James Foley, Director of Glengarry Glen Ross and Fifty Shades Sequels, Dies at 71

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James Foley, the iconic director of Glengarry Glen Ross, passes away at the age of 71.

As confirmed reports, the renowned filmmaker, Foley, has tragically passed away. This unfortunate event occurred earlier in the week, due to complications from a long-term battle with brain cancer. The sad news was shared by a spokesperson for Foley, who spoke to The Hollywood Reporter.

Hailing from Bay Bridge, Brooklyn, Foley spent his formative years on Staten Island. He later completed his undergraduate studies at the State University of New York at Buffalo and pursued a master’s degree in filmmaking at the University of Southern California, earning an M.F.A. His directorial breakthrough came with the release of Reckless, a movie penned by Chris Columbus featuring Aidan Quinn and Daryl Hannah. This film, launched in 1984, unexpectedly garnered significant success at the box office, earning over $8.3 million on a production budget of just $3 million.

After that period, Foley oversaw many films, but it wasn’t until when he directed Glengarry Glen Ross, which garnered him a Golden Lion nomination at the 1992 Venice Film Festival and critical acclaim. Written by David Mamet, who also penned the original 1984 Pulitzer Prize-winning play that the film was adapted from, Glengarry Glen Ross featured Al Pacino as Richard Roma, a somewhat morally questionable real estate salesman locked in competition with his peers due to a harsh and unrelenting management decision that jeopardized their jobs. The movie boasted an impressive ensemble cast including Jack Lemmon, Alec Baldwin, Alan Arkin, Ed Harris, Bruce Altman, Jude Ciccolella, Lori Tan Chinn, and Kevin Spacey, and has been widely praised as a near-flawless cinematic masterpiece since its debut.

After the debut of “Glengarry Glen Ross,” Foley went on to direct well-loved movies like “Two Bits,” “Fear,” and “The Corruptor” during the ’90s. Moreover, he directed numerous episodes for acclaimed TV series such as “Twin Peaks,” “Hannibal,” “House of Cards,” and “Billions.” In 2017, Foley assumed directorial responsibilities for the “Fifty Shades” film series from Sam Taylor-Johnson, who had directed the first film, until his passing.

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2025-05-09 02:42