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IMDbPro

Heaven's Prisoners

  • 19961996
  • RR
  • 2h 12m
IMDb RATING
5.8/10
5.5K
YOUR RATING
Teri Hatcher, Alec Baldwin, Mary Stuart Masterson, and Kelly Lynch in Heaven's Prisoners (1996)
Home Video Trailer from New Line Home Entertainment
Play trailer2:16
1 Video
58 Photos
DramaMysteryThriller
A hardened New Orleans cop, Dave Robicheaux, finally tosses in the badge and settles into life on the bayou with his wife. But a bizarre plane crash draws him back into the fray when his fam... Read allA hardened New Orleans cop, Dave Robicheaux, finally tosses in the badge and settles into life on the bayou with his wife. But a bizarre plane crash draws him back into the fray when his family is viciously threatened.A hardened New Orleans cop, Dave Robicheaux, finally tosses in the badge and settles into life on the bayou with his wife. But a bizarre plane crash draws him back into the fray when his family is viciously threatened.
IMDb RATING
5.8/10
5.5K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Phil Joanou
  • Writers
    • James Lee Burke(book)
    • Harley Peyton(screenplay)
    • Scott Frank(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Alec Baldwin
    • Kelly Lynch
    • Mary Stuart Masterson
  • Director
    • Phil Joanou
  • Writers
    • James Lee Burke(book)
    • Harley Peyton(screenplay)
    • Scott Frank(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Alec Baldwin
    • Kelly Lynch
    • Mary Stuart Masterson
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 59User reviews
    • 36Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 nomination

    Videos1

    Heaven's Prisoners
    Trailer 2:16
    Watch Heaven's Prisoners

    Photos58

    Alec Baldwin and Mary Stuart Masterson in Heaven's Prisoners (1996)
    Alec Baldwin and Vondie Curtis-Hall in Heaven's Prisoners (1996)
    Alec Baldwin in Heaven's Prisoners (1996)
    Teri Hatcher in Heaven's Prisoners (1996)
    Teri Hatcher in Heaven's Prisoners (1996)
    Eric Roberts in Heaven's Prisoners (1996)
    Kelly Lynch in Heaven's Prisoners (1996)
    Alec Baldwin and Mary Stuart Masterson in Heaven's Prisoners (1996)
    Alec Baldwin and Kelly Lynch in Heaven's Prisoners (1996)
    Teri Hatcher, Alec Baldwin, Mary Stuart Masterson, and Kelly Lynch in Heaven's Prisoners (1996)
    Teri Hatcher, Alec Baldwin, Mary Stuart Masterson, Eric Roberts, and Kelly Lynch in Heaven's Prisoners (1996)
    Heaven's Prisoners (1996)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Alec Baldwin
    Alec Baldwin
    • Dave Robicheaux
    Kelly Lynch
    Kelly Lynch
    • Annie Robicheaux
    Mary Stuart Masterson
    Mary Stuart Masterson
    • Robin Gaddis
    Eric Roberts
    Eric Roberts
    • Bubba Rocque
    Teri Hatcher
    Teri Hatcher
    • Claudette Rocque
    Vondie Curtis-Hall
    Vondie Curtis-Hall
    • Minos P. Dautrieve
    • (as Vondie Curtis Hall)
    Badja Djola
    Badja Djola
    • Batist
    Samantha Lagpacan
    • Alafair
    Joe Viterelli
    Joe Viterelli
    • Didi Giancano
    Tuck Milligan
    Tuck Milligan
    • Jerry Falgout
    Hawthorne James
    Hawthorne James
    • Victor Romero
    Don Stark
    Don Stark
    • Eddie Keats
    Carl A. McGee
    • Toot
    Paul Guilfoyle
    Paul Guilfoyle
    • Det. Magelli
    Christopher Kriesa
    Christopher Kriesa
    • Priest
    • (as Chris Krisea)
    Saul Stein
    Saul Stein
    • Dom
    Chuck Zito
    Chuck Zito
    • Tony
    Socorro Santiago
    Socorro Santiago
    • Spanish Nun
    • Director
      • Phil Joanou
    • Writers
      • James Lee Burke(book)
      • Harley Peyton(screenplay)
      • Scott Frank(screenplay)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      According to lead Alec Baldwin's co-star Eric Roberts, Baldwin took a huge risk during the shoot (related by Roberts) as follows: "Heaven's Prisoners (1996) was probably one of the best location shoots I've ever had because it was down in New Orleans, and we were down there for probably 10 or 12 weeks, and it was just a blast. Oh, and one little story that people might like: It was my first night there, I wasn't shooting but I was on the set to say hello to Phil Joanou, our director. Alec (Baldwin) had this scene where he had to jump into the water-pond, really-and swim across it. They're getting ready, they're all set up, Phil says, "Here we go! Alec, you ready?" "Yeah!" And suddenly alligator eyes appear on the water. Everybody freezes. "There's a gator! Oh, my God!" Alec says, "It's cool. I'm going in." The stuntman goes, "You're not going in!" Alec says, "Roll the camera!" They roll the camera, Alec jumps in, crosses the pond, gets out. "Okay, we got the shot?" And we moved on. I couldn't believe it. He's got the balls of a dinosaur, dude. It was wild. True story! He really did that. It was cool!"
    • Goofs
      Roger Ebert's assessment of the rings left by Claudette's gin Rickey was completely off base, incorrect in both facts as presented as well as needlessly snarky.

