Raising Cain

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Raising Cain
DVD cover
Directed by	Brian De Palma
Produced by	Gale Anne Hurd
Written by	Brian De Palma
Starring	John Lithgow Lolita Davidovich Steven Bauer Frances Sternhagen Gregg Henry Tom Bower Mel Harris
Music by	Pino Donaggio
Cinematography	Stephen H. Burum
Editing by	Robert Dalva Paul Hirsch Bonnie Koehler
Distributed by	Universal Pictures
Release date(s)	August 7, 1992 (USA)
Running time	91 mins
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$11,000,000 (estimated)
Gross profits	$21,370,059 (USA)
All Movie Guide profile
IMDb profile

Raising Cain is a 1992 film starring John Lithgow. It was directed by Brian De Palma, and is rated R. The film also stars Steven Bauer and Frances Sternhagen.

Contents 1 Plot 2 Trivia 3 References 4 External link

[edit] Plot

Raising Cain is a psychological thriller which tells the story of a traumatized child psychologist (Lithgow), who kidnaps children.

Dr. Carter Nix is a respected child psychologist. His wife Jenny played by Lolita Davidovich is an oncologist. Dr. Carter Nix takes time away from his flourishing practice to care for their two-year-old daughter, Amy. Jenny becomes concerned that Carter is obsessively studying their child. Rather than appreciating her youth, he regards her like a scientist tracking the development of his creation.

The audience quickly learns that Carter suffers from multiple personality disorder. His multiples are Cain, a streetwise hustler, Josh, a little boy, and Margo, a middle-aged mother figure. Carter/Cain are killing young mothers to procure their babies and toddlers.

In a side story we learn that Jenny is having an affair with the widower of a former patient,Jack Dante played by (Steven Bauer). Carter accidentally discovers their tryst and delves further into madness. Carter and Cain begin leaving subtle clues for the police that Jack is the real killer.

Next Carter attempts to kill Jenny by submerging her car in a lake. She pulls herself out and confronts Carter at their home. Unable to find Amy, Jenny demands Carter tell her where she is. In a chilling scene, Jenny throws Carter to the ground. "Where's Amy?" shouts Jenny. "She's with my father." Carter responds weakly. "What does that mean? Your father is dead!"

Carter is apprehended for attempted murder and the police bring Dr. Lynn Waldheim played by Frances Sternhagen to interrogate him. Though enduring chemo therapy, Dr. Waldheim interviews Carter and informs the police that she worked extensively with Carter Nix's father, Dr. Nix Sr. She co-wrote a book with him called Raising Cain about a boy with multiple personality disorder. The doctors agreed that patients with MPD seemed to share certain childhood traumas, but of course, their could be no ethical way to test these theories through direct clinical observation. Dr. Nix Sr. had extensive detailed knowledge of Cain's childhood torture including a few tape recordings of their sessions. However, Dr. Waldheim was never allowed to meet Cain. She pieced the situation together: Dr. Nix Sr. traumatized his own son to gain first-hand accounts of his traumatic psychological development and study the emerging personalities. Dr. Walheim than dissociated herself with Dr. Nix, Sr. His last known activities before his death involved attempting to purchase babies via the black market. Carter is not to be found. Instead Margo and Josh alternately answer police questioning. Josh is a little boy inside Carter terrified that "Bonesy", his father, will punish him if he reveals where the missing babies are. Josh recites a rhyme:

"Hickory dickory dock. Cain has picked his lock. He did a bad deed now Josh comes to bleed. Hickory dickory dock."

With this, Josh vanishes, and Margo assumes control of the body. She stonewalls Dr. Waldheim from any further questioning. Carter/Cain break from their confines. They pounce upon Dr. Waldheim, knocking her unconscious, stealing her wig, dress, shoes and coat. He/they is able to leave the building disguised as her. The police soon find a bald, woozy underwear-clad Dr. Waldheim on the floor of an interview room encouraging Dr. Nix's capture before any children are harmed.

In fact, Dr. Nix, Sr., also played by Lithgow, is alive. He has faked his own death to elude prosecution for attempting to buy babies. He has established a new identity and a clandestine research facility in Norway. He has been using Carter and his multiples to procure the children so he will have an adequate control group to study the development of MPD.

Carter/Cain bring Amy to meet with Dr. Nix Sr. in a motel room to begin their departure to Norway. A police chase ensures and Carter/Cain and Dr. Nix, Sr. evade capture leaving Amy behind.

The movie ends with Jenny and Amy in park where the murders and Jenny's meeting with Jack occurred. Amy plays alone while Jenny chats with another mother. Soon Amy runs frantically to Jenny informing her that "Daddy is in the trees." Jenny assures her that isn't the case. Amy wonders away and Jenny continues her conversation. Amy wanders away and Jenny rises to find and call her back. Jenny follows Amy into a wooded area. As she stands still for a moment wandering which way Amy went, Jenny suffers and immediate blow to the head. The camera pans away to reveal Margo/Carter in Dr. Waldheim's wig and clothing holding a blunt object. The movie ends with that interesting tableau.

[edit] Trivia

• The title of this movie inspired the 1994 track 'Raising Cain' by The Mission (band).

[edit] References

• Martin, Mick & Porter, Marsha DVD & Video Guide 2006, pg. 922

[edit] External link

Raising Cain at the Internet Movie Database