Weeds (1987)A San Quentin inmate, sentenced to life without paroll, writes a play that catches the interest of a reporter. Director:John D. Hancock |
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Weeds (1987)A San Quentin inmate, sentenced to life without paroll, writes a play that catches the interest of a reporter. Director:John D. Hancock |
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| Watch Trailer 0Share... |
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Nick Nolte | ... |
Lee Umstetter
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| Ernie Hudson | ... |
Bagdad
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Rita Taggart | ... |
Lillian Bingington
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| Mark Rolston | ... |
Dave
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Lane Smith | ... |
Claude
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John Toles-Bey | ... |
Navarro
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| Joe Mantegna | ... |
Carmine
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Essex Smith | ... |
Vocalist
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Sam L. Waymon | ... |
Vocalist
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| Orville Stoeber | ... |
Lead Guitar
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Cyro Baptista | ... |
Bass Guitar
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J.J. Johnston | ... |
Lazarus
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| William Forsythe | ... |
Burt the Booster
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| Anne Ramsey | ... | ||
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Ray Reinhardt | ... |
Pop Umstetter
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Lee Umstetter is a lifer at San Quentin prison and a multiple suicide attempter. Eventually, another prisoner suggests reading to find something better to do with his time. Lee takes that advice and finds himself inspired from what he reads to write a play about life in prison. He has auditions and assembles a cast from his fellow inmates. The play proves popular and it catches the attention of a female reporter who writes about it, creating publicity that allows for a parole for him. Once out, he later reassembles his cast when they come out to do the play professionally. However, they learn that the demands of the life outside are difficult to cope with for the newly released and their play needs to be changed in major ways while they struggle to make it succeed. Written by Kenneth Chisholm <kchishol@execulink.com>
Some may say this film doesn't know where it is going, it starts as a drama, then a thriller, a musical, a comedy and back to a drama. It was a mixture to be enjoyed. Nick Nolte fans should not be disappointed. This was a low budget venture and it doesn't show. The casting director certainly earned their money on this one with a rich mix of character actors who today are very well known but maybe not at the time this was made. One for the collection.