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The Chamber (1996)

 -  Drama | Thriller  -  11 October 1996 (USA)
5.8
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Ratings: 5.8/10 from 7,888 users   Metascore: 45/100
Reviews: 39 user | 37 critic | 18 from Metacritic.com

A young man fresh out of law school tries to win a reprieve for his racist grandfather who is on death row.

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(novel), (screenplay), 1 more credit »
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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
...
...
...
...
E. Garner Goodman
...
Rollie Wedge / Donnie Cayhall (as Raymond Barry)
...
Sgt. Clyde Packer
...
Nora Stark
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Gov. David McAllister
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Judge Flynn F. Slattery
...
Atty. Gen. Roxburgh
...
Wyn Lettner
Greg Goossen ...
J.B. Gullitt (as Gregory Goossen)
Seth Isler ...
Marvin B. Kramer
...
Ruth Kramer
Sid Johnson ...
Josh Kramer
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Storyline

Having survived the hatred and bigotry that was his Klansman grandfather's only legacy, young attorney Adam Hall seeks at the last minute to appeal the old man's death sentence for the murder of two small Jewish boys 30 years before. Only four weeks before Sam Cayhall is to be executed, Adam meets his grandfather for the first time in the Mississippi prison which has held him since the crime. The meeting is predictably tense when the educated, young Mr. "Hall" confronts his venom-spewing elder, Mr. "Cayhall," about the murders. The next day, headlines run proclaiming Adam the grandson who has come to the state to save his grandfather, the infamous Ku Klux Klan bomber. While the old man's life lies in the balance, Adam's motivation in fighting this battle becomes clear as the story unfolds. Not only does he fight for his grandfather, but perhaps for himself as well. He has come to heal the wounds of his own father's suicide, to mitigate the secret shame he has always felt for the ... Written by Mark Fleetwood <mfleetwo@mail.coin.missouri.edu>

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Plot Keywords:

murder | racist | prison | ku klux klan | law | See more »

Taglines:

Time is running out.

Genres:

Drama | Thriller

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violent images and some language | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

 »
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Details

Country:

Language:

Release Date:

11 October 1996 (USA)  »

Also Known As:

Die Kammer  »

Filming Locations:

 »

Box Office

Budget:

$50,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

ITL 226,355,000 (Italy) (30 May 1997)

Gross:

ITL 419,247,000 (Italy) (6 June 1997)
 »

Company Credits

Show detailed on  »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

|

Color:

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1
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Did You Know?

Trivia

Brad Pitt was committed to playing Adam Hall, but left the project when Ron Howard left to direct Ransom. See more »

Goofs

In the scene in which Adam visits the Klan gathering on the night before the execution the same extra (an older man in a baseball cap) can be seen in adjacent shots both behind Adam and the gang of thugs on the opposite side of the room. See more »

Quotes

E. Garner Goodman: How much do you know about the death penalty?
Adam Hall: I've read everything there is.
E. Garner Goodman: Then you know nothing.
See more »

Connections

Referenced in Conspiracy Theory (1997) See more »

Soundtracks

"Fine Mi Lassa"
Composed by Vincenzo Bellini
Arranged by Trevor Jones
Courtesy of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc.
See more »

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User Reviews

 
Breaking the Cycle
14 April 2006 | by (California) – See all my reviews

On the surface "The Chamber" is about a young lawyer named Adam Hall (Chris O'Donnell) who is trying to save his grandfather (Gene Hackman) from the death penalty. But really the movie is about breaking the cycle of racism, hatred, and bigotry that got his grandfather put on death row to begin with.

Although not one of Grisham's best, he still deserves credit for daringly going into a dark and despised part of American history. This movie may have stirred many people the wrong way and touched a nerve with others. I saw an excellent depiction of a torn young man desiring to help his grandfather in spite of his and everyone else's despise of that same man.

The movie was compelling. Just one tale about the troubled history of Mississippi. As the character Nora Stark (Lela Rochon) said..."Mississippi has bodies buried everywhere."


7 of 13 people found this review helpful.  Was this review helpful to you?

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