State of Grace (1990)

A New York cop is recruited to return to his hometown and infiltrate the mob ran by his best friend's brother.

Director:

Phil Joanou

Writer:

Dennis McIntyre

Stars:

Sean Penn, Ed Harris, Gary Oldman

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Sean Penn	...	Terry Noonan
Ed Harris	...	Frankie Flannery
Gary Oldman	...	Jackie Flannery
Robin Wright	...	Kathleen Flannery
John Turturro	...	Nick
Burgess Meredith	...	Finn
R.D. Call	...	Pat Nicholson, Frankie's Lieutenant
Joe Viterelli	...	Borelli
John C. Reilly	...	Stevie McGuire
Deirdre O'Connell	...	Irene
Marco St. John	...	Jimmy Cavello
Thomas G. Waites	...	Frankie's Man
Michael Cambridge	...	Frankie's Man (as Brian Burke)
Michael Cumpsty	...	Frankie's Man
Mick Cunningham	...	Frankie's Man (as Michael Cunningham)

Storyline

Terry Noonan returns home to New York's Hells Kitchen after a ten year absence. He soon hooks up with childhood pal Jackie who is involved in the Irish mob run by his brother Frankie. Terry also rekindles an old flame with Jackie's sister Kathleen. Soon, however, Terry is torn between his loyalty to his friends and his loyalties to others.

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Plot Keywords:

bar | anger | betrayal | weeping | gang war | 

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Taglines:

The Irish Mob in New York.

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Genres:

Action | Crime | Drama | Romance | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Details

Official Sites:

MGM

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

14 September 1990 (USA)

Also Known As:

Im Vorhof der Hölle

Filming Locations:

Little Italy, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$18,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$179,927, 16 September 1990

Gross USA:

$1,911,542

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$1,911,542

Company Credits

Production Co:

Cinehaus, Orion Pictures, The Rank Organisation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

134 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Ed Harris would again play an Irish mob crime boss many years later in the 2005 movie "A History of Violence" and again in the 2015 movie "Run All Night".

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Goofs

About half way through when Terry tells Kathleen that he is a cop, behind them an arm can be seen as it waves past for a couple of seconds.

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Quotes

[handing Stevie a paper]
Jackie Flannery: There's a horse running in the first called "Old Friend Arrives."
Stevie McGuire: No shit!
[to Terry]
Stevie McGuire: Look at this! First you save my ass, now you're gonna' win me some money! I love you, Terry, but I gotta' go. OTB opens in ten minutes. Today's my lucky day.
Terry Noonan: See you later.
[Stevie leaves]
Terry Noonan: . Lucky day. Luckiest day he ever had, his fuckin' dog got run over.
Jackie Flannery: Is he fucked up or is he fucked up?

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Connections

Referenced in En la cama (2005)

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Soundtracks

Street Fighting Man
Written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards
Performed by The Rolling Stones
Published by ABKCO Music, Inc.
By arrangement with ABKCO Records

User Reviews

Another SEVERELY Overlooked Film

Aside from being a great, dark film, with a substantial plot line and a GIANT cast (Oldman, Penn, and Harris), this is an Oldman performance not to be believed. Mr. Oldman himself has been quoted as saying that "State of Grace" is HIS favourite performance. And, as usual, he gives a performance to be equalled by none.

Sean Penn is marvelous, too, and Harris portrays evil incarnate.

This film should be re-evaluated, and Gary Oldman should have received the Oscar for it. His portrayal of Jackie Flannery, a wild, violent young gangster with an ethereal tender streak - is simply phenomenal.