Falling Down (1993)

An unemployed defense worker frustrated with the various flaws he sees in society, begins to psychotically and violently lash out against them.

Director:

Joel Schumacher

Writer:

Ebbe Roe Smith

Stars:

Michael Douglas, Robert Duvall, Barbara Hershey

1 win & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Michael Douglas	...	William 'D-Fens' Foster
Robert Duvall	...	Detective Prendergast
Barbara Hershey	...	Elizabeth 'Beth' Travino
Rachel Ticotin	...	Sandra
Tuesday Weld	...	Mrs. Prendergast
Frederic Forrest	...	Nick, The Nazi Surplus Store Owner
Lois Smith	...	Mrs. Foster / William's Mother
Joey Hope Singer	...	Adele Foster-Travino
Ebbe Roe Smith	...	Guy on Freeway
Michael Paul Chan	...	Mr. Lee
Raymond J. Barry	...	Captain Yardley
D.W. Moffett	...	Detective Lydecker
Steve Park	...	Detective Brian
Kimberly Scott	...	Detective Jones
James Keane	...	Detective Keene

Storyline

William (D-FENS) just wants to get home to see his daughter on her birthday. Unfortunately, nothing seems to be going right for him. First there's the traffic jam, then the unhelpful Korean shopkeeper who "doesn't give change". D-FENS begins to crack and starts to fight back against the every day "injustices" he encounters on his journey home. The film has a story running in parallel about a desk-bound cop who is about to retire. He's retiring for his wife's sake, and obviously isn't happy about it. The cop tracks down D-FENS and in the final scene.....

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Plot Keywords:

birthday | gang | convenience store | traffic jam | gun | 

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Taglines:

The adventures of an ordinary man at war with the everyday world.

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence and strong language

Details

Country:

France USA UK

Language:

English Spanish Korean

Release Date:

26 February 1993 (USA)

Also Known As:

Un día de furia

Filming Locations:

MacArthur Park, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$25,000,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$40,903,593 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Alcor Films, Canal+, Regency Enterprises

Technical Specs

Runtime:

113 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

"London Bridge is Falling Down" is heard several times in the film. It is first heard when Robert Duvall sings it to his wife over the phone to calm her down, and the melody is later heard being played in the snow globe D-FENS buys for his daughter.

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Goofs

Products seen on lowest shelf during the fight between D-FENS and Mr. Lee change from chips to cereal to maxi-pads and also change position.

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Quotes

[Bill Foster approaches the gang after they crashed]
Bill Foster: You missed.
[Foster picks up the UZI and shots to the car]
Bill Foster: I missed too.
[Foster threatens the gang member as he begs for his life. Foster shoots him in the leg]
Bill Foster: There, you see? That's a Concept.
[Picks up the gym bag with the guns]
Bill Foster: Take some shooting lessons, asshole.

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Crazy Credits

"London Bridge is falling down" plays briefly at the very end of the credits.

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Connections

Featured in ... A Father... A Son... Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2005)

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Soundtracks

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU"
Written by Patty S. Hill and Mildred J. Hill

User Reviews

A victim of the modern age trying to get home

Is it just me or is this truly one of the best pictures from the last decade? Michael Douglas delivers an astonishing performance as D-Fens (William Foster) an ordinary guy, who has an obviously perfect job at the department of Defense, until he gets fired and his wife breaks up with him. The following opening credits are, according to my view, some of the best in motion picture history : the whole scene is just so extremely claustrophobic. D - Fens is just ''a victim of the modern age'' just like the writer's wife in A Clockwork Orange (another classic) who cannot stand the normal routine of living anymore, and begins a trial of violence in the asphalt Jungle called Los Angeles.