Mrs. Soffel
| Mrs. Soffel | |
|---|---|
 Promotional movie poster for the film | |
| Directed by | Gillian Armstrong |
| Produced by |
Edgar J. Scherick David A. Nicksay Scott Rudin |
| Written by | Ron Nyswaner |
| Starring | |
| Music by | Mark Isham |
| Cinematography | Russell Boyd |
| Edited by | Nicholas Beauman |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | MGM/UA Entertainment |
Release date | December 26, 1984 |
Running time | 112 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $4,385,312 |
Mrs. Soffel is a 1984 American drama film directed by Gillian Armstrong, starring Diane Keaton and Mel Gibson and based on the story of condemned brothers Jack and Ed Biddle, who escaped prison with the aid of the warden's wife, Kate Soffel.
It was filmed on location in and around the Serez family farm in Mulmer, Ontario, as well as Wisconsin (train sequences) and establishing shots in Pittsburgh. The jail sequences were filmed in both the Allegheny County Courthouse and old Allegheny County Jail. The film was entered in the 35th Berlin International Film Festival.[1]
Plot
Kate Soffel is the wife of a Pittsburgh prison warden in 1901. They have four children. After several months of being sick in bed for no discernible reason that doctors can figure out, she suddenly regains her strength. She visits inmates to read Bible scripture to them and meets Ed Biddle and his brother Jack, both of whom may be innocent of the crimes that brought them here.
Mrs. Soffel falls in love with Ed and enables him and Jack to escape, smuggling bar-cutting blades to him at the prison. They go on the run together, with tragic results.
Cast
- Diane Keaton - Kate Soffel
- Mel Gibson - Ed Biddle
- Matthew Modine - Jack Biddle
- Edward Herrmann - Warden Peter Soffel
- Trini Alvarado - Irene Soffel
- Jennifer Dundas - Margaret Soffel
- Danny Corkill - Eddie Soffel
- Harley Cross - Clarence Soffel
- Terry O'Quinn - Detective Buck McGovern
- Pippa Pearthree - Maggie
- William Youmans - Guard George Koslow
- Maury Chaykin - Guard Charlie Reynolds
- Joyce Ebert - Matron Agnes Garvey
- Wayne Robson - Halliday
- Dana Wheeler-Nicholson - Jessie Bodyne
- Les Rubie - Mr. Stevenson
- Paula Trueman - Mrs. Stevenson
- Katie McCombs - Rachel Garvey
- William Duell - Lenny
- Walter Massey - Mr. Robinson
Reception
The film received lackluster to negative reviews upon release and currently holds a 40% 'Rotten' score on Rotten Tomatoes.[2] Roger Ebert awarded the film Two Stars, calling it "an anemic Bonnie and Clyde" and concluding that the performances were unconvincing.[3] Vincent Canby called it a "very strange and maddening movie", but praised the performances of Keaton and Gibson.[4]
External links
- ↑ "Berlinale: 1985 Programme". berlinale.de. Retrieved 2011-01-09.
- ↑ "'Mrs. Soffel' (1984)". rottentomatoes.com. Retrieved 2017-06-17.
- ↑ Roger Ebert (1984-01-01). "Mrs. Soffel Movie Review". rogerebert.com. Retrieved 2017-06-17.
- ↑ Vincent Canby (1984-12-26). "Movie Review -- Diane Keaton Portrays 'Mrs. Soffel'". The New York Times. Retrieved 2017-06-17.