Daniel (1983)

Director:

Sidney Lumet

Writers:

E.L. Doctorow (novel)
E.L. Doctorow (screenplay)

Release Date:

7 March 1984 (France)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

The fictionalized story of Daniel, the son of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, who were executed as Soviet spies in the 1950s.

Plot Keywords:

1950s | 1960s | Anti War Protest | Suicide Attempt | Brother Sister Relationship

Cast

Timothy Hutton	...	Daniel Isaacson
Mandy Patinkin	...	Paul Isaacson
Lindsay Crouse	...	Rochelle Isaacson
Edward Asner	...	Jacob Ascher
Ellen Barkin	...	Phyllis Isaacson
Julie Bovasso	...	Frieda Stein
Tovah Feldshuh	...	Linda Mindish
Joseph Leon	...	Selig Mindish
Carmen Mathews	...	Mrs. Ascher
Norman Parker	...	East Bronx Children's Shelter Director
Amanda Plummer	...	Susan Isaacson
Lee Richardson	...	Reporter
John Rubinstein	...	Robert Lewin
Colin Stinton	...	Dale
Maria Tucci	...	Lise Lewin

Runtime:

130 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Argentina:16 | Finland:K-12 | Sweden:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Lumet Explores The Left Side

On occasions, "Daniel" wants to be a political thriller but it works better as a period piece. It attempts to explore the painful evolution of the leftist social movement in USA; from the struggle of the disfranchised during the depression era to the civil right movements in the 1960s. The focus of the story is a young man trying to make sense of the fact that his parents were convicted, and later executed, for spying. Timothy Hutton plays the title character but he doesn't make much of an impression because his role remains aloof, very distant. This is one of Lumet's most glaring mistakes. I also thought that the idea of diffusing colors for the flashbacks sequences was rather amateurish. But the material is intriguing, and Lumet has the help of an excellent cast. Lindsay Crouse and Amanda Plummer shine in the flashiest roles in the film. Edward Answer is effective in a less showy part. And an actress named Tovah Feldshuh (this is the first time I see her) impressed me greatly - she shines in a small but key role. A few years later, Lumet covered similar ground (and fixed most of his mistakes here) with "Running On Empty," one of his very best films. Anyhow, both films are really good.