The eldest son of a fugitive family comes of age and wants to live a life of his own.
Director:
Sidney LumetWriter:
Naomi Foner
From metacritic.com
Making his debut as the mayor of Hawkins, Cary Elwes marvels at the '80s references and his castmates on "Stranger Things."
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Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Christine Lahti | ... | Annie Pope | |
| River Phoenix | ... | Danny Pope | |
| Judd Hirsch | ... | Arthur Pope | |
 |
Jonas Abry | ... | Harry Pope |
| Martha Plimpton | ... | Lorna Phillips | |
| Ed Crowley | ... | Mr. Phillips | |
| L.M. Kit Carson | ... | Gus Winant | |
| Steven Hill | ... | Donald Patterson | |
|
|
Augusta Dabney | ... | Abigail Patterson |
| David Margulies | ... | Dr. Jonah Reiff | |
| Lynne Thigpen | ... | Contact at Eldridge St. | |
| Marcia Jean Kurtz | ... | School Clerk | |
| Sloane Shelton | ... | Mrs. Phillips | |
|
|
Justine Johnston | ... | Librarian |
| Herb Lovelle | ... | Hospital Clerk | |
Edit
Plot Summary
|
Add Synopsis
Storyline
The Popes are a family who haven't been able to use their real identity for years. In the late sixties, the parents set a weapons lab afire in an effort to hinder the government's Vietnam war campaign. Ever since then, the Popes have been on the run with the authorities never far behind. Today, their eldest son wants a life of his own although he is aware that would mean that his parents would either get caught or he will never see them again. Written by Kenneth Chisholm <kchishol@execulink.com>
Taglines:
In 1971, Arthur and Annie Pope blew up a napalm lab to protest the war... Ever since then they have been on the run from the FBI. They chose their lives. Now their son must choose his.Parents Guide:
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Details
Country:
USALanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
9 September 1988 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Die Flucht ins Ungewisse See more »Edit
Box Office
Budget:
$7,000,000 (estimated)Gross USA:
$2,835,116Company Credits
Show more on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
MonoColor:
Color (Technicolor)Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1
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See more »
Did You Know?
Trivia
Harry Pope was born in 1977. See more »Goofs
As they stop at a gas station on the run from authorities, one of the characters is shown removing a Delaware license plate from the front of the gray van. Delaware has never issued nor required front-mounted plates. See more »Quotes
Michael: Aren't we supposed to question authority? You taught me that! Who do you think you are, General Patton?See more »
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Possibly the finest and most underappreciated film by Sidney Lumet, this movie has moments which grab you by the throat -- they are so powerful. The cast, which is outstanding (Judd Hirsch, Christine Lahti, and River Phoenix in particular), is part of the reason for its power. The characters are totally convincing. The young man played by River Phoenix is someone we must sympathize with: his dilemma is a lifelong choice between never seeing his loved ones again or continuing to grow as a very talented pianist. The choice is agonizing, and the ending is sure to bring tears to many eyes of people who are part of a close-knit family. One scene is particularly powerful and makes me tear up every time I watch it: The luncheon meeting between Annie, the mother (Christine Lahti) and her father, played by Steven Hill. The dialog during this scene is so convincing, and the acting is perfect. But River Phoenix is the main reason to see this beautiful film, and this simply underscores the tragedy of his death at an early age. He had already proved he was a talent of considerable promise with in Stand By Me and in Mosquito Coast. I fully recommend this film to all thinking people with feelings about the inevitable conflict between family and individuality. This is a small film -- what I call "a little gem" -- most of which are small budget films with great acting and centered around the subjects of families and their values. Also see Crossing Delancey, another "little gem".