Descending Angel (1990) (TV)

Director:

Jeremy Kagan

Writers (WGA):

Robert J. Siegel (story) &
Grace Woodard (story) ...

Release Date:

25 November 1990 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Thriller

Plot:

A recently engaged man (Roberts) getting to know his future father-in-law (Scott) better unearths clues...

Plot Keywords:

Beautiful Woman

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

George C. Scott	...	Florian Stroia
Diane Lane	...	Irina Stroia
Eric Roberts	...	Michael Rossi
Mark Margolis	...	Bercovici
Vyto Ruginis	...	Glenn
Amy Aquino	...	Catherine
Ken Jenkins	...	Sam Murray
Elsa Raven	...	Vera
Richard Jenkins	...	Debaudt
Jan Rubes	...	Bishop Dancu
Philip Akin	...	Bookstore Clerk
George Buza	...	Stellian
David De Sanctis	...	Policeman
Aidan Devine	...	Security Clerk
Colin Fox	...	Doctor

Runtime:

USA:98 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Iceland:12 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Canada

Company:

Home Box Office (HBO)

Quotes:

Irina Stroia: There once was a beautiful princess who's father, the king, went off to fight in a foreign war
Michael Rossi: When does the young knight come?
Irina Stroia: He just did
Michael Rossi: Yes he did
Irina Stroia: And it better hold him for the next ten days
Michael Rossi: We can always sneak out to a motel, can we?
Irina Stroia: You promised
Michael Rossi: Keep talking
Irina Stroia: The king had placed his daughter in a tower room where there were no windows and no doors, she was left there for a long... slow... slower time. Many years past and she began to forget what the king looked like and all she could do was dream...

A sad ending for Scott's career

Some compared this to "Music Box" - which is a much better film, least of all because it doesn't make sweeping erroneous generalizations about history. Here's an example: the hero is told by a policeman that "Not all Romanians were really that bad (during WWII.)" Anyone with a *pinch* of historical knowledge should be horrified, considering Romania's war efforts on the Allies' side shortened the conflict in Europe by at least six months, and that the fascist elements alluded to in the film were nowhere close to the Nazis. The sad truth is that everyone involved in this production was in it for the money, and it's heartbreaking to see George C. Scott spoiling his name with TV trash, after the wonders he's done in "Patton". The plot is outrageous and bordering bad taste, the characters are paper-thin and lacking motivation, the actors have no chemistry... and Scott's painful delivery of a few Romanian words is a hoot. I can't imagine anyone liking this garbage.