Straight Time (1978)

After being released on parole, a burglar attempts to go straight, get a regular job, and just go by the rules. He soon finds himself back in jail at the hands of a power-hungry parole ... See full summary »

Director:

Ulu Grosbard

Writers:

Edward Bunker (novel), Alvin Sargent (screenplay),

Stars:

Dustin Hoffman, Theresa Russell, Gary Busey

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Dustin Hoffman	...	Max Dembo
Theresa Russell	...	Jenny Mercer
Gary Busey	...	Willy Darin
Harry Dean Stanton	...	Jerry Schue
M. Emmet Walsh	...	Earl Frank
Rita Taggart	...	Carol Schue
Kathy Bates	...	Selma Darin
Sandy Baron	...	Manny
Jake Busey	...	Henry Darin (as Jacob Busey)
Tina Menard	...	Hotel Manager
Stephanie Ericson-Baron	...	Bar Patron
Dave Kelly	...	Counterman
Don Sommese	...	Waiter
Kit Jee Wong	...	Grocer
Peter Kwong	...	Grocery Clerk

Storyline

After being released on parole, a burglar attempts to go straight, get a regular job, and just go by the rules. He soon finds himself back in jail at the hands of a power-hungry parole officer. When he is released again, he assaults the parole officer, steals his car, and returns to a life of crime.

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Plot Keywords:

parole | parole officer | jail | ford mustang | factory worker | 

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Taglines:

"Please God, don't let him get caught."

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Genres:

Crime | Drama

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish Cantonese

Release Date:

14 July 1978 (Norway)

Also Known As:

Libertad condicional

Filming Locations:

7th Street, Downtown, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

First Artists, Sweetwall

Technical Specs

Runtime:

114 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Uncredited, Michael Mann worked on adapting the film's source novel "No Beast So Fierce" by Edward Bunker for the movie's script . The book later acted as a point of reference for Mann for the Neil McCauley character (played by Robert De Niro) when Mann later made the movie Heat.

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Goofs

Max tells the parole officer that the hotel room costs $17 per week. However, when he initially starts renting it, he agrees on the price of $18 per week.

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Quotes

Max Dembo: You know what I'd like to do... Why don't you run me by that hotel we'll check it out.
Mickey: Yeah, well I'll drive you out there but I'm not gonna rob it for you, you have to do that yourself. I got stomach trouble... no guts.

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Connections

Edited into La classe américaine (1993)

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Soundtracks

"Doin' Fine"
Music by David Shire
Lyrics by Nora Helms

User Reviews

Excellent character study goes a little cockeyed near the end...

Dustin Hoffman is surprisingly serious, surprisingly gritty playing a recently paroled thief named Max Dembo who can't seem to straighten out his life. After meeting a new lady who is very supportive of him, Dembo reverts back to the only thing he really knows: robbery. Tough and vivid character study based on real-life convict Edward Bunker's novel "No Beast So Fierce" gives Hoffman a wonderful chance as an actor to stretch some technical muscles (he hadn't been this focused in years). Ulu Grosbard's atmospheric direction aids in Hoffman's triumph, as well as some flavorful dialogue (worked on by several writers). Theresa Russell is lovely as the smitten secretary in Max's life, supporting work from M. Emmet Walsh also good. The picture is marred by gaps of logic or credibility, not to mention by a tepid finale, but otherwise it's quite gripping. *** from ****