Running on Empty (1988)

Director:

Sidney Lumet

Writer:

Naomi Foner (written by)

Release Date:

9 September 1988 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Music

Tagline:

In 1971, Arthur and Annie Pope blew up a napalm lab to protest the war... Ever since then they have been on the run from the FBI. They chose their lives. Now their son must choose his.

Plot:

The eldest son of a fugitive family comes of age and wants to live a life of his own.

Plot Keywords:

Fugitive | On The Run | Vietnam War | Government | Thief

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 3 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Christine Lahti	...	Annie Pope / Cynthia Manfield
River Phoenix	...	Danny Pope / Michael Manfield
Judd Hirsch	...	Arthur Pope / Paul Manfield
Jonas Abry	...	Harry Pope / Stephen Manfield
Martha Plimpton	...	Lorna Phillips
Ed Crowley	...	Mr. Phillips
L.M. Kit Carson	...	Gus Winant
Steven Hill	...	Donald Patterson
Augusta Dabney	...	Abigail Patterson
David Margulies	...	Dr. Jonah Reiff
Lynne Thigpen	...	Contact at Eldridge St.
Marcia Jean Kurtz	...	School Clerk
Sloane Shelton	...	Mrs. Phillips
Justine Johnston	...	Librarian
Herb Lovelle	...	Hospital Clerk

Runtime:

116 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Argentina:16 | Iceland:L | South Korea:15 | Australia:M | France:-12 | Finland:S | USA:PG-13 | West Germany:12 | UK:15 | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Empire Stages of New York, Long Island City, Queens, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Double Play

Trivia:

One of only a handful of films to successfully have its MPAA rating changed through the formal appeals process. Originally given an "R" due to more than one use of the "F" word, it was revised to "PG13". Usually, only high-quality films of historic or social import are successfully appealed (e.g., "All the President's Men", "The Front").

Goofs:

Continuity: When Arthur returns home drunk one night, he stumbles backwards, falls and shatters the living room table. A short while later he is shown sitting next to the intact table when Danny comes home from being with Lorna.

Quotes:

Lorna: You're strange. I cut. I didn't feel like having my picture taken with those sub-humans.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The 61st Annual Academy Awards (1989) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Oh Pretty Woman

A Well-Acted, Powerful Story

I thought this was a powerful movie about '60s radicals on the lam for 14 years and a crisis that develops when the family's 17-year-old son is talented enough to enter Juliard School Of Music which means , because of identity problems, they may never see him again. Judd Hirsch and Christine Lahti play the husband and wife and River Phoenix and Jonas Abry are their kids.

There is excellent acting in this film and particularly by young Phoenix. The story shows us a good portrait of what it must be like to live in hiding. Politically, people will view this movie as they think (conservative or liberal) because it could be viewed a number of ways.

To me, it showed the worst of what could have happened to young people in the '60s who believed they were doing the right thing but broke the law....and paid the consequence. The sad part, as this shows so vividly, is how it affects the rest of the family and others. I think the most powerful scene in the film is when Lahti meets her dad after 14 years in hiding: very, very emotional stuff and one of the most intense short talking scenes I've ever seen on film.