Dead Man Walking (1995)

A nun, while comforting a convicted killer on death row, empathizes with both the killer and his victim's families.

Director:

Tim Robbins

Writers:

Helen Prejean (book), Tim Robbins

Stars:

Susan Sarandon, Sean Penn, Robert Prosky

Won 1 Oscar. Another 20 wins & 15 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Susan Sarandon	...	Sister Helen Prejean
Sean Penn	...	Matthew Poncelet
Robert Prosky	...	Hilton Barber
Raymond J. Barry	...	Earl Delacroix
R. Lee Ermey	...	Clyde Percy
Celia Weston	...	Mary Beth Percy
Lois Smith	...	Helen's Mother
Scott Wilson	...	Chaplain Farley
Roberta Maxwell	...	Lucille Poncelet
Margo Martindale	...	Sister Colleen
Barton Heyman	...	Captain Beliveau
Steve Boles	...	Sgt. Neal Trapp
Nesbitt Blaisdell	...	Warden Hartman
Ray Aranha	...	Luis Montoya
Larry Pine	...	Guy Gilardi

Storyline

A convicted murderer on Death Row and the nun who befriends him. Through the portrayal of finely drawn characters and their interactions as the days, hours, and minutes tick down to the condemned man's execution, powerful emotions are unleashed. While Matthew Poncelet and Sister Prejean desperately try to gain a stay of execution from the governor or the courts, scenes are intercut from the brutal crime, gradually revealing the truth about the events that transpired. In addition to her temporal help, the nun also tries to reach out spiritually and assist as a guide to salvation.

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Plot Keywords:

nun | execution | death row | court | murder | 

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Genres:

Crime | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for a depiction of a rape and murder

Details

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

12 January 1996 (USA)

Also Known As:

La dernière marche

Filming Locations:

Angola, Louisiana, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$11,000,000 (estimated)

Gross:

£2,000,433 (UK) (19 April 1996)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Havoc, Polygram Filmed Entertainment, Working Title Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

122 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film was very much a family affair for Tim Robbins. Aside from directing his long term companion Susan Sarandon to an Oscar, he also cast his father, Gil Robbins (Bishop Norwich), mother Mary Robbins (aide to the governor), sister Adele Robbins (nurse), and son Jack Henry Robbins (opossum kid) and Miles Robbins (boy in church). His brother, David Robbins, composed the soundtrack.

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Goofs

The chemicals used in lethal injections in Louisiana are administered manually, not by a machine as in the movie.

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Quotes

Sister Helen Prejean: Show me some respect, Matthew.
Matthew Poncelet: Why? 'Cause you're a nun?
Sister Helen Prejean: Because I'm a person.

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Crazy Credits

This Film Was Edited On Old Fashioned Machines. This credit was inspired by John Ottman, editor of 'The Usual Suspects'. Ottman had wanted to put "edited on a piece of s*** Steenbeck" at the end of his movie, but settled for the more subtle "Edited on film". Tim Robbins heard about this, and decided to put his own variation of the line on the credits of 'Dead Man Walking.'

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Connections

Referenced in NYPD Blue: Dead Girl Walking (1999)

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Soundtracks

"Shadow"
(1993)
Performed & Written by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
Courtesy of Real World Records Ltd.

User Reviews

Amazingly objective and moving

I'm astonished how a filmmaker notorious for his political left-wing fervor could make such a subtle, non-sanctimonious picture. If you're for capital punishment, you'll still be for it after seeing this. If you're against capital punishment, you'll still be against it. But whatever your stance is, this movie will, at the very least, make you reflect on why you feel the way you do. There's not one false note in the film.