      Bubba Rock mentions the gin Rickey fixation that Claudette has in their first scene. Bubba also insists Dave use a coaster in this scene, in addition to getting in a spat with Claudette, as Bubba is annoyed by her not using one.

      Later, Claudette is seen on Dave's porch drinking from her stainless steel thermos. You can clearly see that she uses a very small cup that also serves as a lid for the thermos, not much bigger than a shot glass, with a wider base. There are only a couple of rings, not many, as if to suggest she was not setting the cup down between sips.

      The rings on the table in the porch scene, and later near the end, are residue from the gin Rickey from when Claudette pours the drink from her thermos. Gin Rickeys contain lime, a distinctive taste and smell that will leave residue after evaporating. Dave also notices the rings on the porch table.

      In the late reveal, when Dave spots the rings after killing Romero, Claudette's pitcher is in the same shot, tipped over next to the rings of lime and gin, which again, is from pouring into a small cup.

      During that scene near the end, Dave, a former homicide detective and recovering alcoholic, Dave tastes the residue. The taste of gin might just be known to a former big time drinker. Lime is again, hard to miss. Dave can also see the thermos, again, tipped over next to the drink rings.

      Mere seconds later, in the very next scene after Dave discovers the leftover gin Rickey thermos and evaporated residue, he confronts Claudette at the Rock residence, who is drunk, this time drinking from a glass. Dave asks her, "Where's your little thermos?".

      Thus, Ebert's observation that the residue must have come from condescension, was incorrect. Dave saw the rings which were a result of pouring into a shallow cap from a thermos, the thermos on Claudette and in the cleaners later, knew the drink she drank, and tasted the distinctive residue, which is how he reasoned that Claudette was behind the hit. There is no factual error concerning this part of the plot, whatsoever. Roger Ebert was wrong.
    • Quotes

      Dave Robicheaux: I want those other two men that killed my wife.

      Bubba Rocque: I had nothin' to do with that, Dave. When I wanna straighten out a problem, a person's gonna see this face.

      Dave Robicheaux: They were your people.

      Bubba Rocque: I'm gonna tell you somethin', and I'm gonna tell you only once. Now you can accept it, or you can stick it up your ass. I am one guy. I am not a crime wave. And when you mess with the action outta New Orleans, you fuck with hundreds of people. Do you understand, Dave Robicheaux?

      Dave Robicheaux: My wife had to be buried in a closed casket. I want you to think about that for a minute. Now, I'm gonna find those two men, and when I do, I'm gonna squeeze them extra hard, and if your name comes outta either one of their mouths, I'll be back here to feed your sorry fuckin' ass to the shrimp.

    • Connections
      Featured in Siskel & Ebert: Twister/Captives/Boys/Dead Man/Cold Comfort Farm (1996)
    • Soundtracks
      Twenty Ton Weight
      Performed by The Hoax

      Written by The Hoax

      Courtesy of Code Blue/Atlantic Recording Corporation

      By Arrangement with Warner Special Products

    User reviews59

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    Dave Robicheaux, New Orleans detective
    Nearly remake of 'The Big Easy' with very similar plot. Former police detective, supposedly kicked off force, for excessive violence, becomes involved in criminal underworld machinations involving his old childhood friend. Some New Orleans ambiance but not enough for dyed-in-the-wool fans. Essentially slightly above-average action film with lots of graphic violence and not too many surprises in the plot.
    helpful•7
    3
    • jess-30
    • Mar 6, 1999

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • May 17, 1996 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • United States
      • United Kingdom
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Небесні в'язні
    • Filming locations
      • White Castle, Louisiana, USA(Nottoway Plantation)
    • Production companies
      • PVM Entertainment
      • Savoy Pictures
      • The Rank Organisation
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $25,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $5,009,305
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $2,308,797
      • May 19, 1996
    • Gross worldwide
      • $5,009,305
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 12 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
      • SDDS
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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