Desperate Hours (1990)

User Rating:

5.2/10   

Director:

Michael Cimino

Writers (WGA):

Joseph Hayes (novel)
Joseph Hayes (play)
(more)

Release Date:

5 October 1990 (USA)

Genre:

Thriller | Crime | Drama

Tagline:

At the height of fear every moment is a desperate hour

Plot:

An escaped con on the run from the law moves into a married couple's home and takes over their lives.

Plot Keywords:

Lawyer | Trial | FBI | Father Son Relationship | Bathtub

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Mickey Rourke	...	Michael Bosworth
Anthony Hopkins	...	Tim Cornell
Mimi Rogers	...	Nora Cornell
Lindsay Crouse	...	Brenda Chandler
Kelly Lynch	...	Nancy Breyers
Elias Koteas	...	Wally Bosworth
David Morse	...	Albert
Shawnee Smith	...	May Cornell
Danny Gerard	...	Zack Cornell
Gerry Bamman	...	Ed Tallent
Matt McGrath	...	Kyle
John Christopher Jones	...	Neff
Dean Norris	...	Maddox
John Finn	...	Lexington
Christopher Curry	...	Chabon
Stanley White	...	Devereaux
Peter Crombie	...	Connelly
Ellen Parker	...	Kate
Elizabeth Ruscio	...	Judge
Kenneth Bass	...	Repairman
Mike Nussbaum	...	Mr. Nelson
Ellen McElduff	...	Bank Teller
Brittney Lewis	...	College Girl
Lise Wilburn	...	College Girl
Ron Bird	...	Reporter
Alexis Fernández	...	Reporter
Bob Evans	...	Reporter
James Rebhorn	...	Prosecutor
Michael Flynn	...	Ornita
Jeff Olson	...	Coogan
Robert Conder	...	Trooper (as Robert Condor)
George Sullivan	...	Sniper
Robert Rowe	...	Sniper
Daniel Cussiter	...	SWAT Team Member
Gary Flener	...	SWAT Team Member
Richard Hernandez	...	SWAT Team Member
Gary Parker	...	SWAT Team Member
James Thorton	...	SWAT Team Member
Bradley Leatham	...	Police Detective
Brian James Anderson	...	Coroner
Matthew Rangi Brown	...	Security Guard at Bank
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Barry Primus
Ralph Waite
Robert 'Bobby Z' Zajonc	...	Police Pilot (uncredited)

Directed by
Michael Cimino

Writing credits (WGA)
Joseph Hayes		(novel)
Joseph Hayes		(play)
Lawrence Konner		(screenplay) &
Mark Rosenthal		(screenplay) and
Joseph Hayes		(screenplay)

Produced by
Michael Cimino	....	producer
Dino De Laurentiis	....	producer
Martha De Laurentiis	....	executive producer (as Martha Schumacher)
Mel Dellar	....	line producer

Original Music by
David Mansfield

Cinematography by
Douglas Milsome		(as Doug Milsome)

Film Editing by
Christopher Rouse

Casting by
Mary Colquhoun

Production Design by
Victoria Paul

Art Direction by
Patricia Klawonn

Set Decoration by
Crispian Sallis

Costume Design by
Charles DeCaro

Makeup Department
Allan A. Apone	....	makeup artist
Allan A. Apone	....	makeup effects supervisor
Alberto Fava	....	makeup artist
Susan Germaine	....	hair stylist
Barbara Lorenz	....	hair stylist
Bob Mills	....	makeup artist (as Robert James Mills)
Edward Ternes	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Mel Dellar	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Tony Adler	....	second assistant director
Brian W. Cook	....	first assistant director
Alan Edmisten	....	second assistant director
Carl Goldstein	....	assistant director
Michael Neumann	....	second second assistant director

Art Department
Wendy K. Fischer	....	assistant set decorator
Byron King	....	set designer
Tom Lindblom	....	set designer
Brian Lives	....	set dresser
Bill Luckey	....	property master (as Bil Luckey)
James T. Woods	....	construction coordinator

Sound Department
Bill W. Benton	....	sound re-recording mixer
Marty Church	....	adr mixer
Jay M. Harding	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Jay Harding)
Jack Kirschner	....	sound editor
James J. Klinger	....	supervising sound editor
Horace Manzanares	....	assistant sound editor
Martine Mory	....	adr editor
Timothy P. Salmon	....	boom operator (as Tim Salmon)
Robert Shands	....	recordist
Dan Sharp	....	sound re-recordist
Gregory H. Watkins	....	sound re-recording mixer
Keith A. Wester	....	sound mixer

Special Effects by
John J. Downey	....	special effects assistant
Thomas L. Fisher	....	special effects coordinator

