A couple work hard to renovate their dream house and become landlords to pay for it. Unfortunately, one of their tenants has plans of his own.
Director:
Writer:
Photos and Videos
Cast verified as complete
| Melanie Griffith | ... |
Patty Palmer
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| Matthew Modine | ... |
Drake Goodman
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| Michael Keaton | ... |
Carter Hayes / James Danforth
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| Mako | ... |
Toshio Watanabe
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| Nobu McCarthy | ... |
Mira Watanabe
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| Laurie Metcalf | ... |
Stephanie MacDonald
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| Carl Lumbly | ... |
Lieutenant Lou Baker
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| Dorian Harewood | ... |
Dennis Reed
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| Luca Bercovici | ... |
Greg
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| Tippi Hedren | ... |
Florence Peters
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| Sheila McCarthy | ... |
Liz Hamilton
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| Guy Boyd | ... |
Warning Cop
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| Jerry Hardin | ... |
Bennett Fidlow
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| Dan Hedaya | ... |
Loan Officer
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| James Staley | ... |
District Attorney Henry
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| Miriam Margolyes | ... |
Realtor
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Luis Oropeza | ... |
Revilla
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| F. William Parker | ... |
Judge Mitchell Black
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| Nicholas Pryor | ... |
Hotel Front Office Manager Neil Spisak
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Tony Simotes | ... |
Desk Clerk Victor
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| O-Lan Jones | ... |
Hotel Maid Patricia
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Seth Isler | ... |
Sergeant Bobby Amato
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| Dabbs Greer | ... |
Mr. Thayer
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Florence Sundstrom | ... |
Mrs. Thayer
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Noel Evangelisti | ... |
Mrs. Smith
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| Nicholas Rutherford | ... |
Child
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Tim Pulice | ... |
Younger Man
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Ray Hanis | ... |
Older Man
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| Takayo Fischer | ... |
Bank Teller
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| Tom Nolan | ... |
Al
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Daniel MacDonald | ... |
George
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J.P. Bumstead | ... |
1st Deputy Sheriff
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| Hal Landon Jr. | ... |
2nd Deputy Sheriff
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| Hy Anzell | ... |
Locksmith Manford Bagel
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| Tracey Walter | ... |
Exterminator
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| William Paterson | ... |
Mr. Hill
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| D.W. Moffett | ... |
Bill
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| Barbara Tyson | ... |
Amy
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John Diaz | ... |
Shoe Shine Man
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Roger Bearde | ... |
Arresting Cop
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Ed Hodson | ... |
Other Cop
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Frank DiElsi | ... |
Precinct Cop
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| Michael John Parker | ... |
Man at Police Station
(as Michael Parker)
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Maggy Myers Davidson | ... |
Diamond Lady
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| Bud Ekins | ... |
Thug
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Danny Wynands | ... |
Thug
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| David Lloyd Wilson | ... |
Television Host
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Matthew Flint | ... |
