/lifetime-seeking-to-gross-everyone-out-with-a-new-adapt-1798239432 |archive-date=January 23, 2018 |date=July 23, 2013 |url-status=live}}</ref> It was also announced that the film would be directed by Deborah Chow and written by Kayla Alpert.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Nededog |first1=Jethro |title=Heather Graham, Ellen Burstyn to Star in Lifetime's 'Flowers in the Attic' |url=https://www.thewrap.com/heather-graham-ellen-burstyn-starring-lifetimes-flowers-attic-105336/ |website=[[TheWrap]] |access-date=January 23, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180123120109/https://www.thewrap.com/heather-graham-ellen-burstyn-starring-lifetimes-flowers-attic-105336/ |archive-date=January 23, 2018 |date=July 23, 2013 |url-status=live}}</ref>

On August 14, it was announced that [[Kiernan Shipka]] and [[Mason Dye]] had been cast as Cathy and Chris respectively.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Andreeva |first1=Nellie |title=Kiernan Shipka & Mason Dye Join 'Flowers In The Attic', Mena Suvari To 'Chicago Fire' |url=https://deadline.com/2013/08/kiernan-shipka-mason-dye-join-flowers-in-the-attic-mena-suvari-to-chicago-fire-564397/ |website=Deadline Hollywood |access-date=January 23, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180123185443/http://deadline.com/2013/08/kiernan-shipka-mason-dye-join-flowers-in-the-attic-mena-suvari-to-chicago-fire-564397/ |archive-date=January 23, 2018 |date=August 14, 2013 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Mad Men actress cast in Flowers in the Attic film |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-23713091 |publisher=[[BBC]] |access-date=January 23, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180123185450/http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-23713091 |archive-date=January 23, 2018 |date=August 15, 2013 |url-status=live}}</ref> During the same month, it was announced that [[Dylan Bruce]] had joined the cast as Bart Winslow, Corrine's love interest.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Nededog |first1=Jethro |title='Orphan Black's' Dylan Bruce Joins Lifetime's 'Flowers in the Attic' |url=https://www.thewrap.com/orphan-blacks-dylan-bruce-joins-lifetimes-flowers-attic-112186/ |access-date=January 23, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180123190311/https://www.thewrap.com/orphan-blacks-dylan-bruce-joins-lifetimes-flowers-attic-112186/ |archive-date=January 23, 2018 |date=August 20, 2013 |url-status=live}}</ref>

==Release==
===Broadcast===
In its original televised airing, the film was watched by 6.06 million total viewers, and had a rating (percentage) of 1.9 in the 18-49 age demographic.<ref>{{cite web |title=Saturday Cable Ratings: 'Flowers In the Attic' Wins Night, 'Sam & Cat', 'SAG Awards', College Basketball & More |url=http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2014/01/22/saturday-cable-ratings-flowers-in-the-attic-wins-night-sam-cat-sag-awards-college-basketball-more/230919/ |website=[[TV by the Numbers]] |last=Bibel |first=Sara |date=January 22, 2014 |access-date=May 30, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305135439/http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2014/01/22/saturday-cable-ratings-flowers-in-the-attic-wins-night-sam-cat-sag-awards-college-basketball-more/230919/ |archive-date=March 5, 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> At the time, it was cable's number-one original movie performance since the October 2012 premiere of ''[[Steel Magnolias (2012 film)|Steel Magnolias]]''.<ref>{{cite press release|url=http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2014/01/21/lifetimes-flowers-in-the-attic-locks-in-6-1-million-total-viewers/230956/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140121235244/http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2014/01/21/lifetimes-flowers-in-the-attic-locks-in-6-1-million-total-viewers/230956/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 21, 2014 |title=Lifetime's 'Flowers In The Attic' Locks In 6.1 Million Total Viewers |publisher=TV by the Numbers |last=Bibel |first=Sara |date=January 21, 2014 |access-date=May 30, 2014}}</ref>

===Home media===
On April 15, 2014, ''Flowers in the Attic'' was released in [[DVD]] format for [[Region 1 DVD|Region 1]]. The single disc featured the entire film, as well as a behind-the-scenes featurette with the cast and crew. It was later re-released on June 23, 2015, with ''Petals on the Wind'' as a "Double Feature." On November 10, 2015, it was included in a "4-Film Collection" with ''Petals on the Wind,'' ''If There Be Thorns,'' and ''Seeds of Yesterday.'' <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.completevca.com/bio_movie_fitaremake.shtml|title=The Complete VCA: The Flowers in the Attic Movie (2014)|access-date=2014-05-30|archive-date=2019-04-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190415000454/http://www.completevca.com/bio_movie_fitaremake.shtml|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Reception==
===Critical response===
''Flowers in the Attic'' received mixed reviews from critics, albeit far more positive reviews than the 1987 adaptation. [[Review aggregator]] website [[Rotten Tomatoes]] reports that 52% of 25 critics gave the film a positive review; the consensus reads, "This twisted tale of premium cable fodder winds up collecting dust in a stale adaptation of ''Flowers in the Attic''."<ref>{{cite web|title=Flowers in the Attic (2014) |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/flowers_in_the_attic_2014 |website=[[Rotten Tomatoes]] |access-date=January 23, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171128052056/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/flowers_in_the_attic_2014 |archive-date=November 28, 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref> The film averaged 49 out of 100, based on 22 critics, on [[Metacritic]], indicating "mixed or average" reviews.<ref>{{cite web |title=Flowers in the Attic |url=https://www.metacritic.com/tv/flowers-in-the-attic |website=[[Metacritic]] |access-date=January 23, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170702085001/http://www.metacritic.com/tv/flowers-in-the-attic |archive-date=July 2, 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref>

