Daniel (1983)

User Rating:

6.7/10   

Director:

Sidney Lumet

Writers:

E.L. Doctorow (novel)
E.L. Doctorow (screenplay)

Release Date:

7 March 1984 (France)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

The fictionalized story of Daniel, the son of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, who were executed as Soviet spies in the 1950s.

Plot Keywords:

1950s | Soviet Spy | 1960s | Cold War | Brother Sister Relationship

Cast

Timothy Hutton	...	Daniel Isaacson
Mandy Patinkin	...	Paul Isaacson
Lindsay Crouse	...	Rochelle Isaacson
Edward Asner	...	Jacob Ascher
Ellen Barkin	...	Phyllis Isaacson
Julie Bovasso	...	Frieda Stein
Tovah Feldshuh	...	Linda Mindish
Joseph Leon	...	Selig Mindish
Carmen Mathews	...	Mrs. Ascher
Norman Parker	...	East Bronx Children's Shelter Director
Amanda Plummer	...	Susan Isaacson
Lee Richardson	...	Reporter
John Rubinstein	...	Robert Lewin
Colin Stinton	...	Dale
Maria Tucci	...	Lise Lewin
Rita Zohar	...	Grandmother
Ilan Mitchell-Smith	...	Young Daniel (as Ilan M. Mitchell-Smith)
Jena Greco	...	Young Susan
Dael Cohen	...	Daniel as a little boy
Peter Friedman	...	Ben Cohen
Will Lee	...	The Judge
David Margulies	...	Dr. Duberstein
George Axler	...	Funeral Director
Lori Berhon	...	L.A. Receptionist
Alexander Bernstein	...	CCNY Student
Leo Burmester	...	FBI #1
Burton Collins	...	FBI #2
Joe Dabenigno	...	Mounted Cop
Luis Garzón	...	El Stupido
Rachael Goldman	...	Baby
Martha Greenhouse	...	Shelter Attendant
Leon Gross	...	Shamus #1
Burtt Harris	...	Shelter Supervisor
Joe Kopmar	...	Paine Lodge Camper
Joyce R. Korbin	...	Sadie Mindish (as Joyce Renee Korbin)
Hal Lehrman	...	Trial Lawyer (as Hal Lehrman, Jr.)
Rosetta LeNoire	...	Prison Matron
Harry Madsen	...	Robeson Rally Goon
Alan Manson	...	Isaacson Rally Speaker
Ron McLarty	...	Prison Guard
Karen Pajak	...	Linda at 12
Isaac Patinkin	...	Infant Daniel (as Isaac Grody Patinkin)
Christy Powers	...	Robeson Rally Goon
Frederick Rolf	...	Paine Lodge Speaker
Edward Rowan	...	Janitor Williams
Nicholas Saunders	...	Jail Doctor
Moses Schiff	...	Shamus #2
Gwen Seliger	...	Waitress
Sheldon Zimmerman	...	Rabbi (as Rabbi Sheldon Zimmerman)
Sonia Zomina	...	Mrs. Bittleman
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Albert Dubah	...	Student
Paul La Greca	...	Mental Patient #1
Daniel Selby	...	Jason
Daniel Stern	...	Artie Sternlicht
Lee Wallace	...	The Mayor
Camille DeBiase	...	Crowd Member (uncredited)
Michael Earl	...	Protestor (uncredited)
Artie Fielder	...	(uncredited)
Tony Head	...	Party Goer (uncredited)
Jonathan Marten	...	Peter (uncredited)
Doron Ofir	...	Featured Extra (uncredited)
Ilana Rapp	...	Seminar Girl (uncredited)

Directed by
Sidney Lumet

Writing credits
E.L. Doctorow		(novel "The Book of Daniel")
E.L. Doctorow		(screenplay)

Produced by
E.L. Doctorow	....	executive producer
Burtt Harris	....	producer
Sidney Lumet	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Bob James

