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The Accused (1988)

18A | | Crime, Drama | 14 October 1988 (USA)
After a young woman suffers a brutal gang rape in a bar one night, a prosecutor assists in bringing the perpetrators to justice, including the ones who encouraged and cheered on the attack.

Director:

Jonathan Kaplan

Writer:

Tom Topor
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Popularity
2,857 ( 42)
Won 1 Oscar. Another 5 wins & 5 nominations. See more awards »

Photos

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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Kelly McGillis ... Kathryn Murphy
Jodie Foster ... Sarah Tobias
Bernie Coulson ... Ken Joyce
Leo Rossi ... Cliff 'Scorpion' Albrect
Ann Hearn ... Sally Fraser
Carmen Argenziano ... D.A. Paul Rudolph
Steve Antin ... Bob Joiner
Tom O'Brien ... Larry
Peter Van Norden ... Attorney Paulsen
Terry David Mulligan ... Lieutenant Duncan
Woody Brown ... Danny
Scott Paulin ... Attorney Wainwright
Kim Kondrashoff ... Kurt
Stephen E. Miller ... Polito
Tom Heaton ... Bartender Jesse
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Storyline

Sarah Tobias goes to her local bar and is gang-raped by three men. The district attorney on the case is Katheryn Murphy who wants to prove that although Sarah had taken drugs that night and was acting provocatively while in the bar, this is no reason for her to be so brutally attacked and the men responsible should be brought to justice. Written by Sami Al-Taher <staher2000@yahoo.com>

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Taglines:

On April 18th 1987, Sarah Tobias stops for a drink at a bar called The Mill. See more »

Genres:

Crime | Drama

Certificate:

18A | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

View content advisory »
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Did You Know?

Trivia

Jodie Foster had to console the male actors who were supposed to be raping her; because they kept breaking down and crying during the scene; it was so tramautic fake-raping this character. See more »

Goofs

When Sarah, after the rape, goes back to The Mill, her red car is first shown dry and shiny and without a rear license plate. A few seconds later, in a close-up shot, we see the same car is wet from rain drops and with the license plate 'SXY SADI' on the back. See more »

Quotes

Cliff 'Scorpion' Albrect: [to Kurt] You think we'll pull down your pants and see little silk panties?
See more »

Connections

Referenced in Californication: Everybody's a F**king Critic (2013) See more »

Soundtracks

Love To The Limit
By Paul Sabu & Debrah Neal
Performed by Only Child
Courtesy of Rhino Records, Inc.
See more »

User Reviews

 
Effective courtroom drama
6 September 2010 | by Samiam3See all my reviews

I don't watch many courtroom dramas. I've seen most of the great ones: 12 Angry Men, Witness for the Prosecution, To Kill a Mockingbird. Of all the ones that predate The Accused, Not many push as far into the red zone as this. As you go back through the decades of Hollywood cinema, films get more and more censored. In parts, The Accused is quite brutal. It would probably have seemed even more so to those who viewed it upon release 20 years ago. There are two trials in this movie. For the first, the accused persons have been charged with rape. For the second, the accused persons (different people) are charged with the crime of cheering it on (to put it in more casual terms). What the movie gives us a taste of is extremely inhumane, worse than murder even. That and two good actresses at the top of their game, results in a credible, involving courtroom drama. The screenplay is a tad over written in some places, so it's not a brilliant movie, but it is a fine specimen to sample for those who enjoy this genre.


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Details

Country:

Canada | USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

14 October 1988 (USA) See more »

Also Known As:

Appel à la justice See more »

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Box Office

Budget:

$6,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$4,316,369, 16 October 1988

Gross USA:

$32,078,318

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$32,078,318
See more on IMDbPro »

Company Credits

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Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

Dolby Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1
See full technical specs »

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