When a homeless man is accused of murdering a Justice Department file clerk, a public defender is tasked with mounting his legal defense.
Director:
Writer:
Stars:
Photos and Videos
Cast verified as complete
| Cher | ... |
Kathleen Riley
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| Dennis Quaid | ... |
Eddie Sanger
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| Liam Neeson | ... |
Carl Wayne Anderson
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| John Mahoney | ... |
Judge Matthew Bishop Helms
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| Joe Mantegna | ... |
Charlie Stella
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| Philip Bosco | ... |
Paul Gray
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| E. Katherine Kerr | ... |
Grace Comisky
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| Fred Melamed | ... |
Morty Rosenthal
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Lisbeth Bartlett | ... |
Marilyn
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| Paul D'Amato | ... |
Michael
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Bernie McInerney | ... |
Walter
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Thomas Barbour | ... |
Justice Lowell
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Katie O'Hare | ... |
Elizabeth Quinn
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Rosemary Knower | ... |
Justice Lowell's Secretary
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| Aaron Schwartz | ... |
Forensic Pathologist
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Lloyd White | ... |
Detective
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Myra Taylor | ... |
April
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| Bill Cobbs | ... |
Judge Franklin
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Sam Gray | ... |
Judge Louis Weiss
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| Richard Gant | ... |
Everett Bennett
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| Sandi Ross | ... |
Doris / Video Typist
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| Paul De La Rosa | ... |
Helms' Court Clerk
(as Paul de la Rosa)
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Siona Dixon | ... |
Helms' Court Steno
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Gene Mack | ... |
Helms' Court Marshal
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Jim Walton | ... |
Helms' Court Marshal
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Stefan Graham | ... |
Marvin Johnson
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| Robert Walsh | ... |
Club Congressman
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Edwin M. Adams | ... |
Congressman
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| Michael Beach | ... |
Parking Lot Attendant
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Prudence Barry | ... |
Bag Lady at River
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Carl Jackson | ... |
Depot Derelict
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Billy Williams | ... |
Dr. Alan Alpert
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| Tony Craig | ... |
Hotel Marshall
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Sandra Bowe | ... |
Public Defender's Office Client
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| Frederick Strother | ... |
Public Defender's Office Client
(as Fred Strother)
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Jaye Tyrone Stewart | ... |
Jailer
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Paul Hjelmervik | ... |
Court Marshal
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Ralph Cosham | ... |
Judge Assel Stewart
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Wendy E. Taylor | ... |
Security Guard
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R.R. Coleman | ... |
Arraignment Court Clerk
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Djanet Sears | ... |
Message Clerk
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Jack Jessop | ... |
Mr. Davis
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Diane Marie L. Tomajczyk | ... |
Secretary
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Richard Bertone | ... |
Clerk
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Laura J. Dalton | ... |
Clerk
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Ewart Everard Williams | ... |
Anthony Hall
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| Gregory McKinney | ... |
Plainclothes Cop
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| Michael Emmet | ... |
Waiter
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Darryl Palmer | ... |
Assistant U.S. Attorney
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David Lyle | ... |
Morty's Assistant
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| Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
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Tipper Burton | ... |
Policeman (uncredited)
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Directed by
| Peter Yates | ||
Written by
| Eric Roth | ... | (written by) |
Produced by
| Jennifer Ogden | ... | associate producer |
| Daniel A. Sherkow | ... | producer (produced by) |
| John Veitch | ... | executive producer |
Music by
| Michael Kamen | ||
Cinematography by
| Billy Williams | ... | director of photography |
Editing by
| Ray Lovejoy | ||
Editorial Department
| Joe D'Augustine | ... | uncredited |
| Simon Harris | ... | first assistant editor |
| Richard Garibaldi | ... | home video mastering colorist (uncredited) |
Casting By
| Karen Hazzard | ||
Production Design by
| Stuart Wurtzel | ||
Art Direction by
| Tony Hall | ||
| Steven P. Sardanis | ... | (as Steve Sardanis) |
Costume Design by
| Rita Ryack | ||
Makeup Department
| Leonard Engelman | ... | makeup artist: Cher |
Production Management
| Michael MacDonald | ... | production manager |
| Ted Zachary | ... | executive in charge of production (uncredited) |
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
| Matt Bearson | ... | additional second assistant director |
| Brian Dennis | ... | third assistant director |
| Peter Findlay | ... | trainee assistant director |
| Carol Green | ... | second assistant director |
