The House on Carroll Street (1987)

In 1950s America, an FBI agent and a blacklist victim uncover a plot to smuggle Nazi war criminals into the country.

Director:

Peter Yates

Writer:

Walter Bernstein

Stars:

Kelly McGillis, Jeff Daniels, Mandy Patinkin

1 win.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Kelly McGillis	...	Emily
Jeff Daniels	...	Cochran
Mandy Patinkin	...	Salwen
Jessica Tandy	...	Miss Venable
Jonathan Hogan	...	Alan
Remak Ramsay	...	Senator Byington
Kenneth Welsh	...	Hackett (as Ken Welsh)
Christopher Buchholz	...	Stefan (as Christopher Rhode)
Charles McCaughan	...	Salwen Aide 1
Randle Mell	...	Salwen Aide 2
Michael Flanagan	...	Senator
Paul Sparer	...	Randolph Slote
Brian Davies	...	Warren
Mary Diveny	...	Maid
Bill Moor	...	Teperson

Storyline

Emily Crane is fired after refusing to give names to a 1951 House Un-American Activities Committee, and takes a part-time job as companion to an old lady. One day her attention is drawn to a noisy argument being conducted largely in German in a neighbouring house, the more so since one of those involved is her main senator prosecutor. Starting to look into things, she gradually enlists the help of FBI officer Cochran who was initially detailed to check her out. Just as well when things turn nasty.

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Plot Keywords:

auschwitz | fbi | companion | german | war criminal | 

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Taglines:

Emily Crane overheard a secret. Now she's running for her life.

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Genres:

Thriller

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Certificate:

PG

Did You Know?

Trivia

During the scene in the used book store while Emily is talking to Stefan in the shelf behind her one can clearly identify three volumes of Negley Farson's autobiography "The Way of a Transgressor". Farson, after having been expelled from Andover, became a foreign correspondent and actually met Hitler in person. This should not be taken as a coincidence for Emily is kind of a transgressor herself, and the Nazis play quite a role in the movie.

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Goofs

Cochran is bareheaded as he tries to defuse a bomb in Emily's apartment. Running out of time he pushes her out of the window onto the fire escape and follows but he's now got a hat on.

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Quotes

Emily: We're oil and water, Cochran.
Cochran: Not last night we weren't.

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Crazy Credits

After the usual "all incidents are fictional" disclaimer, it states "In particular, the producers do not intend to imply that Life Magazine dismissed any of its employees for their political beliefs or activities."

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Connections

Featured in At the Movies: Extreme Measures/Secrets & Lies/2 Days in the Valley/Caught/Ed's Next Move (1996)

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Soundtracks

BECAUSE OF YOU
Written by Arthur Hammerstein (as A. Hammerstein) & Dudley Wilkinson (as D. Wilkinson)
Performed by Dan Kroll and The Ambassadors

User Reviews

Kelly McGillis for Miss Girl Scout 1951!

Watching beautiful women sneaking around, playing cops and robbers is one of the most delightful guilty pleasures the medium film lets me enjoy. So The House on Carroll Street was not entirely a waste of time, although the story is contrived and the screenplay uninspired and somewhat irritating.

There are many allusions to different Hitchcock pictures, not least the choice of Kelly McGillis in the starring role. She is dressed up as Grace Kelly, and she is not far off the mark. Not at all. But her character is not convincing. The way she is introduced to the audience, she should be someone with political convictions and a purpose in life. After all the movie deals with a clearly defined time period, true events and a specific issue. But the story degenerates within the first minutes into a sorry run-off-the-mill crime story with unbelievable coincidences, high predictability and a set of two dimensional characters. This is all the more regrettable, as the performances of the actors are good, as are the photography and the set design.

The finale in Central Station, New York is breath taking. It starts in the subterranean section and then moves up to the roof. The movie can be praised for its good use of architecture.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1987 (USA)

Also Known As:

The House on Sullivan Street

Filming Locations:

Cherry Lane Theatre - 38 Commerce Street, Greenwich Village, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$14,000,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$459,824

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$459,824

Company Credits

Production Co:

Orion Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

101 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1