Palmetto (1998)

A recently released ex-con gets involved in a fake kidnapping scheme that turns very real.

Director:

Volker Schlöndorff (as Volker Schlondorff)

Writers:

James Hadley Chase (novel), E. Max Frye (screenplay)

Stars:

Woody Harrelson, Elisabeth Shue, Gina Gershon

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Woody Harrelson	...	Harry Barber
Elisabeth Shue	...	Mrs. Donnelly / Rhea Malroux
Gina Gershon	...	Nina
Rolf Hoppe	...	Felix Malroux
Michael Rapaport	...	Donnelly
Chloë Sevigny	...	Odette (as Chloe Sevigny)
Tom Wright	...	John Renick
Marc Macaulay	...	Miles Meadows
Joe Hickey	...	Lawyer
Ralph Wilcox	...	Judge
Peter Paul DeLeo	...	Bartender (as Peter Paul Deleo)
Mal Jones	...	Ed
Salvador Levy	...	Driver
Richard Booker	...	Billy Holden
Mikki Scanlon	...	Alda (as Mikki McKeever)

Storyline

After being released from prison on a bum charge, Harry Barber is out for some payback to regain the two years he has lost. He is hired by Mrs. Malroux to fake the kidnapping of her stepdaughter (the daughter of a dying millionaire). He discovers that he is being set up on multiple levels and will soon face a longer prison sentence if he does not prove the truth to the police.

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Plot Keywords:

tied to a chair | fake kidnapping | scam | infidelity | extramarital affair | 

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Taglines:

In a town this bad, it's hard to be good...

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Romance | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for sexuality, language and some violence

Did You Know?

Trivia

Ray Liotta was considered for the role of Harry Barber.

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Goofs

During the scene where Donnelly is putting Harry in the trunk of the car outside Malroux's house, a hose nozzle providing "rain" can be seen in the upper right corner of the widescreen version. A clip from the same scene with the same mistake is in the trailer included on the DVD.

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Quotes

[first lines]
[palmetto bug chirping over typical prison sounds]
Harry Barber: They're not as bad as you might think. In fact, sometimes they're pretty good company.
[pause]
Harry Barber: And you can get used to just about anything in prison, even a palmetto bug.
[pause]
Harry Barber: I tried writing again. Nothing came out that didn't sound bitter and cynical. And there's nothing worse than a writer who doesn't have anything to say.
[pause]
Harry Barber: Well... that's me, Harry Barber.

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Connections

Featured in At the Movies: Palmetto/Senseless/Dangerous Beauty/Mrs. Dalloway/Nil by Mouth/Live Flesh (1998)

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Soundtracks

Rock Star
Written by Lauren Hoffman
Performed by Lauren Hoffman

User Reviews

A largely underrated film.

I think that "Palmetto" is going to be a cult movie some years from now. It has been clearly underrated. It is "noir", although located in sunny places. It has a sort of kinship relation with George Stevens' A Place in the Sun. And it has a quite good Woody Harrelson in the leading role. Sweat plays more than a role in the plot: characters are sweating all the time (mainly Harry Barber), for different reasons. May be that's why some people dislike it.

Details

Official Sites:

Sony Official Site

Country:

Germany USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 February 1998 (USA)

Also Known As:

Just Another Sucker

Filming Locations:

Florida, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$2,876,753, 22 February 1998

Gross USA:

$5,878,911

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$5,878,911

Company Credits

Production Co:

Castle Rock Entertainment, Code Entertainment, Columbia Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

114 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1