Little Nikita (1988)

User Rating:

6.1/10   

Director:

Richard Benjamin

Writers:

Bo Goldman (co-writer)
John Hill (writer)
(more)

Release Date:

18 March 1988 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

He went to bed an all-American kid and woke up the son of Russian spies.

Plot:

Roy Parmenter is an FBI agent in San Diego; 20 years ago his partner was killed by a Soviet spy, nicknamed Scuba...

Plot Keywords:

Spy | FBI Agent | Interview | Cigarette Smoking | Flower Shop

Cast

Sidney Poitier	...	Roy Parmenter
River Phoenix	...	Jeff Grant
Richard Jenkins	...	Richard Grant
Caroline Kava	...	Elizabeth Grant
Richard Bradford	...	Konstantin Karpov
Richard Lynch	...	Scuba
Loretta Devine	...	Verna McLaughlin
Lucy Deakins	...	Barbara Kerry
Jerry Hardin	...	Brewer
Albert Fortell	...	Bunin
Robert Madrid	...	Sgt. Leathers (as Robb Madrid)
Ronald Guttman	...	Spessky
Jacob Vargas	...	Miguel
Roberto Jiménez	...	Joaquin
Chez Lister	...	Tom
Bill Stevenson	...	Tony
Thomas R. Zak	...	Brett (as Tom Zak)
Newell Alexander	...	Drill Sergeant
Ingrid M. Rhoads	...	Cpl. Hogan (as Ingrid Rhoades)
Lisa McCullough	...	Water Skier
Richard Holden	...	Young Russian Diplomat
Voyo Goric	...	Joe
Kim Strange	...	DMV Clerk
Lou Hancock	...	Nursery Customer
David M. Paynter	...	Spike
Biff Wiff	...	Bucky
Tasha Stewart	...	Dolphin Trainer
John Spafford	...	Trainer #2
Brooke Theiss	...	Dilys
Jonathan McMurtry	...	Tour Boat Guide
Charles T. Salter Jr.	...	Trolley Conductor
Rick L. Nahera	...	Trolley Passenger
Jim Parrott	...	U.S. Border Patrolman
Arlin Miller	...	TV Announcer
Julio Medina	...	Soccer Announcer
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Doug Ingold	...	Park Attendant (uncredited)

Directed by
Richard Benjamin

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Bo Goldman		co-writer
John Hill		writer
Tom Musca		story
Terry Schwartz		story

Produced by
Harry Gittes	....	producer
Art Levinson	....	co-producer
Gail Mutrux	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Marvin Hamlisch

Cinematography by
László Kovács

Film Editing by
Jacqueline Cambas

Casting by
David Rubin

Production Design by
Gene Callahan

Art Direction by
Hub Braden

Set Decoration by
Lee Poll

Costume Design by
Patricia Norris

Makeup Department
Dorothy Byrne	....	hair stylist
Bob Mills	....	makeup artist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Dennis Maguire	....	first assistant director
Conrad E. Palmisano	....	second unit director

Art Department
Max E. Brehme	....	set dresser
Emily Ferry	....	property master
Sherman Labby	....	production illustrator

Sound Department
William Dotson	....	sound editor
Louis L. Edemann	....	sound editor
Jerry Jost	....	sound mixer
Elliot Tyson	....	sound re-recording mixer
Dennis C. Salcedo	....	boom operator (uncredited)
Carolyn Tapp	....	foley recordist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Mike Edmonson	....	special effects coordinator

Visual Effects by
Steve Grumette	....	computer effects supervisor

Stunts
Michael Adams	....	stunts
Jophery C. Brown	....	stunts (as Jophery Brown)
Erik Cord	....	stunts
Roger Creed	....	stunts
Kerrie Cullen	....	stunts
Greg Wayne Elam	....	stunts (as Greg Elam)
Mickey Gilbert	....	stunts
Dick Hancock	....	stunts
Conrad E. Palmisano	....	stunt coordinator
Nick Palmisano	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Owen Marsh	....	camera operator: second unit
Peter McEvoy	....	assistant camera: second unit
Louis Niemeyer	....	first assistant camera: second unit
Michael T. Travers	....	grip

Casting Department
Tina Real	....	extras casting: local

Editorial Department
Mark Kolpack	....	assistant film editor

Music Department
Robert Fernandez	....	scoring mixer
Andrew Silver	....	assistant music editor

Transportation Department
William Hogue	....	driver dispatcher

Other crew
Cullen G. Chambers	....	stand-in: Sidney Poitier
Wes Irwin	....	production assistant
Greg Lazzaro	....	key location manager
Cynthia Wise	....	assistant accountant

Production Companies

• Columbia Pictures Corporation

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures
• Columbia TriStar Films de Argentina (2002) (Argentina) (all media) (re-release)
• Hollydan Works (2001) (Federal Republic of Yugoslavia) (DVD)
• LK-TEL Vídeo (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)
• LK-TEL (19??) (Argentina) (VHS)
• LK-TEL (2002) (Argentina) (DVD)
• LK-TEL (2002) (Argentina) (VHS) (re-release)
• RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video (USA) (VHS)
• RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video (USA) (laserdisc)

Also Known As:

The Sleepers

Runtime:

98 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Australia:M | Iceland:14 | Iceland:16 (video rating) | South Korea:15 | Argentina:Atp | Finland:K-14 | USA:PG | West Germany:12 | Singapore:PG | UK:15

Filming Locations:

San Diego, California, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

When Roy hands over the driving license to Jeff the birth date is August 23rd 1970, which was the real birth date of actor River Phoenix.

Quotes:

Jeff Grant: What's my name? Come on dad, what could the head of the grandfamily have to hide from his first and oldest and only son?
Richard Grant: [pause] Nika.
Jeff Grant: J. Nicholas Grant. Nick.
Richard Grant: [shakes head] Nikita.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "American Masters: Sidney Poitier: One Bright Light" (2000)

Intrigue thriller is too hard to follow.

This sounds really hot for a movie like LITTLE NIKITA: a teenager (River Phoenix, teen heartthrob of the late-80s) becomes caught in a knot when he learns that his parents are Russian spies. It's no wonder why this would be fun with Phoenix in the act (if this is 1988 right now!), or Sidney Poitier doing all sorts of activities to help maintain its entertainment value. Something had to go wrong with the movie in general, and that is an outburst of instant confusion. It took more than one single piece of the plot to put a monkey wrench in the exhaust pipe. A few killings occur, and later it becomes a raging conspiracy. Adding to the panic is the way this movie was presented to a few young teens, with yes, River Phoenix on screen. It had the potential to become a decent modern-day thriller, but it's left without a whole lot of good interaction.