Music Box (1989)

A lawyer defends her father accused of war crimes, but there is more to the case than she suspects.

Director:

Costa-Gavras

Writer:

Joe Eszterhas

Stars:

Jessica Lange, Armin Mueller-Stahl, Frederic Forrest

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 1 win & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jessica Lange	...	Ann Talbot
Armin Mueller-Stahl	...	Mike Laszlo
Frederic Forrest	...	Jack Burke
Donald Moffat	...	Harry Talbot
Lukas Haas	...	Mikey Talbot
Cheryl Lynn Bruce	...	Georgine Wheeler
Mari Töröcsik	...	Magda Zoldan
J.S. Block	...	Judge Silver
Sol Frieder	...	Istvan Boday
Michael Rooker	...	Karchy Laszlo
Elzbieta Czyzewska	...	Melinda Kalman
Magda Szekely Marburg	...	Judit Hollo
Felix Shuman	...	James Nathanson
Michael Shillo	...	Geza Vamos
George Pusep	...	Vladimir Kostav

Storyline

Hungarian immigrant Mike Laszlo has done well for himself since arriving in the USA over 40 years ago after WWII's end. He is particularly proud of his daughter, Ann, a successful lawyer. Following the release of some secret WWII records by the Russians, Mike finds himself accused of being a notorious war criminal. He's convinced it's a Communist plot to discredit him and insists that Ann defend him in court.

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Plot Keywords:

looking at oneself in a mirror | reference to the chicago bears | reference to the chicago cubs | lawyer | immigrant | 

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Taglines:

As a lawyer all she wanted was the truth. As a daughter all she wanted was his innocence. How well do you really know your father?

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Certificate:

PG-13

Did You Know?

Trivia

Joe Eszterhas wrote the screenplay with Jane Fonda in mind to play the female lead. Eszterhas and Producer Irwin Winkler wanted to cast Fonda, but Costa-Gavras thought that she was too old for the part, and cast Jessica Lange instead. Fonda was paid 1.25 million dollars in compensation for losing the part.

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Quotes

Mack Jones: What do we know about our parents?

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Connections

Featured in The 62nd Annual Academy Awards (1990)

User Reviews

a MUST see

This is a fantastic film. I live here in Budapest where part of the story is told. From what I have learned by talking to many people who witnessed the events of the 1956 Revolution, this film accurately depicts the situation, as grim as it is. This was the type of things that really happened. In this film you are spared the gory details, but what is told and the photos that are shown are vivid enough. The buildings on the street where I live today are riddled with pock marks from machine guns. I was here between 90 and 95 just after the country shed communism and witnessed the suspicion on the people's faces on the public transportation. Today (2005), since my return to Budapest, I have found the society to be much different, although the effects of communism can still be seen. People are not so suspicious, although many of those who lived through that horrifying time (late '40s well into the 'mid '50s), still believe that the secret police are a part of the system. This is the degree to which it effected the people. I have been to the places where evil things took place. I was here before the statues of Lenin and Stalin were removed, before the red star was removed from the Parliament, when the Soviet soldiers were still here. Creepy! If you want to know what the history of Hungary was like during this time, you MUST see this film. It is chillingly accurate to history.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Hungarian

Release Date:

19 January 1990 (USA)

Also Known As:

Music Box

Filming Locations:

Hungary

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$19,381, 25 December 1989

Gross USA:

$6,263,883

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$6,263,883

Company Credits

Production Co:

Carolco Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

124 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1