Neighbor
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Scott Freeman | ... |
Neighbor
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| Alice Barden | ... |
Neighbor
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Danny Kovacs | ... |
Neighbor
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Wat Takeshita | ... |
Neighbor
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Frank Maruoka | ... |
Neighbor
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| Tohoru Masamune | ... |
Neighbor
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Aida Anderson | ... |
Neighbor
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Linda Austin | ... |
Neighbor
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| Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
| Beverly D'Angelo | ... |
Ann Miller (uncredited)
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Brian Danker | ... |
Arresting Officer (uncredited)
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| Frank Ferruccio | ... |
Hotel Desk Clerk (uncredited)
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Casey Ledoux | ... |
Lawyer (uncredited)
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Matthew Running Water McFadden | ... |
Business Man (uncredited)
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| Neil O'Neill | ... |
Truck Driver (uncredited)
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John Michael Quinn | ... |
Yacht Guest (uncredited)
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Christabel Savalas | ... |
Bank Teller (uncredited)
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| John Schlesinger | ... |
Man in Elevator (uncredited)
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Directed by
| John Schlesinger | ||
Written by
| Daniel Pyne | ... | (written by) |
Produced by
| Gary Barber | ... | co-executive producer |
| Dennis E. Jones | ... | co-producer |
| David Nicksay | ... | co-executive producer |
| James G. Robinson | ... | executive producer |
| Joe Roth | ... | executive producer |
| Scott Rudin | ... | producer |
| William Sackheim | ... | producer |
Music by
| Hans Zimmer | ||
Cinematography by
| Amir Mokri | ... | director of photography |
Editing by
| Steven Ramirez | ||
| Mark Warner | ||
Editorial Department
| Gordon Antell | ... | assistant film editor |
| Gary Burritt | ... | negative cutter |
| Tracey Featherston | ... | assistant editor |
| Donald Likovich | ... | first assistant editor |
| William Pine | ... | color timer (as Bill Pine) |
| Mindy Pomper Johnson | ... | post production coordinator |
Casting By
| Mali Finn | ||
Production Design by
| Neil Spisak | ||
Art Direction by
| Steve Arnold | ... | (re-shoots) |
| Gershon Ginsburg | ||
| Michael Marcus | ||
| Sharon Seymour | ||
Set Decoration by
| Clay A. Griffith | ||
| Debra Schutt | ||
Costume Design by
| Bridget Kelly | ||
| Ann Roth | ||
Makeup Department
| Kathy W. Estocin | ... | assistant makeup artist |
| Medusah | ... | key hair stylist |
| Kim Messina | ... | assistant hair stylist |
| Valli O'Reilly | ... | key makeup artist |
| Michele Payne | ... | key hair stylist |
Production Management
| Whitney Green | ... | unit production manager: San Francisco |
| Dennis E. Jones | ... | production manager |
| Jody Levin | ... | post-production supervisor |
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
| Herbert W. Gains | ... | first assistant director (as Herb Gains) |
| Gwyneth Horder-Payton | ... | second assistant director: San Francisco |
| Chitra F. Mojtabai | ... | second assistant director |
| W. Thomas Snyder | ... | key second assistant director: reshoots |
| Nathalie Vadim | ... | second assistant director |
| Dennis E. Jones | ... | second unit director (uncredited) |
Art Department
| Deana Albers | ... | assistant property master |
| Jamie Arbuckle | ... | art production assistant |
| Jill Bedford | ... | set dresser |
| Jamie Bishop | ... | on-set dresser |
| Mary Boney | ... | set dresser |
| James E. Bowen Jr. | ... | set dresser |
| Kevin Coons | ... | on-set carpenter |
| Kevin Coons | ... | on set carpenter |
| Bryan Corbett | ... | propmaker |
| Michael D. Costello | ... | scenic artist |
| David Elliott | ... | construction coordinator (as David Elliot) |
| Ron Ervin | ... | carpenter |
| Maureen Farley | ... | property master |
| Chris Gibbin | ... | lead man |
| Anne Hyvarinen | ... | scenic painter (as Ann Hyvarinen) |
| Michael Anthony Jackson | ... | storyboard artist |
