Search - The House on Carroll Street on DVD

MPAA Rating: PG Content Advisory: Violence, Nudity, Adult Situations, Not For Children, Adult Language Movie Release: 1988 DVD Release: 06/03/2003 Format: DVD Audio Tracks: English, Spanish Subtitles: English, French, Spanish SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 1 hrs 41 mins Studio: MGM Members Wishing: 1 Genres: Thriller, Romance, Political Thriller, Romantic Mystery

Yes, there are commies under the bed. But are there Nazis there too? Emily Crane (Kelly McGillis) is a modestly successful Life photo editor living in 1950s New York, until she is called before the Senate Un-American Activities Committee to testify about her "communist" associations. When she refuses to divulge the names of friends in her civil liberties group, she loses her employment and her friends. In desperation, she takes a job reading books for Miss Venable, a somewhat crotchety lady (Jessica Tandy) who lives in a quiet residential neighborhood. Then, while taking a break in Miss Venable's back yard, Emily overhears something from the house behind that compels her to investigate and leads her eventually to conclude that it is the headquarters of a group smuggling in ex-Nazi scientists for some mysterious purpose. Meanwhile, she is being harassed by two FBI men, on behalf of the Senate Committee, as well as by a sinister, McCarthyite, Senate investigator named Salwen (Mandy Patinkin). One of the FBI men, Cochran (Jeff Daniels), takes a liking to Emily and humors her by agreeing to investigate her suspicions. This quiet mystery is a nostalgia piece. It's '50s backgrounds are authentic and the plot device -- an innocent becoming entangled in an unbelievable conspiracy -- is closer to one of Hitchcock's masterpieces of that period (e.g., North by Northwest) than to Reservoir Dogs or Speed. The people seem to be from a simpler time, too, when the distinction between good and evil was clearer. Emily shines with idealistic integrity and the naive Cochran is so honest that he finds it impossible to deceive the target of his investigation. There is even a terrifying, "acrophobe's nightmare" scene played out in a dome high above Grand Central Station. For those tired of endless shoot-em-ups and car chases, this is the mystery to choose. ~ Michael P. Rogers, All Movie Guide

Kelly McGillis - Emily Crane
Jeff Daniels - Cochran
Mandy Patinkin - Ray Salwen
Christopher Rhode - Stefan
Jessica Tandy - Miss Venable

Originally released by Orion Pictures, Peter Yates' The House on Carroll Street (1988) comes to DVD by way of MGM/UA in a handsome if somewhat stripped-down edition, devoid of any special features or extras other than its original trailer (which makes it seem much more overheated a thriller, in terms of pacing, than it actually is), an alternate Spanish-language track, and English, French, and Spanish subtitles. The movie, letterboxed to an aspect ratio of 1.66:1, has been well transferred and looks a lot better in this format than it did on the short-lived Image Entertainment laserdisc during the early '90s. The picture has a good deal of detail even in the medium close-ups, although some of the shots (such as those of Kelly McGillis' boss at Life magazine) seem to have a built-in yellow filminess that makes them slightly opaque. Most of the rest of the movie, however, looks fine and sounds better, with the volume mastered at a decently high level. New York-based viewers and those with a love of the city may have to own this disc just for the exterior shots of Greenwich Village in what is dressed up as the early '50s. The 101-minute movie has been given 20 chapter markers, which break it down well enough, though as part of MGM's mid-priced series, there is no insert. ~ Bruce Eder, All Movie Guide