IMDb > Little Nikita (1988)
Little Nikita
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Little Nikita (1988) More at IMDbPro »

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Little Nikita (1988) -- An FBI agent (Sidney Poitier) must protect the American son (River Phoenix) of two Soviet sleeper spies and figure out who the bad guys are in this dramatic cold war thriller.
Little Nikita (1988) -- US Home Video Trailer from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

Overview

User Rating:
6.1/10   2,119 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 2% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Richard Benjamin
Writers:
Bo Goldman (co-writer)
John Hill (writer)
(more)
Contact:
View company contact information for Little Nikita on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
18 March 1988 (USA) more
Genre:
Drama | Thriller more
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... more | add synopsis
User Comments:
Angst Ridden Identity Crisis more (16 total)

Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)

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)
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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
Bob Munoz .... best boy grip
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 CompaniesDistributors
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Additional Details

Also Known As:
The Sleepers
more
Runtime:
98 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Color
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Dolby
Filming Locations:
San Diego, California, USA

Fun Stuff

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. more
Quotes:
Konstantin Karpov: You know Roy? Russians don't shoot their children. more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in "American Masters: Sidney Poitier: One Bright Light" (2000) more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
3 out of 3 people found the following comment useful.
Angst Ridden Identity Crisis, 21 April 2008
4/10
Author: bkoganbing from Buffalo, New York

I would bet that of all the films young River Phoenix did in his short and sweet life, Little Nikita is probably the one where he played the most normal of kids. But it's that very normality that is the basis for the shock unfolding before him.

A rogue agent played by Richard Lynch who has specialized in playing really evil and loathsome types on the big and small screens is going around killing various sleeper agents that the Russians have planted over the years in America. Lynch is blackmailing the Soviets for big bucks to stop bumping off the deep cover spies. One of their top guys, Richard Bradford, is going to America to deal with the problem. As this is the time of Glasnost with Reagan and Gorbachev in some serious and far reaching negotiations, we don't want this to get public and blow up the summit.

At the same time while Sidney Poitier as an FBI agent is running routine background checks for armed service academy admissions, something really doesn't compute in young River Phoenix's background. It turns out that his parents are deep cover agents who've never been activated to do anything. And by an incredible coincidence I just really couldn't buy, Lynch is a guy who killed Poitier's partner many years ago and he wants him to.

You'd think that with this kind of problem a little below summit Glasnost would have been in order for the KGB and FBI. But no, they're both working at cross purposes for the same goal.

What Little Nikita does have going for it to give it as many stars as it does have is River Phoenix's angst ridden performance of an All American kid whose whole world comes crashing around about him. River's screen characters were usually quirky, but he could play a normal kid and well.

Phoenix's performance and the nice location shooting in and around the San Diego area are the only reason to watch this well meaning, but ultimately rather silly film.

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Message Boards

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river questions icould_Fly
Could have been much better if only... bljdwalker-1
What was the Corporal's nickname? roximunro
am I the only one... WhisperingBells1959
looking for 'River Phoenix' - penpals Gabrielle987
Practically same movie mediamaven
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