Main Cast: Michael Keaton, Melanie Griffith, Matthew Modine, Mako, Dorian Harewood, Nobu McCarthy
Release Year: 1990
Country: US
Run Time: 103 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Plot
John Schlesinger directed this upscale horror film about a landlord with the ultimate problem tenant. Patty Palmer (Melanie Griffith) and Drake Goodman (Matthew Modine) are a middle class couple who lie on their financial statement in order to buy an old Victorian house in San Francisco, planning to renovate it and rent it out. Unfortunately, they select as a tenant Carter Hayes (Michael Keaton), a psychotic real estate bargain hunter who plans to drive Patty and Drake into foreclosure proceedings and then buy the house cheap. Carter starts the ball rolling by refusing to pay his rent and driving out a couple who had rented the rear flat by hammering and sawing all night -- and then releasing a tidal wave of cockroaches. What follows is a psychological war between Carter and the Yuppie couple, with Carter succeeding not only in provoking Drake into more extreme means of eviction, but also causing a rift between Drake and Patty. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
Laurie Metcalf - Stephanie MacDonald; Carl Lumbly - Lou Baker; Aida Anderson - Neighbor; Hy Anzell - Locksmith; Linda Austin - Neighbor; Alice Barden - Neighbor; Rober Bearde - Arresting Cop; Guy Boyd - Warning Cop; J.P. Bumstead - 1st Deputy Sheriff; Beverly D'Angelo - Anne (uncredited); Maggy Myers Davidson - Diamond Lady; Frank di Elsi - Precinct Cop; John Diaz - Shoe Shine; Noel Evangelisti - Mr. Smith; Takayo Fischer - Bank Teller; Matthew Flint - Neighbor; Scott Freeman - Neighbor; Dabbs Greer - Mr. Thayer; Ray Hanis - Older Man; Jerry Hardin - Bennett Fidlow; Dan Hedaya - Loan Officer; Tippi Hedren - Florence Peters; Ed Hodson - Other Cop; Seth Isler - Sergeant; O-Lan Jones - Hotel Maid; Danny Kovacs - Neighbor; Hal Landon, Jr. - 2nd Deputy Sheriff; Daniel MacDonald - George; Miriam Margolyes - Realtor; Frank Maruoka - Neighbor; Tohoru Masamune - Neighbor; Sheila McCarthy - Liz Hamilton; D.W. Moffett - Bill; Tom Nolan - Al; Luis Oropeza - Revilla; F. William Parker - Judge; William Paterson - Mr. Hill; Nicholas Pryor - Hotel Manager; Tim Pulice - Younger Man; Tony Simotes - Desk Clerk; James Staley - District Attorney; Florence Sundstrom - Mrs. Thayer; Wat Takeshita - Neighbor; Tracey Walter - Exterminator; David Lloyd Wilson - Television Host; Danny Wynands - Thug; Luca Bercovici - Greg; Michael Parker - Man at Police Station; John Schlesinger - Man in Elevator; Nicholas Rutherford - Child; Bud Ekins - Thug; Barbara Bush - Amy
Credit
Gershon Ginsburg - Art Director, Sharon Seymour - Art Director, Mali Finn - Casting, J.P. Pomposello - Consultant/advisor, Scott Rudin - Co-producer, William Sackheim - Co-producer, Dennis E. Jones - Co-producer, Bridget Kelly - Costume Designer, Ann Roth - Costume Designer, John Schlesinger - Director, Mark Warner - Editor, Gary Barber - Executive Producer, David Nicksay - Executive Producer, James G. Robinson - Executive Producer, Hans Zimmer - Composer (Music Score), Shirley Walker - Musical Direction/Supervision, Valli O'Reilly - Makeup, Neil Spisak - Production Designer, Amir Mokri - Cinematographer, Dennis E. Jones - Cinematographer, Dennis E. Jones - Production Manager, Joe Roth - Producer, Monroe Sachson - Producer, Clay Griffith - Set Designer, Debra Shutt - Set Designer, Peter M. Chesney - Special Effects, Image Engineering - Special Effects, J.D. Streett - Special Effects, Michael Cassidy - Stunts, Chad Randall - Stunts, Shane Dixon - Stunts, Tom Elliott - Stunts, Gary Epper - Stunts, Bobby Foxworth - Stunts, Matt McColm - Stunts, Debby Porter - Stunts, Daniel Pyne - Screenwriter, Medusah - Key Hairstylist, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - Featured Music, Antonio Vivaldi - Featured Music
