Mother Night (1996)

An American spy behind the lines during WWII serves as a Nazi propagandist, a role he cannot escape in his future life as he can never reveal his real role in the war.

Director:

Keith Gordon

Writers:

Kurt Vonnegut Jr. (novel) (as Kurt Vonnegut), Robert B. Weide (screenplay)

Stars:

Nick Nolte, Sheryl Lee, Anthony J. Robinow

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Nick Nolte	...	Howard Campbell
Anthony J. Robinow	...	Prison Warden
Michael McGill	...	Prison Official
Shimon Aviel	...	Guard Bernard Liebman
Bill Corday	...	Campbell's Father
Bronwen Mantel	...	Campbell's Mother
Brawley Nolte	...	Young Howard Campbell
Sheryl Lee	...	Helga & Resi Noth
John Goodman	...	Major Frank Wirtanen
Louis Strauss	...	Old Jewish Man
Zach Grenier	...	Joseph Goebbels
Richard Zeman	...	Rudolph Hoess
Thomas Hauff	...	SS Officer
Jeff Pufah	...	Young German Soldier
Norman Rodway	...	Werner Noth

Storyline

Howard W. Campbell, Jr., an American expatriate playwright, Nazi radio propagandist, and Allied spy, writes his memoirs during his pre-trial confinement in 1961 Haifa and learns that people are what they pretend to be.

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Plot Keywords:

watching tv | reference to franklin d. roosevelt | american | spy | germany | 

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Taglines:

Be careful what you pretend to be.

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Genres:

Drama | Romance | War

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for a scene of sexuality

Details

Official Sites:

Fine Line Features

Country:

USA

Language:

English German Yiddish

Release Date:

1 November 1996 (USA)

Also Known As:

Confessione finale

Filming Locations:

Montréal, Québec, Canada

Box Office

Budget:

$6,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$48,661, 3 November 1996, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$392,362

Company Credits

Production Co:

Fine Line Features, New Line Cinema, Whyaduck Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

114 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Black and White Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

While they are hiding out, Campbell (Nick Nolte) says to Resi and George, "In spite of everything, I still believe people are really good at heart," a direct quote from "The Diary of a Young Girl" by Anne Frank.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Prison Warden: Do you prefer German or English?
Howard W. Campbell Jr.: English.
Prison Warden: You are to write down your memoirs for the Haifa Institute For The Documentation of War Criminals. You have three weeks to complete your memoirs before your trial begins. Do you have any questions?
Howard W. Campbell Jr.: No, this is great. Thanks for everything.

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Connections

Followed by Breakfast of Champions (1999)

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Soundtracks

Allegro
from "The Four Seasons"
Written by Antonio Vivaldi
Courtesy Associated Production Music

User Reviews

A Great film version of a great novel!

The folk who produced this masterful film have done fine service to a novel that stands as perhaps the best fiction work centering upon human guilt and human responsibility ever published. Nolte takes the role of Howard W. Campbell, Jr., and makes it his own, remaining true to Vonnegut's depiction of a man who has lost ALL (to and) for Love.

No weaknesses in this fine adaptation.