Mrs. Soffel (1984)

Director:

Gillian Armstrong

Writer:

Ron Nyswaner

Release Date:

26 December 1984 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

A true story

Plot:

Peter Soffel is the stuffy warden of a remote American prison around the turn of the century. His wife...

Plot Keywords:

Escape | Prison | Warden | Prison Escape | Title Directed By Female

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 1 nomination

Cast

Diane Keaton	...	Kate Soffel
Mel Gibson	...	Ed Biddle
Matthew Modine	...	Jack Biddle
Edward Herrmann	...	Warden Peter Soffel
Trini Alvarado	...	Irene Soffel
Jennifer Dundas	...	Margaret Soffel (as Jennie Dundas)
Danny Corkill	...	Eddie Soffel
Harley Cross	...	Clarence Soffel
Terry O'Quinn	...	Detective Buck McGovern
Pippa Pearthree	...	Maggie
William Youmans	...	Guard George Koslow
Maury Chaykin	...	Guard Charlie Reynolds
Joyce Ebert	...	Matron Agnes Garvey
Wayne Robson	...	Halliday
Dana Wheeler-Nicholson	...	Jessie Bodyne
Les Rubie	...	Mr. Stevenson
Paula Trueman	...	Mrs. Stevenson
Nancy Chesney	...	Mrs. Fitzgerald
Samantha Follows	...	Becky Knotts
Katie McCombs	...	Rachel Garvey
Linda Gabler	...	Leota Yoeders
Eric Hebert	...	Paperboy
Tom Harvey	...	Attorney Burke
Jack Jessop	...	Attorney Watson
William Duell	...	Lenny
John Dee	...	Old Prisoner
J. Winston Carroll	...	Guard McGarey (as John W. Carroll)
David Fox	...	McNeil
Fred Booker	...	Trustee
Valerie Buhagiar	...	Alice
Norma Dell'Agnese	...	Woman Reporter
Al Koslik	...	Reporter (as Al Kozlik)
Phillip Craig	...	Reporter
Frank Adamson	...	Swinehart
Don Granberry	...	Roach
Linda Carola	...	Factory Girl
George Belskey	...	Mr. Bodyne
Maruska Stankova	...	Mrs. Bodyne (as Marushka Stankova)
James Bradford	...	Minister
Charles Jolliffe	...	Sheriff Hoon
Rodger Barton	...	Deputy Hoon
Jack Mather	...	Mr. Watson
Lee-Max Walton	...	Harry
Sean Sullivan	...	Farmer
Warren Van Evera	...	Farmer
Walter Massey	...	District Attorney
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jane Foster	...	Elsie
David Barckhoff	...	Boy on sidewalk (uncredited)
Chris Cummings	...	Boy (uncredited)
Len Doncheff	...	Polish Guard (uncredited)
Clay Follett	...	Farmer (uncredited)
Heather Graham	...	Factory Girl (uncredited)
Kay Hawtrey	...	Peter's Secretary (uncredited)
David Huckvale	...	Russian Twin (uncredited)
Douglas Huckvale	...	Russian Twin (uncredited)
John Innes	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Derek Keurvorst	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Dan Lett	...	Young Man (uncredited)
Don McManus	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Alan C. Peterson	...	Guard (uncredited)
Dorothy Phelan	...	Old Aunt (uncredited)
Lou Pitoscia	...	Prisoner (uncredited)
Joe Shelby	...	Lawyer (uncredited)
Gerry Tucker	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Victoria Vanderkloot	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
Chuck Waters	...	Bit Part (uncredited)
Brian Young	...	McNeil's Secretary (uncredited)
Ralph Zeldin	...	Russian (uncredited)

Directed by
Gillian Armstrong

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Ron Nyswaner

Produced by
Dennis E. Jones	....	associate producer (as Dennis Jones)
David Nicksay	....	producer (as David A. Nicksay)
Scott Rudin	....	producer
Edgar J. Scherick	....	producer

