Five Corners (film)
Five Corners is a 1988 American independent crime drama film, directed by Tony Bill from a screenplay written by John Patrick Shanley. The film stars Jodie Foster, Tim Robbins, John Turturro, and Rodney Harvey. It depicts 48 hours in the lives of a group of young New Yorkers in the 1960s.
| Five Corners | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Tony Bill |
| Produced by | Forrest Murray |
| Written by | John Patrick Shanley |
| Starring | |
| Music by | James Newton Howard |
| Cinematography | Fred Murphy |
| Edited by | Andy Blumenthal |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | |
Release date | January 22, 1988 (USA) |
Running time | 90 min |
| Country |
|
| Language | English |
| Budget | $5.5 million[1] |
| Box office | $969,205[2] |
Five Corners was released domestically in limited theatres on January 22, 1988. The film received generally positive reviews from critics but was a financial disappointment, grossing $969,205 in its limited run against a budget of $5.5 million. At the 4th Independent Spirit Awards; Foster won for Best Female Lead, while Turturro was nominated for Best Supporting Male.
Plot
In the Bronx in 1964 a high-school teacher is shot in the back with an arrow and killed.
A man offers to give two young ladies (who are apparently high) to two teenage boys, even offering them cash to take the women off his hands. These ladies later wake in a strange apartment, lying naked under sheets. The next day, the boys tell the girls that their teacher was murdered, and that is why they were available to take the girls for the car ride.
Heinz has just been released from prison after serving a term for attempted rape, and has returned to his old neighborhood to resume his relationship with his demented mother and to "rekindle" his own demented version of a relationship with Linda, the near-rape victim. Harry had protected Linda in the near-rape, but since then he has adopted a policy of non-violent response to violence (caused by the murder of his policeman father and the non-violent protests against racism espoused by Dr. Martin Luther King). Harry has now become a Buddhist and a pacifist, and seeks to join Dr. King's movement, making protecting Linda again a difficult task. Heinz calls Linda, and tells her to meet him in a park at midnight. She reluctantly agrees, knowing that he may become dangerous if she doesn't comply. When arriving at the pool, she finds a board to use for protection and hides it. Heinz shows her a present he got for her: two penguins he stole from the Bronx zoo. She tells him that he has to return them because penguins need special food. Heinz becomes outraged, thinking that she was rejecting his gift, and kills one of the penguins. Linda fights Heinz off, and runs off with one of the penguins.
Heinz takes an unconscious Linda to a rooftop, where police secure the building. A sharpshooter is in a position to kill him but doesn't because it would endanger Linda. Heinz is killed by a mysterious arrow to his back.
Cast
- Jodie Foster as Linda
- Tim Robbins as Harry
- Todd Graff as Jamie
- John Turturro as Heinz
- Michael R. Howard as Murray
- Pierre Epstein as George
- Jery Hewitt as Mr. Glasgow
- Rodney Harvey as Castro
- Daniel Jenkins as Willie
- Elizabeth Berridge as Melanie
- Carl Capotorto as Sal
Campbell Scott mark one of his earlier role in his career, as Policeman.
References
- Ellsworth-Jones, Will. "HandMade in America." Sunday Times [London, England] 8 Feb. 1987: 51. The Sunday Times Digital Archive. Web. 19 Apr. 2014.
- http://www.boxofficemojo.com/release/rl3813901825/weekend/