===Accolades===
For her performance, Burstyn was nominated for a [[Critics' Choice Television Award]],<ref>{{cite web|last1=Bacle|first1=Ariana|title=Critics' Choice TV Awards 2014: And the nominees are...|url=https://www.ew.com/article/2014/05/28/critics-choice-television-awards-nominees/|magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|access-date=January 28, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170801153021/http://www.ew.com/article/2014/05/28/critics-choice-television-awards-nominees/|archive-date=August 1, 2017|date=May 28, 2014}}</ref> a [[Primetime Emmy Award]],<ref>{{cite web|title=66th Primetime Emmys Nominees and Winners – Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie|url=http://www.emmys.com/awards/nominees-winners/2014/outstanding-supporting-actress-in-a-miniseries-or-a-movie|publisher=[[Academy of Television Arts & Sciences]]|access-date=January 28, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171111001203/http://www.emmys.com/awards/nominees-winners/2014/outstanding-supporting-actress-in-a-miniseries-or-a-movie|archive-date=November 11, 2017}}</ref> and a [[Screen Actors Guild Award]].<ref>{{cite web|title=SAG Awards: Complete List of Winners|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/sag-awards-2015-winners-list-765943|magazine=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]|access-date=January 28, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160218193218/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/sag-awards-2015-winners-list-765943|archive-date=February 18, 2016|date=January 24, 2015}}</ref> Shipka was nominated an Online Film & Television Association Award for her performance.<ref>{{cite web|title=2013-14: The Season of ''The Normal Heart''|url=http://ofta.cinemasight.com/Awards/Television/1314.html|publisher=Online Film & Television Association|access-date=January 28, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170913091822/http://ofta.cinemasight.com/Awards/Television/1314.html|archive-date=September 13, 2017}}</ref>

==Sequels==
Based on the next book of the [[Dollanganger series]], ''[[Petals on the Wind (film)|Petals on the Wind]]'' premiered on Lifetime on May 26, 2014,<ref>{{IMDb title|3496892}}</ref> earning 3.4 million viewers, down from the 6.1 million earned by ''Flowers''. Unlike the book, the film jumped ten years ahead from the events of ''Flowers''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://insidetv.ew.com/2014/01/29/flowers-in-the-attic-sequel-heather-graham-ellen-burstin/|title='Flowers in the Attic' sequel scoop: Who's in, who's out - EW.com}}</ref> It starred [[Rose McIver]] as Cathy, [[Wyatt Nash]] as Christopher, replacing [[Kiernan Shipka]] and Mason Dye from the previous movie, respectively, and [[Will Kemp (actor, born 1977)|Will Kemp]] as Julian Marquet, with [[Heather Graham]] as Corrine and [[Ellen Burstyn]] as Olivia Foxworth. Production for the film began on February 25, 2014, in Los Angeles.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://insidetv.ew.com/2014/02/19/petals-on-the-wind-julian-marquet/|title='Flowers in the Attic' sequel casts Cathy's abusive lover - EW.com}}</ref>

On the premiere of the sequel, Lifetime announced the production of the two following books in the Dollanganger series, ''[[If There Be Thorns (film)|If There Be Thorns]]'' and ''[[Seeds of Yesterday (film)|Seeds of Yesterday]]'', both which premiered in 2015.  Both sequels were shot by cinematographer James Liston.<ref name="West"/>

A 6th adaptation includes the Lifetime series ''Flowers in the Attic: The Origin'' (2022, 4 episodes).

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{IMDb title|3074694}}

{{V. C. Andrews}}

[[Category:2014 television films]]
[[Category:2014 films]]
[[Category:American psychological horror films]]
[[Category:Canadian psychological horror films]]
[[Category:English-language Canadian films]]
[[Category:Fiction about child abuse]]
[[Category:Films about death]]
[[Category:Films about sibling incest]]
[[Category:Films about twins]]
[[Category:Films based on American horror novels]]
[[Category:Films directed by Deborah Chow]]
[[Category:Films scored by Mario Grigorov]]
[[Category:Films set in country houses]]
[[Category:Films set in Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Films set in Virginia]]
[[Category:Films about incest]]
[[Category:Lifetime (TV channel) films]]
[[Category:Films about mother–daughter relationships]]
[[Category:Films about poisonings]]
[[Category:Gothic television shows]]
[[Category:American religious horror films]]
[[Category:Canadian religious horror films]]
[[Category:2014 American films]]
[[Category:2014 Canadian films]]
[[Category:Films set in the 1950s]]
[[Category:Films set in 1957]]
[[Category:Psycho-biddy films]]
[[Category:Dollanganger Family series]]

{{Wikipedia attribution|original_title=Flowers in the Attic (2014 film)|access_date=2026-03-03}}