Main Cast: Sissy Spacek, Jeff Daniels, Keith Szarabajka, Morgan Freeman, Fred Dalton Thompson
Release Year: 1985
Country: US
Run Time: 113 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG13
Plot
Based on a true story, this drama stars Sissy Spacek as Marie Ragghianti, a Tennessee housewife stuck in a bad marriage with an abusive husband and caring for a child with long-term health problems. Determined to turn her life around, Marie leaves her husband and goes back to school. Against long odds, she completes her college degree and is able to land a job with the Tennessee State Government. Thanks to hard work and being in the right place at the right time, Marie moves up the ladder to become the head of the Tennessee Parole Board. However, the more authority Marie gains, the more corruption she sees, reaching to the highest offices in the state -- Eddie Sisk (Jeff Daniels), special assistant to the governor, has worked out a system by which he can collect bribes on behalf of the governor in exchange for political favors, without the governor himself being directly implicated. An angry Marie decides that it's time she did something about the graft and dirty dealing in the parole department, but she soon discovers that the governor has many powerful friends who can easily discredit her in the press. The supporting cast includes Morgan Freeman and Trey Wilson. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Lisa Banes - Toni Greer; Trey Wilson - FBI Agent; John Cullum - Deputy Attorney General; Graham Beckel - Charlie Benson; Macon McCalman - Murray Henderson; Collin Wilcox Paxton - Virginia; Dawn Carmen - Therese Ragghianti; Shane Wexel - Ricky Ragghianti; Vincent Irizarry - Dave Ragghianti; Kitty Aldridge - Anne Woods; Chip Arnold - Reporter; Robert Green Benson III - Dante Ragghianti; Timothy Carhart - Clayton Dawson; Clarence Felder - Jack Lowery; Lisa Foster - Sherry Lomax; Ivan Green - Jury Foreman; Don Hood - Gov. Blanton; J. Michael Hunter - Bartender at "Villa"; Charles Kahlenberg - Arnold Hurst; Helena Michell - Ada Hall; Michael P. Moran - Bill Thompson; Fia Porter - Rape Victim; Jane Powell - Singer at Rally; Leon Rippy - Gary Gerbitz; Jerry Rushing - Gas Station Attendant; Alan Sader - Professor; Lorenzo Allen - Prisoner; Larry Brinton - Reporter; R. Pickett Bugg - Bernie Weinthal; Carla Cantrelle - Marilyn; Edward Carr - George Edwards; David Eddings - Detective; James Fields - Death Row Prisoner; Herb Harton - Polygraph Operator; Stephen Henderson - Cooper's Husband; Sarah Hunley - Court Stenographer; Dwight Lewis - Reporter; John-Michael Maas - Chris; Jeff Marcum - Motorcycle Cop; Philip Markert - Judge; Billy McIntyre - Death Row Guard; Mac Pirkle - Doctor; Drue Smith - Reporter; Tom Stolry - Detective; Joe Sun - Tommy Prater; Ruby L. Wilson - Rose Lee Cooper; George Gray - Doctor
Credit
Ron Foreman - Art Director, Joe Tompkins - Costume Designer, Roger Donaldson - Director, Neil Travis - Editor, Francis Lai - Composer (Music Score), Massimo de Rossi - Makeup, Chris Menges - Cinematographer, Frank Capra, Jr. - Producer, Elliot Schick - Producer, Tantar LeViseur - Set Designer, John Briley - Screenwriter, Peter Maas - Book Author