Stunts
Tobi Allyn	....	stunts
Hal Burton	....	stunts
William H. Burton	....	stunt coordinator
William H. Burton	....	stunts (as Billy Burton)
Doug Coleman	....	stunts
Randy Hall	....	stunts
Terry Jackson	....	stunts
Carey Loftin	....	stunts
Gary McLarty	....	stunts
Larry Nicholas	....	stunts
Michael Runyard	....	assistant stunt coordinator (as Mike Runyard)
Michael Runyard	....	stunts (as Mike Runyard)
Dennis Scott	....	stunts
Webster Whinery	....	stunts
Robert 'Bobby Z' Zajonc	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Gavin Alcott	....	second assistant camera
Curtis Briggs	....	second assistant camera
W.C. 'Chunky' Huse	....	key grip
Alan Martin	....	gaffer
Douglas Milsome	....	camera operator (as Doug Milsome)
Anthony G. Nakonechnyj	....	best boy electric (as Tony Nakonechnyj)
Roland Neveu	....	still photographer
Dennis L. Peterson	....	rigging gaffer
Greg Rhineer	....	loader
David Rudd	....	first assistant camera
Stephen Sharp	....	electrician
Tony Turner	....	dolly grip
Scott Robertson Price	....	assistant camera (uncredited)

Casting Department
Cate Praggastis	....	casting: Salt Lake City
Debra Zane	....	assistant to casting director

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Marsha Barton	....	head seamstress
Violet N. Cane	....	key women's costumer (as Violet Cane)
Thomas S. Dawson	....	key men's costumer
Pamela Havens	....	set costumer
Robert Stewart	....	set costumer

Editorial Department
Donah Bassett	....	negative cutter
Dale Caldwell	....	color timer
Phil Hetos	....	color timer
Peter R. Hunt	....	supervising editor (as Peter Hunt)
John Morrisey	....	second assistant editor (as John P. Morrisey)
Gilberto Costa Nunes	....	first assistant editor
Gregory F. Plotts	....	first assistant editor
Christopher Rouse	....	assistant editor
Erica Shaevitz	....	assistant editor
Gary Simon	....	apprentice editor

Music Department
David Mansfield	....	arranger
David Mansfield	....	conductor
Allan K. Rosen	....	music editor

Transportation Department
Alan Collis	....	transportation captain
Terry Collis	....	transportation coordinator
Larry Stelling	....	driver: mechanic

Other crew
Ted Albert	....	unit publicist
Ronald L. Carr	....	location manager
Eduardo De La Grana	....	production accountant
Judy Dennis	....	dialogue director
Wayne Fitzgerald	....	title designer
J.W. 'Corkey' Fornof	....	aircraft pilot (as John William Fornof)
Eric Klosterman	....	location manager
Michael Menzies	....	production accountant
Fenton Quinn	....	first aid
Don Skaggs	....	helicopter pilot
Wendy Smith	....	production assistant
Rina Sternfeld-Allon	....	script supervisor
Branko Wohlfahrt	....	weapons specialist
Robert 'Bobby Z' Zajonc	....	aerial coordinator
Robert 'Bobby Z' Zajonc	....	helicopter pilot

Production Companies

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1990) (USA) (theatrical)
• Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Forum Distribution (1991) (France) (theatrical)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2003) (Germany) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1991) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (2002) (USA) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Makeup Effects Laboratories

Other Companies

• Varèse Sarabande  soundtrack

Runtime:

105 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Singapore:NC-16 | New Zealand:M | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Germany:16 | Spain:18 | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Alta, Utah, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

The original Broadway production of "Desperate Hours" written by Joseph Hayes opened on February 10, 1955 at the Ethel Barrymore Theater and ran for 212 performances. The author also wrote the novel and collaborated on the screenplay.

Quotes:

Michael Bosworth: I'll be outta here in less than an hour.
Tim Cornell: What about us?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Murphy Brown: Desperate Times (#9.19)" (1997)

Soundtrack:

FIGHT FOR ME

Great Action Movie that Delivers!

Michael Cimino sunk a studio with his turkey "Heaven's Gate", but he is still a masterful director of action movies when he's in top form (witness Deerhunter, Year of The Dragon and now, Desperate Hours). The famous synergy between Cimino and Rourke is in plentiful supply in this brilliant remake of the Bogart/March original. There isn't a wasted frame and everyone -- with the notable exception of Lindsay Crouse -- is perfectly cast. Cimino adds all the right touches in his update to the 50's original: Lynch's ice-queen trial lawyer, Hopkins-Rogers' marriage on the rocks, Smith's rebellious teen, Koteas' emotionally stunted younger brother. Don't pass this one up because of a handful of naysayers!