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Northfork

  • 20032003
  • PG-13PG-13
  • 1h 43m
IMDb RATING
6.2/10
5.4K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Northfork (2003)
Home Video Trailer from Paramount Home Entertainment
Play trailer2:29
1 Video
35 Photos
  • Drama
  • Fantasy

Set in 1955, the residents of a small Montana community are forced to move their homes to make way for a new dam.Set in 1955, the residents of a small Montana community are forced to move their homes to make way for a new dam.Set in 1955, the residents of a small Montana community are forced to move their homes to make way for a new dam.

IMDb RATING
6.2/10
5.4K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Michael Polish
  • Writers
    • Mark Polish
    • Michael Polish
  • Stars
    • Duel Farnes
    • Nick Nolte
    • Anthony Edwards
Top credits
  • Director
    • Michael Polish
  • Writers
    • Mark Polish
    • Michael Polish
  • Stars
    • Duel Farnes
    • Nick Nolte
    • Anthony Edwards
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 126User reviews
    • 62Critic reviews
    • 64Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 3 wins & 3 nominations

    Videos1

    Northfork
    Trailer 2:29
    Northfork

    Photos35

    James Woods in Northfork (2003)
    Nick Nolte in Northfork (2003)
    Daryl Hannah in Northfork (2003)
    James Woods and Mark Polish in Northfork (2003)
    Northfork (2003)
    Anthony Edwards in Northfork (2003)
    James Woods in Northfork (2003)
    Nick Nolte in Northfork (2003)
    Daryl Hannah in Northfork (2003)
    Anthony Edwards in Northfork (2003)
    Anthony Edwards and Daryl Hannah in Northfork (2003)
    Kyle MacLachlan and Michele Hicks in Northfork (2003)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Duel Farnes
    Duel Farnes
    • Irwinas Irwin
    Nick Nolte
    Nick Nolte
    • Father Harlanas Father Harlan
    Anthony Edwards
    Anthony Edwards
    • Happyas Happy
    James Woods
    James Woods
    • Walter O'Brienas Walter O'Brien
    Douglas Sebern
    Douglas Sebern
    • Mayoras Mayor
    Claire Forlani
    Claire Forlani
    • Mrs. Hadfieldas Mrs. Hadfield
    Mark Polish
    Mark Polish
    • Willis O'Brienas Willis O'Brien
    Daryl Hannah
    Daryl Hannah
    • Flower Herculesas Flower Hercules
    Graham Beckel
    Graham Beckel
    • Marvinas Marvin
    Josh Barker
    • Mattas Matt
    • (as Joshuin Barker)
    Peter Coyote
    Peter Coyote
    • Eddieas Eddie
    Jon Gries
    Jon Gries
    • Arnoldas Arnold
    Rick Overton
    Rick Overton
    • Rudolphas Rudolph
    Robin Sachs
    Robin Sachs
    • Cup of Teaas Cup of Tea
    Ben Foster
    Ben Foster
    • Codas Cod
    Mike J. Regan
    Mike J. Regan
    • Flacoas Flaco
    • (as Mike Regan)
    Mae Fassett
    • Ursulaas Ursula
    Perry Hofferber
    • Mr. Pillsburyas Mr. Pillsbury
    • Director
      • Michael Polish
    • Writers
      • Mark Polish
      • Michael Polish
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit
    In a near-empty Northfork orphanage, Father Harlan gently tends to Irwin, an eight-year-old who lies between a dream state and death. As orphanage caretaker Harlan reads aloud about Northfork's years-ago forced evacuation to make way for a hydro-electric dam, Irwin's imagination takes flight. While a team of six men evacuate the last remaining citizens of the town, Irwin, too, invents a cast of characters to prepare himself for his own evacuation. (the above states the caretaker - who is actually the priest - is reading about a years-ago evacuation. In the movie, the evacuation is taking place as the boy lays dying!) —Sujit R. Varma
    • view master
    • timeframe 1950s
    • evacuation
    • caretaker
    • orphanage
    • 148 more
    • Plot summary
    • Add synopsis
    • Genres
      • Drama
      • Fantasy
    • Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)
      • Rated PG-13 for brief sexuality
    • Parents guide
      • Add content advisory