Cinematography by
Andrzej Bartkowiak

Film Editing by
Peter C. Frank

Production Design by
Philip Rosenberg

Costume Design by
Anna Hill Johnstone

Production Management
Tom Razzano	....	assistant production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Robert E. Warren	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Jimmy Raitt	....	property master
Joan Winters	....	graphic designer

Sound Department
Bruce Kitzmeyer	....	assistant sound editor
Christopher Newman	....	production sound mixer
Peter Odabashian	....	sound editor
Maurice Schell	....	sound editor
Mel Zelniker	....	adr recordist (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
James W. Finnerty	....	grip
Tom Kerwick	....	rigging grip
Billy Miller	....	key grip
Gary Muller	....	first assistant camera
Lorey Sebastian	....	still photographer

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Guy Tanno	....	costumer: men

Other crew
Martha Pinson	....	script supervisor
Lillian Pyles	....	assistant production coordinator
Tony Trimarco	....	assistant accountant

Production Companies

• Paramount Pictures
• World Film Services

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1983) (USA) (theatrical)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1987) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Ascot Filmverleih (1989) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Legend Films (2008) (USA) (DVD)
• Mundial Filmes (Brazil) (video)

Runtime:

130 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Australia:M | Argentina:16 | Finland:K-12 | Sweden:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

The execution scenes were filmed in the former death chamber at Sing Sing Prison utilizing the electric chair that once sat there.

Daniel is my favorite movie ever

Daniel, dear fellow movie lovers, is my favorite movie of all time.

I can barely list all the reasons why I love this movie. I have recommended it to many people, and frankly no one has basically reacted to it as enthusiastically as i have.

But guess what, I don't care. This movie resonates with me. Thanks to E.L. Doctorow, Lumet provides us -- specifically -- with a devastating examination of the nature of political martyrdom and its effect on the martyr's family. We look at the critical intersection between family and ideology.

Beyond the scorching power of the plot and the highly ambitious story line, the Daniel cast is superb and they play their roles to tremendous effect, with a couple of minor exceptions. I don't remember how Paul Isaacson was portrayed in Doctorow's novel, but the casting of the powerful and macho Mandy Patinkin as the Pauly character directly modeled on Julius Rosenberg (who at least from his photos appeared to be nebish-y and not projecting any degree of the virility Patinkin offers) was perfect. What a wonderful liberty Lumet took.

First-rate acting also comes from the tortured siblings Timothy Hutton and Amanda Plummer, plus Ed Asner, Lindsay Crouse, Tovah Feldshuh, Ellen Barkin and numerous supporting players.

The target audience for Daniel, perhaps, is the person who (like me) at some time(s) in their life has allowed political action to become more important than ostensible self-interest or family interest. Unless you have personally had this experience, I am guessing you will relate less to this movie.

But please don't let that stop you! This is a martyr movie I am sure many non-martyrs can enjoy.

I can rattle off no less that a half dozen scenes that I consider timeless and priceless. Don't get me started.

OK, I relent. I will say that the Peekskill riot scene is memorable and special. Every time I am on a bus, and it makes a turn or goes through the woods or whatever or whatever, I think of this scene. The scene's intense crucifixion/climax is excruciating to watch.

And the kids' return to the shuttered Bronx apartment -- and attorney Ed Asner explaining to the befuddled aunt that, 'Lady, these people are in trouble!' -- and the Union Square rally -- and the Sing Sing scene -- and omigod the Paul Robeson score -- and and and and...

When Lumet got his special Oscar a yr or so ago i thought, oh good, finally, the world will hear about Daniel, my #1 movie. But I was deflated when it got mentioned maybe not at all or at best in passing. Some newspaper movie critics covering the award, alluded to the 'underrated' Daniel. Sigh ****.

Well, dear friends, lemme just say that 'underrated' is a gross exaggeration. In my mind, I cannot overrate this movie.

Thus -- I exhort all IMDb people to watch this movie, get past the early Patinkin Russian folk dance scene in the apartment, and stay with it! I hope you will begin to appreciate Daniel just half as much as I do.

And thank you, Sidney Lumet.