Gotham (1988) (TV)

User Rating:

6.1/10   

Director:

Lloyd Fonvielle

Writer (WGA):

Lloyd Fonvielle (written by)

Release Date:

21 August 1988 (USA)

Genre:

Thriller

Tagline:

Some Passions Can Be Deadly

Plot:

Eddie is a private detective. When a client asks him to help persuade his ex-wife to leave him alone...

Plot Keywords:

Ghost | Private Detective | Beautiful Woman | Bath | Cigarette Smoking

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Tommy Lee Jones	...	Eddie Mallard
Virginia Madsen	...	Rachel Carlyle
Colin Bruce	...	Charlie Rand
Denise Stephenson	...	Debbie
Kevin Jarre	...	Tim
Frederic Forrest	...	Father George
J.B. White	...	Jimbo
Michael Chapman	...	Landlord
Alec Willows	...	Bartender
Jack Cheley	...	Grandfather
Peter Jobin	...	Doorman
Michael Villella	...	Cop (as Michael Villela)
David Cryer	...	Waiter
Molly Johnson	...	Female Singer
Hugh McCarten	...	Piano Player

Directed by
Lloyd Fonvielle

Writing credits (WGA)
Lloyd Fonvielle		(written by)

Produced by
Keith Addis	....	executive producer
Gerald I. Isenberg	....	executive producer
Eli Johnson	....	co-producer
David J. Latt	....	producer

Original Music by
George S. Clinton

Cinematography by
Michael Chapman

Film Editing by
Evan A. Lottman

Casting by
Pam Dixon

Production Design by
Carol Spier

Costume Design by
Linda Matheson

Production Management
Deb LeFaive	....	production supervisor
David A. Shepherd	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Reid A. Dunlop	....	second assistant director
David Hoffert	....	third assistant director
Margaux Mackay	....	first assistant director

Sound Department
Owen Langevin	....	sound mixer

Stunts
Harry Madsen	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Stewart Aziz	....	second assistant camera
Raymond Fortune	....	gaffer
Barry Goodwin	....	best boy
Brian Harper	....	first assistant camera
Gordon Langevin	....	camera operator

Editorial Department
Marypat Plottner	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Virginia S. Ellsworth	....	music editor

Other crew
Jaap Broeker	....	stand-in: Tommy Lee Jones
Christopher Comrie	....	assistant accountant
Susan Kavesh	....	production coordinator
William James Kennedy	....	stand-in
Eric T. Snyder	....	assistant locations (as Eric Snyder)
Michael Tough	....	location manager
Mimi Wolch	....	script supervisor

Thanks
Dabney Coleman	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Keith Addis & Associates Production
• Phoenix Entertainment Group (PEG)

Distributors

• Cannon Home Video (video)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Showtime Networks
• Warner Home Video (laserdisc)

Also Known As:

The Dead Can't Lie

Runtime:

98 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:12 | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Keith Addis & Associates Production

Quotes:

Rachel Carlyle: Whatever they tell you about me is true. I'm worse than you can imagine. But don't ever say you didn't know.
Eddie Mallard: I don't know anything any more. I don't know what I'm doing.
Rachel Carlyle: You chose me. And you'll go on choosing me, as awful as it gets.
Eddie Mallard: Why will I do that?
Rachel Carlyle: Because you love me. Because YOU love ME.

Soundtrack:

Every Step of the Way

Brain teasing lies and dark seduction.

Q: What do you get if you put a naturaly gifted actress with powerful screen presence, together centre stage with an actor who exudes raw, truthful bearing? A: An extremely interesting and tantilising mind game. Sadly, too few films, since the 1940's, allow both the male & female leads to both shine absolutely equaly, profiting the end result. The culmination of Jones & Madsen's performances is a retro work of art. The casting & editing is vibrant, but this narrative should have been directed by an Art House impresario, because lost in mainstream tv it becomes merely a taxing jigsaw.

PLOT: The two titles are part of the puzzle aspect to this film. For 'Gotham', read as - Goth-ham or Gothic 'ham', as in a noir spoof, or if you equate Gotham with Batman, then evolve this to the catchphrase 'the dynamic duo' and you have the Madsen & Jones chemistry. For 'The Dead Can't Lie', read as - why tell us, unless they can, therefore is this a single or double bluff? These are clues, but they could be a 'red herring'. It's a dark tale about lies within lies and whether there is any point in unraveling them. There are repeated motifs in the dialogue that are inconsistant, so it probably isnt possible to assert the truth, since each character is potentially lieing! Even the music is designed to deliberately mislead!

RATEING: 7/10 as a film, but 9/10 as a brain teaser.

WHO should watch this film?: Adults only, because of content. Women will enjoy the exuberantly feminine power of Madsen, whereas men will enjoy looking at it in action! Watch out for the 'Rubik's Cube', as it's a barometer of Jones' confusion and ours! If you like doing puzzles and can cope if you dont solve them, you will love & watch this film repeatedly.