| Pat Kehoe | ... | first assistant director |
| Wendy Ross | ... | second assistant director (as Wendy A. Ross) |
| Brian Whitley | ... | additional second assistant director |
Art Department
| John 'Frenchie' Berger | ... | property master |
| Barry Birnberg | ... | assistant art director |
| David L. Glazer | ... | assistant property master |
| Matthew Lammerich | ... | key scenic artist |
| Erik L. Nelson | ... | property master |
| Michael Taylor | ... | lead man |
Sound Department
| Tod A. Maitland | ... | sound mixer |
| Don Sharpe | ... | supervising sound editor |
| John Motyer | ... | boom operator (uncredited) |
Stunts
| Lisa Dalton | ... | stunts (as Lisa Loving) |
| Kirk Elam | ... | stunts (as Kirk A. Elam) |
| Hannah Kozak | ... | stunt double: Cher |
| Rick Sawaya | ... | stunts |
| Jeff Smolek | ... | stunt coordinator |
| Jerry Wills | ... | stunts |
| James Winburn | ... | stunts (as James B. Winburn) |
Camera and Electrical Department
| Greg Coelho | ... | best boy |
| Gail Harvey | ... | still photographer |
| Gary Muller | ... | first assistant camera |
| Peter Norman | ... | camera operator |
| Richard Quinlan | ... | gaffer |
| Scott Rathner | ... | additional second assistant camera |
| Bob Rose | ... | key grip (as Bobby Rose) |
| Neil Seale | ... | camera operator: "b" camera |
| Sandy Williams | ... | dolly operator |
Costume and Wardrobe Department
| Mark Burchard | ... | wardrobe |
| John Dunn | ... | assistant: Rita Ryack |
| Mary Elizabeth Still | ... | ladies costume supervisor |
Location Management
| Frawley Becker | ... | location manager |
| Marc Dassas | ... | location manager |
| Stephen Kern | ... | location coordinator |
| Veronica Miller | ... | location production accountant |
Music Department
| Robin Clarke | ... | music editor |
| Tim Sexton | ... | executive in charge of music (as Timothy R. Sexton) |
| Eric Tomlinson | ... | music recordist |
| Tom Boyd | ... | musician: oboe (uncredited) |
| National Philharmonic Orchestra | ... | music performed by (uncredited) |
Transportation Department
| Lawrence Dove | ... | driver (uncredited) |
Additional Crew
| Eric Banz | ... | production assistant |
| Shelley A. Boylen | ... | production coordinator |
| Stanley Brossette | ... | unit publicist |
| Robin Chaykin | ... | assistant to producers |
| Terry Dunn | ... | production assistant |
| Patricia Freebery | ... | assistant: Peter Yates |
| Michael Jackman | ... | production assistant |
| Kevin Kertscher | ... | office production assistant |
| Cathy Konrad | ... | production assistant |
| Veronica Miller | ... | location accountant |
| Debbie Paull | ... | assistant: Cher |
Production Companies
- TriStar Pictures (presents)
- ML Delphi Premier Productions
Distributors
- TriStar Pictures (1987) (United States) (theatrical)
- Columbia Pictures (1988) (Italy) (theatrical)
- Columbia Pictures of Canada (Canada) (theatrical)
- Columbia TriStar Films de Argentina (1987) (Argentina) (theatrical)
- Columbia TriStar Home Video (1988) (Japan) (theatrical)
- Fox Columbia TriStar Films (1987) (Australia) (theatrical)
- CBS (1990) (United States) (tv)
- Canal+ (1991) (France) (tv)
- Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (Brazil) (VHS)
- Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (Brazil) (DVD)
- Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (2001) (Germany) (DVD)
- Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (2003) (United Kingdom) (DVD)
- Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (2001) (Netherlands) (DVD)
- Columbia TriStar Home Video (Netherlands) (VHS)
- Columbia TriStar Home Video (1998) (United States) (VHS)
- Columbia TriStar Home Video (Germany) (VHS)
- Columbia TriStar Home Video (2001) (France) (DVD)
- Columbia TriStar Home Video (2001) (United States) (DVD)
- Image Entertainment (1988) (United States) (video) (laserdisc)
- LA7 (2016) (Italy) (tv)
- LK-TEL (1988) (Argentina) (VHS)
- LK-TEL (2001) (Argentina) (DVD)
- Mill Creek Entertainment (2017) (United States) (Blu-ray)
- RCA/Columbia Pictures International Video (1990) (Germany) (video) (laserdisc)
- RCA/Columbia-Hoyts Home Video (1988) (Australia) (video)
- RTL Entertainment (2016) (Netherlands) (tv) (RTL8)
- SET India (2007) (India) (tv)
- Videosonic (1989) (Greece) (VHS)
Special Effects
Other Companies
- Abbey Road Studios (score recorded and mixed at)
- National Philharmonic Orchestra (score performed by)
- Sam Alexander Productions (titles)
Storyline
| Plot Summary |
A judge commits suicide, and his secretary is found murdered. A homeless deaf-mute man, Carl Anderson is arrested for her murder. Public defender Kathleen is assigned by the court as his lawyer. She sets to find the real killer, and gets help from the congressional advisor, Eddie Sanger who is called to be on the jury panel. Together they discover a dangerous circle of corruption in high places.
Written by Sami Al-Taher |
| Plot Keywords | |
| Taglines | No matter the cost, No matter the danger. They will find the truth. See more » |
| Genres | |
| Parents Guide | View content advisory » |
| Certification |
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Additional Details
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Box Office
| Budget | $14,500,000 (estimated) |
| Opening Weekend United States | $4,152,015, 25 Oct 1987 |
Did You Know?
| Trivia | Liam Neeson lived in a Washington, D.C. homeless shelter for two days, to prepare for his role. See more » |
| Goofs | At 1:23 into the movie, when she is checking keys against file cabinets at the Justice dept., the key won't fit into one of the file cabinets, then the key fits the very next one. This is minor but would not happen. Since the file cabinets are identical, they key would at least FIT the lock (though it wouldn't turn the lock mechanism) unless it were the correct key. For example....all Master Lock keys (of the same sort) will fit the intended item perfectly - it just won't unlock it unless the pins match. See more » |
| Movie Connections | Featured in Suspect/Killing Time/Barfly/Weeds/Hope and Glory (1987). See more » |
| Quotes |
Kathleen Riley:
I spend all of my day with murders and rapists, and what's really crazy, I like them. See more » |