The Hurricane (1999)

Director:

Norman Jewison

Writers (WGA):

Rubin 'Hurricane' Carter (book)
Sam Chaiton (book) ...

Release Date:

14 January 2000 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | Sport

Tagline:

Based on the inspirational true story of a champion.

Plot:

The story of Rubin "Hurricane" Carter, a boxer wrongly imprisoned for murder, and the people who aided in his fight to prove his innocence.

Plot Keywords:

African American | Murder | Boxing | Boxer | Book

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 6 wins & 14 nominations

Cast

Denzel Washington	...	Rubin 'Hurricane' Carter
Vicellous Reon Shannon	...	Lesra Martin
Deborah Kara Unger	...	Lisa Peters
Liev Schreiber	...	Sam Chaiton
John Hannah	...	Terry Swinton
Dan Hedaya	...	Det. Sgt. Della Pesca
Debbi Morgan	...	Mae Thelma Carter
Clancy Brown	...	Lt. Jimmy Williams
David Paymer	...	Myron Bedlock
Harris Yulin	...	Leon Friedman
Rod Steiger	...	Judge Sarokin
Badja Djola	...	Mobutu
Vincent Pastore	...	Alfred Bello
Al Waxman	...	Warden at Rahway Penitentiary
David Lansbury	...	U.S. Court Prosecutor

Also Known As:

Lazarus and the Hurricane (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for language and some violence.

Runtime:

145 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Black and White | Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Iceland:14 | Iceland:16 (video rating) | Malaysia:18PL (uncut version) | Malaysia:U (cut version) | Singapore:NC-16 | USA:R (certificate #36908) | South Korea:12 | Argentina:Atp | Australia:M | Chile:TE | Finland:K-12 | France:U | Germany:12 (w) | Hong Kong:IIB | Mexico:B | Netherlands:12 | New Zealand:M | Singapore:PG (cut) | Sweden:11 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | Philippines:PG-13

Filming Locations:

East Jersey State Prison, Avenel, New Jersey, USA

Company:

Azoff Entertainment

Trivia:

Denzel Washington trained for over a year with a boxing coach.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: After the shooting at the bar, Bello enters and steals money from the cash register. When he walks over Hazel Tanis, she moves her hands, even though she's supposed to be dead.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Announcer: Ladies and gentlemen, this fine young fighter will be right here in Pittsburg on the boxing cog, this Monday night.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The 57th Annual Golden Globe Awards (2000) (TV)

Soundtrack:

A Fool for You

Consummate story-telling at its best

The Hurricane took me by storm! It is riveting story-telling cutting deeply into our deepest emotions. Finely woven autobiography and historical profiling rolled into one. Denzel Washington plays the role of Rubin "Hurricane" Carter with such utter conviction that it is difficult to remember he is the actor, not the man, himself. I couldn't take my eyes from the screen whenever he was there. Assured direction from Norman Jewison boosts this story from the ordinary bio-pic to a masterpiece of pacing where the audience's emotions are taken on a rollercoaster ride. It's not manipulative of our emotions, as some films can be. The truth of the man's life and times and those who were drawn into his exoneration are moving alone. I found the portrayal of the Canadians much less stereotyped than other non-Canadian productions, although I found myself watching John Hannah who played the Canadian Terry. I'm accustomed to hearing his Scottish accent as I've seen his work in the UK. It's hard not to "see" him in his role in "Four Weddings and a Funeral." The only part I thought was a bit "over-the-top" was the prisoners' reaction to the release of Carter. It felt to me like deja-vu. The most original device was Rubin in isolation his personality battling as he struggles with the conflicts inside himself