The Accused (1988)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Director:

Jonathan Kaplan

Writer:

Tom Topor (written by)

Release Date:

14 October 1988 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

The first scream was for help. The second is for justice.

Plot:

A rape victim, enraged at the light sentence her attackers received on account that she was of "questionable character" goads a female prosecutor to charge the men who literally cheered the attack on.

Plot Keywords:

Bar | Rape | Victim | Court | Rape Victim

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 4 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Kelly McGillis	...	Kathryn Murphy
Jodie Foster	...	Sarah Tobias
Bernie Coulson	...	Ken Joyce
Leo Rossi	...	Cliff 'Scorpion' Albrect
Ann Hearn	...	Sally Fraser
Carmen Argenziano	...	D.A. Paul Rudolph
Steve Antin	...	Bob Joiner
Tom O'Brien	...	Larry
Peter Van Norden	...	Attorney Paulsen
Terry David Mulligan	...	Lieutenant Duncan
Woody Brown	...	Danny
Scott Paulin	...	Attorney Wainwright
Kim Kondrashoff	...	Kurt
Stephen E. Miller	...	Polito
Tom Heaton	...	Bartender Jesse

Also Known As:

Appel à la justice (Canada: French title)
Reckless Endangerment (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

111 min

Country:

USA | Canada

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Singapore:M18 | Canada:14+ (Ontario) | USA:R (No. 28980) | South Korea:18 | Netherlands:12 | Ireland:18 | Argentina:18 | Australia:M | Australia:R (DVD rating) | Chile:18 | Finland:K-16 | France:-12 | Norway:15 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | West Germany:16 | Peru:18 | Canada:18A | Iceland:16

Filming Locations:

Delta, British Columbia, Canada

Company:

Paramount Pictures Corporation (Canada)

Trivia:

Brian De Palma was originally assigned to direct the movie.

Goofs:

Miscellaneous: In both scenes when characters are playing the pinball machine we can hear the ball rolling around, scoring points and making the usual pinball machine noises but the score on the machine never changes.

Quotes:

Kathryn Murphy: This is what the jury is going to see. And they are going to see the girl too and you can't tell it from these. But she's tiny. She's the most defenceless looking thing you you ever saw.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Jeopardy!: (#26.27)" (2009)

Soundtrack:

Love In Return

Not that much of a movie... but Foster's performance wins it all.

Perfectly knowing that a lot of people would get inspired, personally relate or cite examples from this film, there is no reason to deny that except for the rape victim Sarah Tobias, all the other main characters, even attorney Kathryn Murphy, are written blatantly as stereotypical as they can be. Same can be said about the atmosphere, circumstances and the participators of the incident. The screenwriters have played only one masterstroke by showing the whole rape incident much later in a flashback, which perhaps helps us to relate better to the victim's emotions.

However predictable and blunt the film appears in its formation, it delivers it message right with the help of the outstanding (and Oscar-winning) performance of Jodie Foster. She just plays her part with so much passion that sometimes it would seem that she really IS the victim. I wonder how she could get such a driving force for her role which is so powerful and vengeful, yet so helpless and fragile. It is the performance of her career, Clarice Sterling doesn't even come in comparison. Her job in this film should be treated as educational material.