The House on Carroll Street (1988)

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

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

4 March 1988 (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

Company Credits

Production Co:

Orion Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

101 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Film debut of Robert Stanton.

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Goofs

In one scene, Emily overhears The Women in the House character (who is off-screen) speaking to one of the Russians through an interpreter. The Woman is telling the Russian that they will leave for Chicago "tomorrow." The interpreter mistakenly says "tomorrow" in English and then corrects himself mid-word to the correct Russian word "zaftra."

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Quotes

[running into each other at the train station]
Cochran: Why can't you stay in one place?
Emily: [gasping for breath] Why do you keep on scaring me?
Cochran: Everybody else does, why not me? Come on.

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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: Switching Channels/And God Created Woman/The House on Carroll Street/Shy People (1988)

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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

a thriller without thrills,

romance without feeling, drama of issues without point (or drama).... This film is supposed to be all these and fails on every account, as if it isn't trying. Or as if the director/editor/scriptwriter team isn't really trying. The actors are able--they need better support.

One element that doesn't fail is the score by George Delarue. Beautiful and moving. What a shame it's attached to this film. In a good film actors' words and movements and music synchronize and enhance the impact. This editor plastered on music with no regard for dialogue and movement. The love scene is particularly grating in this respect: an insult to the talents of the lead actors.

There is another element in the film that works: location photography. Notably one moment in Grand Central Station. I'd guessed in advance what was going to happen; but the filming was breathtaking.

Some commentators on this board have pointed out that US assimilation of criminal Nazi scientists actually happened during these years of the MacCarthy scare. The moment the film seems to start looking seriously at American society, it switches into conventional romance; before any human feelings can move us, it's away on a (predictable) 'thriller' escapade.

Just as the film insults the talents of the actors, it insults the issues it's pretends (and fails) to take up.