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The Prince of Pennsylvania

  • 19881988
  • RR
  • 1h 27m
IMDb RATING
5.6/10
1.3K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
The Prince of Pennsylvania (1988)
  • Comedy
  • Drama
A teenager in love, who needs money to arrange his future life with his mistress, kidnaps his own father for ransom, but nobody cares.A teenager in love, who needs money to arrange his future life with his mistress, kidnaps his own father for ransom, but nobody cares.A teenager in love, who needs money to arrange his future life with his mistress, kidnaps his own father for ransom, but nobody cares.
IMDb RATING
5.6/10
1.3K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Ron Nyswaner
  • Writer
    • Ron Nyswaner
  • Stars
    • Fred Ward
    • Keanu Reeves
    • Bonnie Bedelia
Top credits
  • Director
    • Ron Nyswaner
  • Writer
    • Ron Nyswaner
  • Stars
    • Fred Ward
    • Keanu Reeves
    • Bonnie Bedelia
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 14User reviews
    • 6Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 4 nominations

    Photos53

    The Prince of Pennsylvania (1988)
    The Prince of Pennsylvania (1988)
    Keanu Reeves, Bonnie Bedelia, and Fred Ward in The Prince of Pennsylvania (1988)
    Keanu Reeves in The Prince of Pennsylvania (1988)
    Keanu Reeves in The Prince of Pennsylvania (1988)
    Fred Ward in The Prince of Pennsylvania (1988)
    The Prince of Pennsylvania (1988)
    Keanu Reeves and Fred Ward in The Prince of Pennsylvania (1988)
    Keanu Reeves in The Prince of Pennsylvania (1988)
    Keanu Reeves and Fred Ward in The Prince of Pennsylvania (1988)
    Keanu Reeves in The Prince of Pennsylvania (1988)
    Keanu Reeves and Amy Madigan in The Prince of Pennsylvania (1988)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Fred Ward
    Fred Ward
    • Gary Marshettaas Gary Marshetta
    Keanu Reeves
    Keanu Reeves
    • Rupert Marshettaas Rupert Marshetta
    Bonnie Bedelia
    Bonnie Bedelia
    • Pam Marshettaas Pam Marshetta
    Amy Madigan
    Amy Madigan
    • Carla Headleeas Carla Headlee
    Jay O. Sanders
    Jay O. Sanders
    • Trooper Joeas Trooper Joe
    Jeff Hayenga
    • Jack Sikeas Jack Sike
    Tracey Ellis
    Tracey Ellis
    • Lois Sikeas Lois Sike
    Joseph De Lisi
    • Roger Marshettaas Roger Marshetta
    Lauren Camp
    • Baby Sikeas Baby Sike
    Demetria Mellot
    • Ministeras Minister
    Pam Call
    • Lucky Bell Whiteas Lucky Bell White
    Kari Keegan
    • Biker Girlas Biker Girl
    Jeff Forman
    • Biker Boyfriendas Biker Boyfriend
    Paul Palmer
    • Ed McLaglenas Ed McLaglen
    G. Ross Berger
    • Chesteras Chester
    Jeff Monahan
    Jeff Monahan
    • Tommy Rutherfordas Tommy Rutherford
    Don Brockett
    Don Brockett
    • Tony Minettaas Tony Minetta
    Bob Tracey
    • Marshalas Marshal
    • Director
      • Ron Nyswaner
    • Writer
      • Ron Nyswaner
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit
    There's nothing wrong with the Marshetta family that a little felony can't cure. Rupert doesn't want to follow in his father's blue-collar footsteps, so he and his quirky friend kidnap his father for ransom, only nobody wants him back. —Anonymous
    • man tied up
    • tied to chair
    • bound and gagged
    • long haired male
    • place in title
    • 344 more
    • Plot summary
    • Add synopsis
    • Taglines
      • He's The King Of The Badlands... The Rebel Of The Road...
    • Genres
      • Comedy
      • Drama
    • Certificate
      • R
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Fred Ward is first billed, while Keanu Reeves had a bigger role.
    • Goofs
      Earlier in the movie, Rupert puts a lighted electric ice cream cone on the roof of the Twin Twisters diner, and as he and Carla step back and admire it, we see that the sign on the rooftop of the diner reads "Carla's Twin Twisters" - with the name "Carla's" appearing in twinkling lights. Yet a few scenes later when Rupert drives up on his motorbike, the "Carla's" portion of the sign is no longer there, and the sign reads only "Twin Twisters."
    • Quotes

      Jack Sike: I vote no.

      Rupert Marshetta: You don't vote in my revolution.

    • Connections
      Referenced in Pump Up the Volume (1990)
    • Soundtracks
      Hammerhead
      Performed by Flotsam and Jetsam

      Written by Eric Knutson, Edward Carlson, Kelly David-Smith, Jason Newsted, Michael Gilbert

      Courtesy of Metal Blade Records

    User reviews14

    Review
    Top review
    10/10
    25 years ago now.
    It is fun from first moment til last. Reeves is in nearly every scene in all his pre belly scar youthfulness. The story is preposterous but we have seen how he is on board for that over the years. It's LOL funny in some scenes. Well cast. Filmed in the writer/directors hometown in, get this...Pennsylvania. Rupert is smart and adorable and the cinematographers were savvy enough to get plenty of closeups. The love story is what dreams are made of as well as the intimate moments, one in particular that involves an erotic, in the moment, and sensually sloppy kiss. Over all it was a wonderful way to tell a story about small town issues, the 80's, teenaged angst, and intimacy problems. Of course, and it is right and good, that Rupert/Keanu solves all the personal problems in the end. I am seeing a lot of Henry's Crime here but that's just me. It made no sense that Bonnie Bedelia & Amy Madigan were nominated for Indie Spirit awards and Keanu was not, as it was clearly his movie. I will say no more. Make every effort to see it. Enjoy the wayback machine for 87 minutes.
    helpful•8
    0
    • JuiceZee
    • Dec 30, 2012

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 1988 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Der Prinz von Pennsylvania
    • Filming locations
      • Mars, Pennsylvania, USA
    • Production company
      • Columbia Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $3,500,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $5,415
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $3,174
      • Sep 18, 1988
    • Gross worldwide
      • $5,415
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 27 minutes
    • Sound mix
      • Stereo
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

    Related news

    Matt Bomer to Star in ‘Fellow Travelers’ Series in the Works at Showtime From ‘Philadelphia’ Writer Ron Nyswaner (Exclusive)
    Matt Bomer to Star in ‘Fellow Travelers’ Series in the Works at Showtime From ‘Philadelphia’ Writer Ron Nyswaner (Exclusive)
    Sep 7Variety Film + TV

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