Cat Chaser (1989)

A Miami hotel owner finds danger when he becomes romantically involved with the wife of a deposed general from the Dominican Republic where he fought many years back.

Director:

Abel Ferrara

Writers:

Elmore Leonard (novel), James Borrelli (screenplay)

Stars:

Peter Weller, Kelly McGillis, Charles Durning

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Peter Weller	...	George Moran
Kelly McGillis	...	Mary DeBoya
Charles Durning	...	Jiggs Scully
Frederic Forrest	...	Nolen Tyner
Tomas Milian	...	Andres DeBoya
Juan Fernández	...	Rafi
Kelly Jo Minter	...	Loret
Phil Leeds	...	Jerry Shea
Tony Bolano	...	Corky
Adrianne Sachs	...	Anita DeBoya
Roberto Escobar	...	Mario Prado (as Robert Escobar)
Millie Ruperto	...	Luci Palma (as Maria M. Ruperto)
Vivian Addison	...	Maid Lula
Brooke Becker	...	Philly
Fara Schiller	...	Marilyn

Storyline

An American veteran (Weller) of the Dominican Republic intervention (LBJ era) is running a hotel in Miami, and is trying to put the memories of the intervention behind him. He gets involved with a former Dominican Republic general's wife (McGillis). He then gets duped through a series of intricate plot twists into helping a group of people trying to rip the general off. Based on the novel by Elmore Leonard.

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Plot Keywords:

dominican republic | old flame | marital rape | abusive husband | blackmail | 

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Taglines:

In the heat of passion lies the coldest desire.

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 October 1989 (Portugal)

Also Known As:

Caça Grossa

Filming Locations:

Laguna Studios, Laguna Beach, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$6,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Vestron Pictures,Whiskers Productions Inc.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Did You Know?

Trivia

Peter Weller and Kelly McGillis did not get along during the filming of the movie, although in later interviews the crew was never able to comprehend what drove such animosity. The final straw was on the last day of shooting when Weller and McGillis were shooting a sex scene. Weller made a disparaging comment towards McGillis during filming. McGillis, who was the subject of frequent taunting by other members of the crew during filming, stormed off the set after filming wrapped and came back with her head completely bald, and vowing never to return for retakes.

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Connections

Referenced in A Short Film About the Long Career of Abel Ferrara (2004)

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Soundtracks

SHADOWS AT MIDNIGHT
Performed by Merry Clayton
Written by Barry Goldberg and Derek Power

User Reviews

Nice locations, shame about the movie

Could have been so much more, given the supporting cast and Elmore Leonard's script, but it's a flat beer of a movie. Maybe Ferrara got homesick, but the pacing and editing is unusually lethargic, so perhaps impending bankruptcy was driving the whole production into the throes of despair. The performances are so underwhelming as to be invisible. Weller is a B-movie actor. Robocop is still his finest hour. McGillis looks fairly lantern-jawed and mannish throughout. Was Ferrara taking the mickey by shooting her profile so often?. Tree-like in every scene, could anyone seriously find her charms so irresistible?

The bogus history lessons and lightweight back story are dull as ditchwater. And the mushy love scenes between the two leads just don't cut it. A clunker for completists. Catch it on afternoon TV if you're paralysed from the neck up.

Hard to believe that Ferrara had anything at all to do with this movie.