| Kyle Johnstone | ... | set dresser |
| Steve Krynicki | ... | scenic artist |
| David McKlveen | ... | carpenter |
| Rudy Mercado | ... | scenic painter |
| Wayne Middleton | ... | set dresser |
| Sandy Reynolds-Wasco | ... | set dresser (as Sandy Wasco) |
| Lisa Roman | ... | art department coordinator |
| Brana Rosenfeld | ... | buyer |
| Mick Rossman | ... | lead scenic painter |
| Tristano Solari | ... | construction foreman |
| Eric Stull | ... | scenic carpenter |
| Torban Torp-Smith | ... | key carpenter: San Francisco |
| Jeffrey Townsend | ... | visual consultant |
| Greg Wilkinson | ... | set dresser |
| Helen Wilson | ... | seamstress |
| Mark Benton Johnson | ... | set dresser (uncredited) |
| Joel Ross | ... | scenic artist (uncredited) |
Sound Department
| Margaret Carlton | ... | assistant sound editor (as Margi Carlton) |
| Curtis Choy | ... | sound maintenance |
| Jay Dranch | ... | sound editor |
| Michael Dressel | ... | sound editor |
| Teresa García | ... | assistant sound editor |
| Robert Grieve | ... | supervising sound editor (as Bob Grieve) |
| J. Paul Huntsman | ... | adr supervisor (as Paul Huntsman) |
| Jonathan Klein | ... | assistant sound editor |
| Gregg Landaker | ... | re-recording mixer: Skywalker Sound South (as Gregg W. Landaker) |
| Kenneth C. Mantlo | ... | boom operator |
| James Matheny | ... | sound editor (as Jim Matheny) |
| Michael Minkler | ... | rerecording mixer: Skywalker Sound South |
| John Murray | ... | sound editor |
| Lauren Palmer | ... | sound editor |
| Rodger Pardee | ... | sound editor |
| Roy Seeger | ... | assistant sound editor |
| David Spence | ... | sound editor |
| Edward Tise | ... | sound mixer |
| Renee Tondelli | ... | sound editor |
| Jay Wilkinson | ... | sound editor |
| Dan Yale | ... | sound editor (as Daniel Yale) |
| James Ashwill | ... | foley mixer: TAJ Sound Works (uncredited) |
| Desmond Cannon | ... | assistant sound editor (uncredited) |
| Michael Dressel | ... | foley editor (uncredited) |
| Dan O'Connell | ... | foley artist: TAJ Sound Works (uncredited) |
| Greg Orloff | ... | foley mixer: TAJ Sound Works (uncredited) |
| John Roesch | ... | foley artist: TAJ Sound Works (uncredited) |
| Roy Seeger | ... | assistant adr editor (uncredited) |
Special Effects by
| Kyle Collingsworth | ... | special effects technician |
| J.D. Streett | ... | special effects supervisor |
| Kevin Swigert | ... | special effects technician |
| Pat O'Doul | ... | special effects technician (uncredited) |
Stunts
| Michael Cassidy | ... | stunts |
| Shane Dixon | ... | stunts |
| Tom Elliott | ... | stunts |
| Gary Epper | ... | stunts |
| Bobby J. Foxworth | ... | stunt coordinator |
| Tracy Keehn-Dashnaw | ... | stunts |
| Matt McColm | ... | stunts |
| Debby Porter | ... | stunts |
| Steve C. Porter | ... | precision driver |
| Chad Randall | ... | stunts |
Camera and Electrical Department
| James Babineaux | ... | best boy |
| Anthony F. Balderrama | ... | key first assistant camera |
| Robert Bruce | ... | lamp operator |
| Donald Burghardt | ... | second assistant camera: "a" camera |
| George M. Chappell | ... | electrician |
| Mark Shane Davis | ... | key grip (as Mark Davis) |
| Brian Devin | ... | company grip |
| Renato Di Giuseppe | ... | director of photography: second unit |
| Mitch Dubin | ... | camera operator |
| Jack English | ... | gaffer |
| Kevin 'Rambo' Fitzgerald | ... | key rigging grip |
| Melinda Sue Gordon | ... | still photographer |
| Irv Gorman | ... | company grip |
| Scott Graves | ... | lamp operator |
| Kurt Grossi | ... | grip |
| Tony Mazzucchi | ... | best boy |
| Peter Mercurio | ... | first assistant camera: second unit |
| Matthew Morrissey | ... | assistant camera |
| Bill Pierson | ... | dolly grip |
| Gihan 'Sandy' Seneviratne | ... | rigging electrician |
| Greg Wardell | ... | lamp operator |
| Kevin Erb | ... | best boy rigging grip (uncredited) |
Casting Department
| Barbara Harris | ... | voice casting |
| Nina Henninger | ... | local casting |
| Emily Schweber | ... | casting associate |
| Eileen Turner | ... | extras casting assistant (uncredited) |
Costume and Wardrobe Department
| Donna Barrish | ... | assistant costumer |
| Marsha Bozeman | ... | wardrobe |
| Lahly Poore | ... | costume supervisor |
| Andrea Wallace | ... | assistant costume designer |
Location Management
| Timothy Bird | ... | assistant location manager: San Francisco (as Tim Bird) |
| Christine Bonnem | ... | location manager |
