Dark Harbor (1998)

A bickering couple drive fast through a downpour to catch the last ferry to their island retreat. In a flash, they recognize a crumpled body laying at the side of the road after much ... See full summary »

Director:

Adam Coleman Howard

Writers:

Adam Coleman Howard, Gretchen Hayduk-Wroblewski (script development)

Stars:

Alan Rickman, Polly Walker, Norman Reedus

1 nomination.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Alan Rickman	...	David Weinberg
Polly Walker	...	Alexis Chandler Weinberg
Norman Reedus	...	Young Man
Janet Mecca	...	Alexis Sr.
Lewis Flagg	...	Minister
Sasha Lazard	...	Funeral Singer

Storyline

A bickering couple drive fast through a downpour to catch the last ferry to their island retreat. In a flash, they recognize a crumpled body laying at the side of the road after much argument they stop, only to find a young boy battered and bruised. An offer of summoning the police firmly rejected, the two help the boy as best they can although it certainly means missing the ferry... and so starts this thriller: a tale of twisted sexual attraction and ulterior motives.

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Plot Keywords:

island | ferry | mushroom | sexual attraction | poet | 

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Genres:

Thriller | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language and sexual content

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

31 December 1999 (Spain)

Also Known As:

Ilha do Medo

Filming Locations:

Rockland, Maine, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Hart-Sharp Entertainment,Killer Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

96 min 84 min (video)

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

When Alexis is in the red dress in the kitchen, she leaves the kitchen and her mark in red tape on the floor can be seen.

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Quotes

David Weinberg: What are you doing?
Alexis Chandler Weinberg: Going to sleep.
David Weinberg: With your coat on?
Alexis Chandler Weinberg: Mm-hmm. Good night.
David Weinberg: Okay, good night.

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Soundtracks

Air for Orchestra Suite No 3 in D Major
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
Adapted and arranged by David Mansfield

User Reviews

Moody, picturesque little thriller

Dark Harbour is a quaint, little seen romantic thriller from the late 90's that sets up an alluring atmosphere in the brief time we get to spend with it, and then ventures slightly into territory that's a bit beyond its initial calculations, providing a super lurid, erotic third act that might not sit well with viewers who patiently followed it along the tracks of logic before it faltered slightly. It's funny though, because the ridiculousness of the twist ending is one of the main aspects that has made the movie stick in my mind since I saw it like eight years ago. The uniquely paired cast makes it worthwhile, as does gorgeous locations and solid cinematography, working hand in hand with neat, rain speckled sound design to bring us a low key thriller that does the trick. Alan Rickman and Polly Walker play a wealthy couple on their way to a remote getaway at a snazzy, forest covered property they own in picturesque Maine. They are about as dysfunctional as couples get; bickering, petty creatures who can't stand to be in each others presence to the point of constant tension. On their way into a secluded, densely forested region they come across an unconscious young man (Norman Reedus) who vaguely suffers amnesia and appears to be distressed, prompting them to take him with them to their abode. From their tension arises to an uncomfortable level as the drifter proves to be both a third wheel and a sinister force of unease to both, culminating in an ambient, rainy forest finale that stands as the best sequence in the film, and a nice bit of work at that. Rickman doesn't usually go for this kind of melodramatic, American stuff and it's surprising in a good way to see him flex his genre muscles. Walker, who wowed me in HBO's Rome, is overlooked and slides into any role with intuition and believability, not to mention her luscious physical presence. Reedus, an actor now known for his endless work on the increasingly dull and shabby The Walking Dead, has countless hidden genre pieces like this in his filmography, and his inherently edgy, enigmatically off kilter aura makes everyone worthwhile. This one especially so, as it's a nicely crafted little dip into a hot and cold mess of a situation that tears the rug from under you in ways you won't see coming.