Themes: Fighting the System, Political Corruption, Conspiracies
Main Cast: Al Pacino, John Cusack, Bridget Fonda, Danny Aiello, Martin Landau
Release Year: 1996
Country: US
Run Time: 111 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Plot
Three A-list screenwriters -- (Nicholas Pileggi, Bo Goldman, and Paul Schrader) -- contributed to the script of this idealistic political drama. John Pappas (Al Pacino) is the popular, ethical Mayor of New York; Kevin Calhoun (John Cusack) is his even more idealistic and principled deputy. When a detective and mobster kill each other and an innocent six-year-old black child in a shootout, questions arise about what the cop was doing meeting with the gangster in the first place. The Mayor and his staff handle the situation ably, but Calhoun digs deeper and finds troubling evidence that even his seemingly incorruptible boss has not escaped the shadier aspects of political life. The Mafia boss (Tony Franciosa) whose nephew was the dead gangster, along with a Brooklyn political boss (Danny Aiello) with his own agenda, come into the story, becoming part of a series of larger links, secret relationships, and bonds of "honor" between men who, on the surface, would have no reason to be in business with each other. ~ Don Kaye, All Movie Guide
Review
Director Harold Becker reunites with his Sea of Love star Al Pacino for this underrated gem of a political drama written by a trio of heavy-hitting screenwriters. Pacino is at his best in the role of a powerful man trying to do the right thing while compromising his values and integrity. A subplot involving Bridget Fonda seems to exist solely for the purpose of providing a love interest for the character played by John Cusack and detracts mightily from the film. Cusack struggles somewhat with his role of a naïve do-gooder who goes from starry-eyed idealism and hero-worship to sabotaging the object of his admiration perhaps too quickly, but his slightly underdeveloped character is a quibble in what is mostly an intelligent, probing film with much on its artistic mind. City Hall sank at the box office and was given a lukewarm critical reception; given the later success of television shows such as Spin City and The West Wing, perhaps the film was somewhat ahead of its time. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
Anthony Franciosa - Paul Zapatti; David Paymer - Abe Goodman; Stanley Anderson - Train Conductor; Ray Aranha - James Bone; Steve Aronson - Murray Safire; Jordan Baker - Mrs. Marquand; Tony Lo Bianco - Paul Zapatti; Fran Brill - Angie; Harry Bugin - Morty the Waiter; Angel David - Vinnie Zapatti; Lindsay Duncan - Sydney Pappas; John Finn - Commissioner Coonan; Richard Gant - Deputy Commissioner Samuels; Sylvia Kauders - Gussie; Joseph Kelly - Hospital Priest; Edward I. Koch - Newscaster; Rob La Belle - Wakeley; Mark Lonow - Lenny Lasker; Lucia Mendoza - Elaine Santos' Sister; Roberta Peters - Nettie Anselmo; Larry Romano - Tino Zapatti; Richard Schiff - Larry Schwartz; Nestor Serrano - Det. Eddie Santos; Miguel Sierra - Israel Torres; Tamara Tunie - Leslie Christos; Mel Winkler - Detective Holly; John Slattery - Intel Detective, George; Murphy Guyer - Captain Florian; Lauren Vélez - Elaine Santos; Brian Murray - Corporation Council; Mary Murphy - Field Reporter
Credit
Robert Guerra - Art Director, Thomas J. Mack - Associate Producer, John Lyons - Casting, Richard Hornung - Costume Designer, Glen Trotiner - First Assistant Director, Dean Garvin - First Assistant Director, Thomas J. Mack - First Assistant Director, David Kelly - First Assistant Director, Harold Becker - Director, David Bretherton - Editor, Robert Jones - Editor, Jerry Goldsmith - Composer (Music Score), Bernadette Mazur - Makeup, Jane Musky - Production Designer, Michael Seresin - Cinematographer, Harold Becker - Producer, Charles B. Mulvehill - Producer, Edward R. Pressman - Producer, Ken Lipper - Producer, Robert Franco - Set Designer, Steve Kirshoff - Special Effects, Tod A. Maitland - Sound/Sound Designer, Bo Goldman - Screenwriter, Nicholas Pileggi - Screenwriter, Paul Schrader - Screenwriter, Ken Lipper - Screenwriter
The plot follows the aftermath of the death of a boy caught in the crossfire a drug dealer/detective shootout. Calhoun's investigations, as well as those by Marybeth Cogan (Bridget Fonda), eventually uncover a scandal.
The film would gross an estimated $20 million domestically according to BoxOfficeMojo.com
