The Saint of Fort Washington (1993)

A homeless schizophrenic seeks the help of a streetwise combat veteran as they attempt to overcome cruel life on the streets.

Director:

Tim Hunter

Writer:

Lyle Kessler

Stars:

Danny Glover, Matt Dillon, Rick Aviles

1 win & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Danny Glover	...	Jerry
Matt Dillon	...	Matthew
Rick Aviles	...	Rosario
Nina Siemaszko	...	Tamsen
Ving Rhames	...	Little Leroy
Joe Seneca	...	Spits
Harry Ellington	...	Arthur
Ralph Hughes	...	Jason
Bahni Turpin	...	Gloria
Robert Beatty	...	Ex-Pharmacist (as Robert Beatty Jr.)
Reuben Schafer	...	Greek Man (as Reuben Schaefer)
Louis Williams	...	Ennis
Adam Trese	...	John
Kevin Corrigan	...	Peter
Brian Tarantina	...	Fred

Storyline

Matthew, a young schizophrenic, finds himself out on the street when a slumlord tears down his apartment building. Soon, he finds himself in even more dire straits, when he is threatened by Little Leroy, a thug who is one of the tough denizens of the Fort Washington Shelter for Men. He reaches out to Jerry, a streetwise combat veteran, who takes Matthew under his wing as a son. The relationship between these two men grows as they attempt to conquer the numbing isolation of homelessness.

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Plot Keywords:

homelessness | photograph | camera | loss of friend | death | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

17 November 1993 (USA)

Also Known As:

A hajléktalanok szentje

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Gross USA:

$57,115

Company Credits

Production Co:

Carrie Productions Inc.,David V. Picker Productions,Nessa Hyams

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This was the second time Matt Dillon and Director Tim Hunter worked together. The first time being Tex (1982).

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Goofs

Two different people said that Fort Washington Armory was in two different parts of the city. The guard at the family shelter told Matthew, "You're in the wrong place. You got to go downtown to Fort Washington." Later in the movie, at Fort Washington, Little Leroy said to Matthew, "We here at Washington Heights (where Ft. Wash. Armory is located). That's in the northern tip of the island of Manhattan, ..." Downtown is southern Manhattan.

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Quotes

Jerry: It's your world, we just live on it...

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Connections

Referenced in Jersey Girl (2004)

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Soundtracks

JAMES CONNOLLY
Performed by Black 47
Music & Lyrics by Larry Kirwan
Courtesy of Starry Plough Music (BMI)

User Reviews

USA - what a disgrace!

There are some people, who don't manage to make the american dream, because they are not 'good' enough when it comes to cheating your fellow man of his money or somehow lie yourself to the top. In old Germany there was a saying: "And even if the business is ever so small it still gives you more than honest work."

And then there are some people who find market economy offensive, find all business offensive and deeply immoral and who therefor are unable in 'making it'.

And then there are some who have gifts, which are of a kind, that they simply do not fit in in this abomination we call the 'free world' and that world hits down on them real hard and it seems that world wants to rot out every bit of decency that is left amongst mankind.

A society is not measured by how it treats it most rich and powerful people. If so, there would be no difference between countries, since the most rich and powerful are having a fine time in any society today.

A society is measured by how it treats its misfits, the most powerless and poor.

Take a look in the mirror that this picture shows and 'SHAME ON YOU' if you ever mingle carefree and clueless amongst the idle rich.

This picture you see in the mirror of this film can only lead to shame amongst all of us, who are lucky enough not to belong to these miserable people. No place for fancy rationalizations here. Those who do not want or cannot belong to our sick world of business, we have no right to treat this way. A minimum of decency should be given everyone. Are we so sure, that we can do without them? Is it not so, that there is more chance to find somebody amongst them, who can lead us out from this graveyard we are digging, than there is a chance to find that somebody in the likes of the present president? Is there not more truth amongst these homeless than you will find on any dinner-party?

I just ask.