Sweet Liberty (1986)

Michael has written a schollarly book on the revolutionary war. He has sold the film rights. The arrival of the film crew seriously disrupts him as actors want to change their characters, ... See full summary »

Director:

Alan Alda

Writer:

Alan Alda

Stars:

Alan Alda, Michael Caine, Michelle Pfeiffer

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Alan Alda	...	Michael Burgess
Michael Caine	...	Elliott James
Michelle Pfeiffer	...	Faith Healy
Bob Hoskins	...	Stanley Gould
Lise Hilboldt	...	Gretchen Carlsen
Lillian Gish	...	Cecelia Burgess
Saul Rubinek	...	Bo Hodges
Lois Chiles	...	Leslie
Linda Thorson	...	Grace James
Diane Agostini	...	Nurse
Antony Alda	...	Film Crew Member
Alvin Alexis	...	Male Student
Christopher Bregman	...	Running Boy
Leo Burmester	...	Hank
Cynthia Burr	...	Assistant Cameraperson

Storyline

Michael has written a schollarly book on the revolutionary war. He has sold the film rights. The arrival of the film crew seriously disrupts him as actors want to change their characters, directors want to re-stage battles, and he becomes very infatuated with Faith who will play the female lead in the movie. At the same time, he is fighting with his crazy mother who thinks the Devil lives in her kitchen, and his girlfriend who is talking about commitment.

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Plot Keywords:

actor | director | history professor | nudity | cannon fire | 

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Taglines:

Michael Burgess wrote a book about the American Revolution. Now, Hollywood's come to his town to make a movie of it -- Plunging him into a summer of madness.

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Genres:

Comedy

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

14 May 1986 (USA)

Also Known As:

Sweet Liberty - What a Liberty

Filming Locations:

Adventureland Amusement Park, Farmingdale, Long Island, New York, USA

Box Office

Gross:

$14,205,021 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

106 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The maxim of movie director Bo Hodges (Saul Rubinek) was to make movies aimed at youth audiences where characters (1) Defy Authority (2) Destroy Property and (3) Take their clothes off.

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Quotes

Michael Burgess: [on meeting the lead actress out of period costume] I'm trying to get used to how *different* you look. You--you know, you're two different people!
Faith Healy: Oh, well, if all I could be is two different people, I'd be out of business!

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Connections

References Coal Miner's Daughter (1980)

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Soundtracks

"SOMETHING SPECIAL (IS GONNA HAPPEN TONIGHT)"
Written by Howie Rice and Allan Rich
Performed by Patti La Belle
Courtesy of MCA Records, Inc.

User Reviews

Alda tries a little too hard...

Alan Alda, still trying to be Hollywood's Everyman, wrote, directed and starred in SWEET LIBERTY,a relatively entertaining comedy about a small town professor who has written a book about what went on his town during the revolutionary war and has sold the film rights. The film chronicles the arrival of the film crew to do the film on location and Alda's exasperation at all the changes they want to make to his book; however, his attitudes toward what they are doing to his book take a back seat when he meets the film's leading lady (Michelle Pfeiffer) who apparently physically resembles the character she is playing to a T but as Alda finds, out is nothing like her. This movie is just so Alan Alda and like all of his movies, the characters all seem to talk and think like Alda but I have come to expect this from an Alda movie after THE FOUR SEASONS. Alda has assembled an impressive cast including Michael Caine as a hammy actor and Bob Hoskins, extremely amusing as the screenwriter who pretends to want Alda's input on his screenplay while seeking his constant approval at the same time. The film does run out of steam before fade out, but Alda and company manage to keep it afloat for most of the ride.