| Susan Marenco | ... | location liaison: San Francisco |
| Laurie Noll | ... | location manager: San Francisco |
Music Department
| Steve Bartek | ... | additional orchestrator |
| Tom Boyd | ... | oboe soloist |
| Christine Cholvin | ... | assistant music editor |
| Sandy De Crescent | ... | orchestra contractor (as Sandy DeCrescent) |
| Bruce Fowler | ... | additional orchestrator |
| Walt Fowler | ... | musician: trumpet |
| Laura Perlman | ... | music editor |
| Jay Rifkin | ... | music recording engineer |
| Shirley Walker | ... | conductor / orchestrator |
| Alan Ett | ... | composer: stock music (uncredited) |
| Nico Golfar | ... | score wrangler (uncredited) |
| Don Great | ... | composer: stock music (uncredited) |
| William Loose | ... | composer: stock music (uncredited) |
| Louise Di Tullio | ... | musician: flute (uncredited) |
| Shirley Walker | ... | composer: additional music (uncredited) |
Script and Continuity Department
| Anne Warner | ... | script supervisor |
Transportation Department
| Jon Carpenter | ... | transportation captain |
| Alan Collis | ... | transportation coordinator |
| John Downey | ... | transportation co-captain |
| Anthony Muto Jr. | ... | picture vehicles (uncredited) |
Additional Crew
| Kat Alioshin | ... | production assistant |
| Lennie Appelquist | ... | set production assistant |
| Kathy Archer Buck | ... | assistant production accountant (as Kathleen Archer-Buck) |
| Elliot L. Backerman | ... | office production assistant (as Elliot Backerman) |
| Candee Barshop | ... | production accountant |
| Kathy Breen | ... | assistant: Mr. Nicksay |
| Craig Chandler | ... | stand-in |
| Glen Coburn | ... | office production assistant |
| Glen Coburn | ... | office production assistant |
| Brett Cole | ... | assistant: Mr. Schlesinger |
| Casey B. Collins | ... | office production assistant (as Casey Collins) |
| Christopher Connors | ... | set production assistant |
| Joset Cook | ... | assistant: Mr. Pyne |
| Gail Crosby | ... | assistant: Mr. Sackheim |
| Sue Edwards | ... | assistant: Mr. Schlesinger |
| Matt Freeman | ... | assistant: Scott Rudin |
| Maxine Garcia | ... | assistant production coordinator: San Francisco |
| Diane Hoopes | ... | stand-in |
| Brenda Johns-Scherrer | ... | assistant: Mr. Barber |
| Sheldon Katz | ... | production controller (as Sheldon M. Katz) |
| Katie Ladyko | ... | assistant: Mr. Keaton |
| Joshua Levinson | ... | production assistant / set production assistant |
| William Lybeer | ... | craft service (as Bill Lybeer) |
| David Mastron | ... | post-production accountant |
| Rob McEntegart | ... | production legal |
| Joy Moody | ... | assistant: Ms. Griffith |
| Blaise Noto | ... | unit publicist |
| Michael Parker | ... | stand-in |
| Dan Perri | ... | title designer: main titles |
| Steve C. Porter | ... | stand-in |
| Ray Simm | ... | production auditor |
| Patricia A. Sonsini | ... | production coordinator (as Patricia Sonsini) |
| Shawn Stevens | ... | crafts service/catering |
| Leon Vaught | ... | assistant production coordinator |
| Janet M. West | ... | assistant: Mr. Robinson (as Janet West) |
| Sean Michael Beyer | ... | photo-double: Michael Keaton (uncredited) |
| Melinda Eichberg | ... | animal trainer (uncredited) |
| Cleland Hoff | ... | production assistant (uncredited) |
Production Companies
Distributors
- Twentieth Century Fox (1990) (United States) (theatrical)
- Concorde Video (1990) (Germany) (VHS)
- CNR Film (1991) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
- Motion Picture Group (MPG) (1991) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
- Roadshow Films (1991) (Australia) (theatrical)
- Spentzos Films (1991) (Greece) (theatrical)
- Twentieth Century Fox Film Company (1991) (United Kingdom) (theatrical)
- Twentieth Century Fox (1991) (France) (theatrical)
- CBS / Fox Video (1991) (United Kingdom) (VHS)
- CBS/Fox (1991) (United States) (video) (laserdisc)
- Home Video Hellas (HVH) (1991) (Greece) (VHS)
- Roadshow Home Video (1991) (Australia) (VHS)
- 20th Century Fox India (1992) (India) (theatrical)
- Canal+ (1992) (France) (tv) (dubbed version)
- ETD Home Video (1993) (United States) (VHS)
- CBS (1994) (United States) (tv)
- Fox Video (1995) (United States) (VHS) (pan and scan)
- Warner Home Video (1999) (United States) (VHS) (pan and scan)
- Warner / Eurpac (2003) (Russia) (VHS)
- Warner Home Video (2003) (United States) (DVD)
- Warner Home Video (2004) (United States) (DVD) (widescreen)
