Golden Gate (1994)

Director:

John Madden

Writer (WGA):

David Henry Hwang (written by)

Release Date:

28 January 1994 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

Some loves are impossible. But they are loves just the same.

Plot:

A brash 22-year-old FBI agent trumps up charges of Communist spying against a Chinese laundryman. Ten years later, he wants to make amends to the man and his teenage daughter.

Plot Keywords:

1950s | Government | Falsely Accused | San Francisco California | FBI

Cast

Matt Dillon	...	Kevin Walker
Joan Chen	...	Marilyn
Elizabeth Morehead	...	Receptionist
Bruno Kirby	...	Ron Pirelli
Teri Polo	...	Cynthia
Jack Shearer	...	FBI chief
Keone Young	...	Benny Ying
Tzi Ma	...	Chen Jung Song
Paddy Morrissey	...	Agent
Cully Fredricksen	...	Special Agent Collins
Leo Downey	...	Prosecuting Attorney
Jay Jacobus	...	Judge
Wilbur Jung	...	Chinese defendant
Henry Wong	...	Court interpreter
Theresa Huynh	...	Young Marilyn

Runtime:

95 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Iceland:L | Australia:M | Norway:15 | Spain:13 | Sweden:11 | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

San Francisco, California, USA

Company:

American Playhouse Theatrical Films

Goofs:

Anachronisms: In the dance hall scene, when the camera moves behind the drummer, the drumhead on the drumset are Remo PinStripe heads - two layers of transparent Mylar with a thin film of oil between the heads. Mylar drumheads were invented in the mid 1950s. PinStripe drum heads were not available until 1973, when they were released by Remo.

Soundtrack:

MELLOW SOULFUL

Cartoonish indictment of anti-Communist hysteria, brightened by its leading lady

It's too bad you can't extract something good from a bad movie and show it to people. What should I tell you about this one? Seek it out so you can watch Joan Chen?

It's almost worth it. Unfortunately, the main character is not hers, but Matt Dillon's, a brash 22-year-old FBI agent, who trumps up charges of Communist spying against a Chinese laundryman. Ten years later, Dillon, haunted by guilt, wants to make amends to the man and his teenage daughter (Joan Chen). Dillon and Chen fall in love, but she soon learns the truth about him. The affair ends, but six years later, Chen is in college and Dillon is assigned to spy on her student group.

What does this movie think it's doing? David Henry Hwang, who also wrote "M. Butterfly," turns the FBI agents into cartoon villains. They say things like, "I hate due process!" while slamming down telephones. He's trying to make real points about 1950s anti-Communist hysteria and racial injustice. How can we take them seriously? You wouldn't even know from watching this movie that Communism was a real threat.

He also sprinkles unwelcome stage flourishes into his screenplay. When Dillon sits on the witness stand, he holds a conversation with his girlfriend (Teri Polo) as she sits in the back of the courtroom, while the lawyers and the judge and everyone around are oblivious to it. Why? We get the point immediately that this earnest young woman disapproves of what he's doing. Why add an artificial conversation to hammer the point?

Oddly, Dillon is more convincing as a 22-year-old than he is when his character is closer to his own age, or when he's older. There are things to like about Dillon's performance, but he can't overcome a weakly-written character, who never credibly struggles between good and evil. When he finally decides to trump up those charges against Chen's father, it seems as if the FBI insignia is hypnotizing him into doing it.

But then there's Joan Chen, who lights up every scene she's in, and even brightens Dillon's performance. We love Dillon because she does. The actress is beautiful, inside and out. I haven't seen Chen's other movies, but I hope that at least one of them is worthy of her.