Original Music by
Mark Isham

Cinematography by
Russell Boyd

Film Editing by
Nicholas Beauman

Casting by
Margery Simkin

Production Design by
Luciana Arrighi

Art Direction by
Roy Forge Smith

Set Decoration by
Dan Conley
Hilton Rosemarin

Costume Design by
Shay Cunliffe

Makeup Department
Linda Gill	....	makeup artist
Patricia Green	....	makeup supervisor
Paul LeBlanc	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Monty Diamond	....	unit production manager: Pittsburgh
Dennis E. Jones	....	production manager (as Dennis Jones)
Michael MacDonald	....	unit manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ronald M. Bozman	....	first assistant director: Pittsburgh (as Ron Bozman)
Ronald M. Bozman	....	second unit director (as Ron Bozman)
Mark Egerton	....	assistant director
Richard Flower	....	second assistant director
Rocco Gismondi	....	third assistant director
Tony Gittelson	....	second assistant director: Pittsburgh (as Anthony H. Gittelson)
Glenn Randall Jr.	....	second unit director (as Glenn H. Randall Jr.)

Art Department
Daniel R. Bradette	....	assistant property master
Jacques M. Bradette	....	supervising set decorator (as Jacques Bradette)
J. Tracy Budd	....	property master
Carmi Gallo	....	assistant art director
Bill Harman	....	construction coordinator
Andris Hausmanis	....	assistant art director
Edward Pisoni	....	art director: Pittsburgh

Sound Department
George H. Anderson	....	sound effects editor (as George Anderson)
Dody Dorn	....	dialogue editor (as Dody Jane Dorn)
Dennis Drummond	....	sound effects editor
Robert Grieve	....	supervising sound editor (as Bob Grieve)
Jay M. Harding	....	sound re-recording mixer
David J. Kimball	....	sound re-recording mixer
David Lee	....	production sound mixer
Ray O'Reilly	....	sound re-recording mixer
Andrew Patterson	....	dialogue loop editor
Steve Switzer	....	boom operator
Christian T. Cooke	....	foley mixer (uncredited)
Terry Cooke	....	temp mix re-recording mixer (uncredited)
Ken Dufva	....	foley artist (uncredited)
Reid Paul Martin	....	assistant sound editor (uncredited)
Don White	....	adr recording mixer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Kevin Pike	....	special effects supervisor: Pittsburgh
Neil Trifunovich	....	special effects coordinator
Jacques Godbout	....	special effects technician (uncredited)

Stunts
Marco Bianco	....	stunts
Robin Grathwol	....	stunts
Glenn Randall Jr.	....	stunt coordinator (as Glenn H. Randall Jr.)
Bruce Smith	....	stunts
Victoria Vanderkloot	....	stunts
Chuck Waters	....	stunts
Pete White	....	stunt performer (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
George Berrios	....	first assistant camera: Pittsburgh
Holly Bower	....	still photographer
Ralph Brandofino	....	second assistant camera: Pittsburgh
Darwin Dean	....	director of photography: Pittsburgh
Tony Eldridge	....	second electrician
Henri Fiks	....	second camera operator
Ron Gillham	....	key grip
Glen Goodchild	....	second grip
Chris Harris	....	second assistant camera
Gail Harvey	....	still photographer
Chris Helcermanas-Benge	....	still photographer
Chris Holmes	....	chief lighting technician
John McCallum	....	first assistant camera (as Sandy McCallum)
Peter Norman	....	director of photography: Pittsburgh
Rod Parkhurst	....	camera operator
Robert Saad	....	second camera operator
Stuart Stein	....	second assistant camera: Pittsburgh

Casting Department
Stuart Aikins	....	casting: Toronto
Allan Amtzis	....	casting assistant
Lynne Carrow	....	additional casting
Brenda McConnell	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Linda Kemp	....	wardrobe mistress (as Lynda Kemp)
Arthur Rowsell	....	costumer: men
Patti Unger	....	costumer: women (as Patty Unger)

