Little Nikita (1988)

Director:

Richard Benjamin

Writers:

John Hill (screenplay) and
Bo Goldman (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

18 March 1988 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

He went to bed an all-American kid and woke up the son of Russian spies.

Plot:

An FBI agent works to uncover an All-American family as Soviet sleeper agents and gets caught up in friendship with their unaware son.

Plot Keywords:

Spy | FBI Agent | Interview | Death | Flower Shop

Cast

Sidney Poitier	...	Roy Parmenter
River Phoenix	...	Jeff Grant
Richard Jenkins	...	Richard Grant
Caroline Kava	...	Elizabeth Grant
Richard Bradford	...	Konstantin Karpov
Richard Lynch	...	Scuba
Loretta Devine	...	Verna McLaughlin
Lucy Deakins	...	Barbara Kerry
Jerry Hardin	...	Brewer
Albert Fortell	...	Bunin
Robert Madrid	...	Sgt. Leathers (as Robb Madrid)
Ronald Guttman	...	Spessky
Jacob Vargas	...	Miguel
Roberto Jiménez	...	Joaquin
Chez Lister	...	Tom
Billy Stevenson	...	Tony (as Bill Stevenson)
Thomas R. Zak	...	Brett (as Tom Zak)
Newell Alexander	...	Drill Sergeant
Ingrid M. Rhoads	...	Cpl. Hogan (as Ingrid Rhoades)
Lisa McCullough	...	Water Skier
Richard Holden	...	Young Russian Diplomat
Voyo Goric	...	Joe
Kim Strange	...	DMV Clerk
Lou Hancock	...	Nursery Customer
David M. Paynter	...	Spike
Biff Wiff	...	Bucky
Tasha Stewart	...	Dolphin Trainer
John Spafford	...	Trainer #2
Brooke Theiss	...	Dilys
Jonathan McMurtry	...	Tour Boat Guide
Charles T. Salter Jr.	...	Trolley Conductor
Rick L. Nahera	...	Trolley Passenger
Jim Parrott	...	U.S. Border Patrolman
Arlin Miller	...	TV Announcer
Julio Medina	...	Soccer Announcer
Martine Van Hamel	...	Princess Aurora
Robert Hill	...	Prince Desire
Michael Owen	...	The Fairy Carabosse
Christine Dunham	...	The Lilac Fiary
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Doug Ingold	...	Park Attendant (uncredited)
Gina Marie	...	Little Parade girl (uncredited)

Directed by
Richard Benjamin

Writing credits
John Hill		(screenplay) and
Bo Goldman		(screenplay)
Tom Musca		(story) and
Terry Schwartz		(story)

Produced by
Harry Gittes	....	producer
Art Levinson	....	co-producer
Gail Mutrux	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Marvin Hamlisch

Cinematography by
László Kovács		(director of photography) (as Laszlo Kovacs)

Film Editing by
Jacqueline Cambas

Casting by
David Rubin

Production Design by
Gene Callahan

Art Direction by
Hub Braden

Set Decoration by
Lee Poll

Costume Design by
Patricia Norris

Makeup Department
Dorothy Byrne	....	hair stylist
Bob Mills	....	makeup artist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Verónica González Rubio	....	dga trainee (as Veronica Gonzalez-Rubio)
Dennis Maguire	....	first assistant director
Josh McLaglen	....	first assistant director: second unit (as Josh Mc Laglen)
Robin R. Oliver	....	second assistant director (as Robin Oliver)
Conrad E. Palmisano	....	second unit director (as Conrad Palmisano)

Art Department
Max E. Brehme	....	set dresser
Emily Ferry	....	property master
Nicholas Georgiadis	....	scenery: "Sleeping Beauty"
Sherman Labby	....	production illustrator

Sound Department
Larry Carow	....	sound editor
Louis L. Edemann	....	supervising sound editor
Jay Engel	....	adr editor
Leonard T. Geschke	....	sound editor (as Lenny Geschke)
Jerry Jost	....	sound mixer
Robert J. Litt	....	sound re-recording mixer
Colin C. Mouat	....	sound editor
Chuck Neely	....	sound editor
B. Tennyson Sebastian II	....	sound re-recording mixer
Elliot Tyson	....	sound re-recording mixer
William Dotson	....	sound editor (uncredited)
Dennis C. Salcedo	....	boom operator (uncredited)
Carolyn Tapp	....	foley recordist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Mike Edmonson	....	special effects (as Michael Edmonson)

