Chattahoochee (1989)

In 1955 Florida, a Korean vet has a breakdown and is incarcerated in a "maximum security" mental health prison, where patients are abused.

Director:

Mick Jackson

Writer:

James Cresson (as James Hicks)

Stars:

Gary Oldman, Dennis Hopper, Frances McDormand

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Gary Oldman	...	Emmett Foley
Dennis Hopper	...	Walker Benson
Frances McDormand	...	Mae Foley
Pamela Reed	...	Earlene
Ned Beatty	...	Dr. Harwood
M. Emmet Walsh	...	Morris
William De Acutis	...	Missy
Lee Wilkof	...	Vernon
Matt Craven	...	Lonny
Gary Howard Klar	...	Clarence (as Gary Klar)
Timothy Scott	...	Harley
Richard Portnow	...	Dr. Debner
William Newman	...	Jonathan
Whitey Hughes	...	Mr. Johnson
Wilbur Fitzgerald	...	Duane

Storyline

An American war hero attempts suicide and ends up in Chattahoochee State Mental Hospital. But he realizes that the doctors in the hospital are humiliating patients, and staff are murdering them.

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Plot Keywords:

woman on top | year 1952 | year 1955 | year 1957 | writing a letter | 

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Taglines:

Heroes happen in crazy places.

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Genres:

Biography | Drama

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 April 1990 (USA)

Also Known As:

A téboly börtöne

Filming Locations:

Columbia, South Carolina, USA

Box Office

Gross USA:

$259,486

Company Credits

Production Co:

Hemdale

Technical Specs

Runtime:

94 min (TV)

Sound Mix:

Dolby Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The "Emmet Foley" character is based on real life Christopher Calhoun, who moved to Los Angeles after his release and wrote about and became an activist for similarly abused people.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Emmett Foley: When you come back a certified hero, it kinda raises people's expectations. Makes 'em think you're a big guy.
Mae Foley: It started off like any other Sunday as far as I could see. I can't even remember what I did that morning. You always think, I guess, that, well, if you seen it coming, you coulda done something. But I don't know what it woulda been. He seemed normal enough the last time I seen him. A little tight around the eyes, but nothing worth mentioning. Kinda like maybe he looked ...

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Crazy Credits

The producers would like to thank the people of Columbia and Newberry, South Carolina for their generosity and support during the making of this film.

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Connections

Featured in At the Movies: Miami Blues/Vital Signs/Lisa/Chattahoochee (1990)

User Reviews

Great film, two thumbs up to Gary Oldman

Chattahoochee is a fine film that explores heroism as well as the trials of personal relationships in times of hardship. The acting is superb, especially Oldman's performance of Emmet Folley as the unstable Korean war Veteran who ends up in an abusive and unsanitary mental hospital. Dennis Hopper also does a fine job and special recognition to Frances McDormand who plays Emmet's wife. She isn't the most likeable character but she proves herself again to be a fine character actor. I appreciated the movies realism and there was no doubt about the horror and darkness associated with the institution which Oldman's character was fighting against. Watching the entire movie is worth it just to see the scene where Emmet barricades himself behind the bunk beds and begins rallying against the guards. I wasn't completely satisfied with the sound track but the music was used in the all the right places. A great film both for it's historical significance and for it's study of relationships--and also of course for it's well built up exciting moments.