The Last Castle (2001)

Director:

Rod Lurie

Writers (WGA):

David Scarpa (story)
David Scarpa (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

19 October 2001 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

A castle can only have one king

Plot:

A Court Martialed general rallies together 1200 inmates to rise against the system that put him away.

Plot Keywords:

General | Prison | Military | Warden | Colonel

Awards:

1 win & 3 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Sun. Nov. 29

11:15 AM

MAX

Cast

Robert Redford	...	Lt. Gen. Eugene Irwin
James Gandolfini	...	Col. Winter
Mark Ruffalo	...	Yates
Steve Burton	...	Capt. Peretz
Delroy Lindo	...	Gen. Wheeler
Paul Calderon	...	Dellwo
Samuel Ball	...	Duffy
Jeremy Childs	...	Cutbush
Clifton Collins Jr.	...	Cpl. Ramon Aguilar
George W. Scott	...	Thumper
Brian Goodman	...	Beaupre
Michael Irby	...	Enriquez
Frank Military	...	Doc Lee Bernard
Maurice Bullard	...	Sgt. McLaren
Nick Kokich	...	Pvt. Niebolt

Also Known As:

The Castle (USA) (working title)
Untitled Rod Lurie Project (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for language and violence.

Runtime:

131 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:14A (Alberta/British Columbia) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | USA:R (certificate #38538) | South Korea:15 | New Zealand:M | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Brazil:16 | Finland:K-15 | Germany:16 | Netherlands:16 | Norway:15 | Singapore:NC-16 | Singapore:PG (cut) | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Nashville, Tennessee, USA

Company:

DreamWorks SKG

Trivia:

Mark Ruffalo performed his own stunts during the helicopter battle scene.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Irwin is delivering Aguilar's eulogy, all the men are standing at attention. There is a close-up of Winter through his office window, and you can clearly see the reflection of the men dispersing. In the next shot, they're all still at attention.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Irwin: Take a look at a castle. Any castle. Now break down the key elements that make it a castle. They haven't changed in a thousand years. 1: Location. A site on high ground that commands the territory as far as the eye can see. 2: Protection. Big walls, walls strong enough to withstand a frontal attack...

Movie Connections:

Referenced in World Trade Center (2006)

Soundtrack:

Goldberg Variations, BWV 988

Highly unlikely, but entertaining nonetheless...

A prisoner's fantasy: decorated U.S. General Robert Redford has been Court Marshalled for disobeying orders during wartime--which resulted in the deaths of eight soldiers--and is sent to a prison for violent criminals (!). He immediately gets on the wrong side of warden James Gandolfini and rallies the inmates to take control of the yard. Fairly typical genre picture with all the usual details, including the stuttering innocent whose bad treatment becomes a catalyst in the warring sides. The film is well-cast and has some fine passages, yet the heavy symbolism (with flying flags, chess moves and endless talk of castles) comes off as self-important in a movie which uses its entire second half to allow violent criminals to run roughshod over security. Redford gives a modest, self-effacing performance--he's so noble he's like visiting royalty; Gandolfini plays his Colonel like an offended child, affecting a soft but precise, lispy voice, giving the one-dimensional role some unexpected subtext. The handsomely photographed film looks great and works its way slyly on the viewer until all defenses are down, but in retrospect its earnestness seems woefully silly. **1/2 from ****