Visual Effects by
Steve Grumette	....	computer effects supervisor

Stunts
Michael Adams	....	stunts
Jophery C. Brown	....	stunts (as Jophery Brown)
Erik Cord	....	stunts
Roger Creed	....	stunts
Kerrie Cullen	....	stunts
Greg Wayne Elam	....	stunts (as Greg Elam)
Mickey Gilbert	....	stunts
Dick Hancock	....	stunts
Conrad E. Palmisano	....	stunt coordinator (as Conrad Palmisano)
Nick Palmisano	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Richmond L. Aguilar	....	chief lighting technician (as Richmond Aguilar)
Brian W. Armstrong	....	second assistant camera (as Brian Armstrong)
Paul Caven	....	best boy electric
Ray De La Motte	....	camera operator
Donald L. Hartley	....	dolly grip (as Donald Hartley)
Len Hekel	....	still photographer
Gene Kearney	....	key grip
Rexford L. Metz	....	director of photography: second unit (as Rex Metz)
Louis Niemeyer	....	first assistant camera: second unit (as Lou Niemeyer)
Lee Redmond	....	camera operator: second unit
Thomas R. Skelton	....	lighting designer: "Sleeping Beauty"
Joseph E. Thibo	....	first assistant camera (as Joe Thibo)
Owen Marsh	....	camera operator: second unit (uncredited)
Peter McEvoy	....	assistant camera: second unit (uncredited)
Bob Munoz	....	best boy grip (uncredited)
Michael T. Travers	....	grip (uncredited)

Casting Department
Tina Real	....	extras casting: local

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Nicholas Georgiadis	....	costumes: "Sleeping Beauty"

Editorial Department
Gary Burritt	....	negative cutter
Brian L. Chambers	....	assistant film editor (as Brian Chambers)
Phil Hetos	....	color timer (as Philip Hetos)
Mark Kolpack	....	assistant film editor

Music Department
Kaylee Adams	....	musician
Tom Carlin	....	music editor (as Thomas Carlin)
Joe Curiale	....	composer: additional music
Mark Mangold	....	music producer
Robert Fernandez	....	scoring mixer (uncredited)
Andrew Silver	....	assistant music editor (uncredited)

Transportation Department
William Hogue	....	driver dispatcher

Other crew
Cullen G. Chambers	....	stand-in: Sidney Poitier
Wes Irwin	....	production assistant
Greg Lazzaro	....	key location manager
Kenneth MacMillan	....	choreographer: "Sleeping Beauty" (as Sir Kenneth MacMillan)
Cynthia Wise	....	assistant accountant

Production Companies

• Columbia Pictures Corporation

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures of Canada (1988) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. Finland (1989) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Columbia Pictures
• Columbia TriStar Films de Argentina (2002) (Argentina) (all media) (re-release)
• Hollydan Works (2001) (Federal Republic of Yugoslavia) (DVD)
• LK-TEL Vídeo (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)
• LK-TEL (19??) (Argentina) (VHS)
• LK-TEL (2002) (Argentina) (DVD)
• LK-TEL (2002) (Argentina) (VHS) (re-release)
• RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video (USA) (VHS)
• RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video (USA) (laserdisc)
• Videosonic Arts (1989) (Greece) (VHS)

Other Companies

• TAJ Soundworks  foley by

Also Known As:

Runtime:

98 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Finland:K-14 | USA:PG (certificate #28938) | West Germany:12 | Singapore:PG | UK:15 | Australia:M | Iceland:14 | Iceland:16 (video rating) | South Korea:15 | Argentina:Atp | Portugal:M/12

Filming Locations:

San Diego, California, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

The exterior nursery was an actual commercial nursery located in Monrovia, California; the residence located across the street from the nursery established the scenarios' exteriors relationship. The nursery green house and shared living quarters (matching the nursery's street front building) was built on a soundstage at the Burbank - Warner Brothers Studio; the interior of the secret service agent's rental residence was also built on the same stage. The actual location buildings' door and window placements were matched on stage, with the interior rooms reduced in scale from the actual location interiors.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: When Karpov gets into the cab after crossing the border, the camera, crew, lights and a bounce board are reflected in the window.

Quotes:

Jeff Grant:Shove this up your bladder Boris.

Movie Connections:

Features "Newhart" (1982)

Soundtrack:

Fountainbleu

A good thriller with some great acting.

"Little Nikita" is a good thriller and I found it really enjoyable. I am glad that the lovely Loretta Devine (who played Reese in Urban Legend 1 and 2) had the honour of working with River Phoenix before his death. Sidney Poitier gives a good performance also. I found it highly entertaining and enjoyable. And once again, River Phoenix becomes his character in this taut thriller from Richard Benjamin.