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Mr Stalling says that he is waiting for a sign from God, when Walter O'Brien visits him at the ark. Walter imparts a tale about when the water has risen, men will come by in a boat to take him and the two Mrs Stallings's to safety. They will not go, because they are waiting for a sign and they will drown. And God will say, I sent you a boat, what more did you want? This story also appears in the The West Wing season one episode "Take This Sabbath Day" and is told by the Karl Malden character, Father Thomas Cavanaugh.
    • Goofs
      When Eddie and Arnold pay a visit to Jigger, after he stops shooting at them, Eddie and Arnold approach him. Jigger is sitting in a chair and holding a shotgun on his lap and not moving. A few shots later, the shotgun is in upright position with the butt on the ground. After they look at Jigger's feet, there's no sign of the shotgun so he must be holding it on his lap, again.
    • Quotes

      Father Harlan: We are all angels. It is what we do with our wings that separates us.

    • Crazy credits
      John Tuell special thanks
    • Connections
      Featured in At the Movies: The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen/Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl/Northfork/Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde (2003)
    • Soundtracks
      Always Late (With Your Kisses)
      (1951)

      Performed by Lefty Frizzell

      Written by Lefty Frizzell and Blackie Crawford

      Courtesy of Columbia Records

      By Arrangement with Sony Music Licensing

    User reviews126

    Review
    Top review
    8/10
    Northfork: 8/10
    When Northfork debuted at the Cannes Film Festival, many people didn't like it because they felt it was boring and too slow. While I agree that it was slow (one of the slowest movies of the year), in no way was it boring. As Roger Ebert said, `there has never been a movie like Northfork.' I usually don't agree with Ebert, but for once he speaks the truth. Although John Sayles' Sunshine State may have some of the same immediate themes, nothing that I have ever seen or known of can even compare to the striking originality of the Polish Brothers' Northfork.

    Northfork is a perfect example of how many times it's better to trek an extra few minutes to go to an art-house film instead of the latest Jack Black movie. The plot isn't some hackneyed, cookie-cutter plot; it's just so strikingly original. A small town in Montana named Northfork has a dam nearby that is about to be taken down. Therefore, the entire town must be evacuated. Some people, however, just don't want to leave. In a side plot, a young orphan (Duel Farnes) is very sick and bedridden; he's being taken care of by Father Harlan (Nick Nolte). The boy imagines himself as a fallen angel, so to speak, who help him out through his time of sickness.

    Although much of the movie is straightforward, some of it could give David Lynch a run for his money. There's odd weather patterns, a weird, wooden, huge dog thing, and symbolism that would make Fellini proud. It's not as overall confusing as a Lynch film, but it's still quite odd. That's what makes Northfork so great: it's so out of the ordinary and yet so simple and plausible.

    Northfork has a magical feel to it: it's almost like you're watching something you're not quite sure what it is but you feel entranced by it. As I said earlier, I agreed with Ebert on how this movie is unlike any other. However, I disagree when he says that it is `not entertaining'. He goes on to say it's just `enthralling.' Perhaps he just thought he should give it good reviews because everyone else is, but in lieu of how slow it was, I still thought it was very entertaining, something many dramas now can't do.

    Northfork may not be the quickest movie or the most popular movie, but if you can get to and through it, you'll be extremely surprised, as I was.

    My rating: 8/10

    Rated PG-13 for brief sexuality.
    helpful•16
    3
    • movieguy1021
    • Oct 25, 2003

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • August 1, 2003 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Official site
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Нортфорк
    • Filming locations
      • Fort Peck Dam, Fort Peck, Montana, USA
    • Production companies
      • Paramount Classics
      • Romano Shane Productions
      • Departure Entertainment
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $1,900,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $1,420,578
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $61,481
      • Jul 13, 2003
    • Gross worldwide
      • $1,599,804
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 43 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.39 : 1

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