Editorial Department
Bob Kaiser	....	color timer
Bruce Lange	....	first assistant editor
John Pleffer	....	post-production coordinator
Michael Rea	....	second assistant editor

Music Department
Mark Adler	....	music arranger: string arrangements
Todd Boekelheide	....	music supervisor
Gary Clayton	....	music recordist

Transportation Department
Nick Sweetman	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Todd Arnow	....	location auditor
Michael Barnathan	....	assistant: Mr. Scherick
Marc Dassas	....	location manager
Nora Dunfee	....	dialect consultant
Alice Ferrier	....	production coordinator: Canada
Cassie Freckleton	....	location auditor
Penelope Hynam	....	script supervisor
Patricia Johnson	....	unit publicist
Lisa McClelland	....	production coordinator: Pittsburgh
Peggy Munns	....	assistant: Ms. Armstrong
Rick Parker	....	wrangler
Janice Polley	....	assistant: Mr. Nicksay
Stephen Seliy	....	location manager: Pittsburgh (as Steve Seliy)
Adam J. Shully	....	assistant location manager
Ed Urban	....	technical advisor (as Lt. Ed Urban)
Casey Brown	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Linda Callow	....	stand-in: Diane Keaton (uncredited)
Lev Mailer	....	adr voice (uncredited)
Dan Roth	....	adr voice (uncredited)
Sandy Webb	....	legal (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Distributors

• Warner Home Video (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Entertainment Company (1984) (USA) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1985) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1985) (UK) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1986) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (1985) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Argentina Video Home (2002) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Vídeo Arte (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Warner Home Vídeo (2002) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Fred the Furrier  furs
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)  title and opticals
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios  re-recording facilities
• William F. White International  grip and lighting equipment

Also Known As:

Runtime:

110 min | 112 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | Singapore:PG | USA:PG-13 | Canada:AA (Ontario) | UK:PG | Australia:PG | Argentina:13

Filming Locations:

Elora, Ontario, Canada

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

The jail used in the movie is the actual Allegheny County Jail that figures in the story. Designed by noted architect Henry Hobson Richardson, built between 1884-1888, it served as a jail until 1995 and is now used by the juvenile and family sections of the Common Pleas Court.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "At the Movies: Songwriter/Nineteen Eighty-Four/Witness/Mrs. Soffel" (????)

Australian cinema personalities rarely sparkle in America

Australian director Gillian Armstrong makes great films with strong women characters--her earlier Australian film "My brilliant career" being a perfect example. I watched "Mrs. Soffel" because of my admiration for Armstrong and found that "Mrs. Soffel" could not hold a candle to "My brilliant career" even though American actress Diane Keaton was admirable compared to the Australian actresses in the latter.

Armstrong had the talented Australian cinematographer Russel Boyd (who was responsible for the seminal works of Peter Weir and Bruce Beresford) once again to work with. While Armstrong and Boyd used justifiably darkened interior shots, I had problems seeing anything for long periods and had to rely on the soundtrack!

Armstrong loves to develop the female characters but leaves the male characters totally undeveloped (Mr Soffel and Jack Biddle). This is one reason I prefer the works of Weir and Beresford over Armstrong--even though her latent talent cannot be ignored. It is amazing to see Soffel's daughter getting equal or more prominence in the script than Mr Soffel towards the end.

Mel Gibson has made a name for himself by directing "Braveheart," but I give more credence to his acting phase in Australia ("Tim", "Mad Max", etc.). I am convinced that he is a director's actor--doing well with good directors. In "Mrs Soffel" Armstrong has evidently invested time with Diane Keaton, who carries the film. Gibson only lends support to her thanks more to the script than his acting capabilities.

Most of the fine tribe of Australian filmmakers of the Seventies have drifted to the US to become richer and gain international recognition--but their work in Australia in the Seventies remains unsurpassed.