- Warner Home Video (2007) (United States) (DVD) (Included in "4 Film Favorites: Thrillers")
- Warner Home Video (2008) (Germany) (DVD)
- Cielo (2016) (Italy) (tv)
- NSM Records (2022) (Germany) (Blu-ray)
- NSM Records (2022) (Germany) (DVD)
- Abril Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
- Gativideo (Argentina) (video)
- Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions (SPWA) (2019) (Non-US) (tv)
Special Effects
Other Companies
- Bugs Are My Business (bug wrangling)
- Chapman Equipment (cranes and dollies)
- Cinelease (location production services)
- Dolby Stereo (in selected theatres)
- Image Engineering (mechanical effects)
- Kona Cutting (negative cutting)
- London Records (music courtesy of: "Piano Concerto #19 in F, K. 459")
- Motion Picture Association (MPA) (acknowledgement) (certificate no. 30737)
- Nancy Hayes Casting (extras casting)
- Otto Nemenz International (camera and lenses)
- Pacific Studios II (chromatrans background)
- Shawn's Catering (catering)
- Skywalker Sound (re-recorded at)
- TAJ Soundworks (foley)
- THX Sound System Theatre (this film was re-recorded in a)
- The Casting Group (extras casting)
- Varèse Sarabande (soundtrack)
- Visual Icon (exclusive clip and still licensing)
Storyline
| Plot Summary |
San Franciscans Drake Goodman and Patty Palmer are taking their relationship to the next level not only by moving in together, but their new abode being a house they purchase. Despite it being slightly outside of their price range and only affordable to them in the right circumstances, they purchase a Victorian house in Pacific Heights. Those circumstances include making all the necessary renovations on their own, and immediately renting out the two suites on the main floor at a specific price point. While they rent out the rear one bedroom unit to the Watanabes without incident, outwardly wealthy Carter Hayes is able to manipulate his way into renting the front studio apartment, partly in promising to pay half a year's rent in advance. Drake and Patty eventually learn that Carter, whose money they do not receive, is in the "business" of causing havoc in such rental situations to ruin the owners financially, he being the tenant from hell. In Carter seemingly knowing how to manipulate the system to his benefit including the proverbial possession being nine-tenths of the law, Drake and Patty also learn from the police and Stephanie MacDonald, the property lawyer they hire to help evict Carter and who they cannot afford, that the law is on Carter's side, the process to get him out costly and time consuming. As the battle between Drake/Patty and Carter escalates, which also includes the Watanabes being caught in the crossfire, it becomes potentially deadly if either side crosses a breaking point. Written by Huggo |
| Plot Keywords | |
| Taglines | Where terror lives. See more » |
| Genres | |
| Parents Guide | View content advisory » |
| Certification |
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Additional Details
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Box Office
| Budget | $18,000,000 (estimated) |
| Opening Weekend United States | $6,912,637, 30 Sep 1990 |
| Cumulative Worldwide Gross | $44,926,706 |
Did You Know?
| Trivia | Screenwriter Daniel Pyne once rented an apartment to a tenant that he could not evict. The film was inspired from this scenario. See more » |
| Goofs | The policeman quotes an entirely non-factual law to Drake about a tenant having rights just because a tenant physically enters a building, even at the time the movie was made. No tenant has any legal right to remain on the premises of a single-family or multiple-family dwelling in any state without payment, and furthermore, because of Carter Hayes destructive acts (e.g., releasing the cockroaches and physical damage to the unit), Drake had more than enough good cause to have Carter forcibly evicted, either by the City of San Francisco police or the San Francisco County sheriff. See more » |
| Movie Connections | Edited into The Green Fog (2017). See more » |
| Soundtracks | Vivaldi: Summer - The Four Seasons See more » |
| Crazy Credits | Melanie Griffith's character Patty Palmer is credited as Patty Parker in the credits. See more » |
| Quotes |
Amy:
Patty? Patty Palmer: Yeah? Amy: Do you mind if I ask you why you're selling? I mean, you've done so much to this place. You've obviously put your heart in it. Patty Palmer: [Ironically] No, not really. It was just an investment. See more » |