The Chamber (1996)

User Rating:

5.7/10   

Director:

James Foley

Writers (WGA):

John Grisham (novel)
William Goldman (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

11 October 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

Time is running out.

Plot:

A young man fresh out of law school tries to win a reprieve for his racist grandfather who is on death row.

Plot Keywords:

Murder | Ku Klux Klan | Prison | Racist | Law

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Chris O'Donnell	...	Adam Hall
Gene Hackman	...	Sam Cayhall
Faye Dunaway	...	Lee Cayhall Bowen
Robert Prosky	...	E. Garner Goodman
Raymond J. Barry	...	Rollie Wedge / Donnie Cayhall (as Raymond Barry)
Bo Jackson	...	Sgt. Clyde Packer
Lela Rochon	...	Nora Stark
David Marshall Grant	...	Gov. David McAllister
Nicholas Pryor	...	Judge Flynn F. Slattery
Harve Presnell	...	Atty. Gen. Roxburgh
Richard Bradford	...	Wyn Lettner
Greg Goossen	...	J.B. Gullitt (as Gregory Goossen)
Seth Isler	...	Marvin B. Kramer
Millie Perkins	...	Ruth Kramer
Sid Johnson	...	Josh Kramer

MPAA:

Rated R for violent images and some language.

Runtime:

113 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS

Certification:

USA:R (certificate #34851) | Iceland:16 | South Korea:15 | Philippines:PG-13 | UK:12 (original rating) | UK:15 (video rating) | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Chile:14 | Finland:K-16 | Germany:12 (bw) | Portugal:M/12 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Chicago, Illinois, USA

Company:

Davis Entertainment

Trivia:

Brad Pitt was committed to playing Adam Hall, but left the project when Ron Howard left to direct Ransom (1996).

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: As Adam watches, the digital LED clock in his hotel room changes from 3:59 to 4:00 am, and makes a faint click as it does. Clocks of this kind do not make such sounds.

Quotes:

Sam Cayhall: If you spend half as much time trying to be a lawyer instead of trying to be Dick Tracy, I might not be dead in five days.

Soundtrack:

Temenos (Here Come The Shakes)

Excellent

Just like the book, this movie is amazing. The story is unique in the sense that it is very personal. A boy's grandfather is to be executed for murdering two small children, and as he investigates the crime further, he discovers more terrifying secrets about his grandfather and his past. He knows little about his roots because his father commited suicide when he was a kid, and this may be the only chance he has at discovering who he is, however unpleasant it may be. Chris Odonnel is great in this and Gene Hackman shines. I give this **** out of **** stars.