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City Hall

  • 1996
  • R
  • 1h 51m
IMDb RATING
6.2/10
25K
YOUR RATING
John Cusack, Al Pacino, and Bridget Fonda in City Hall (1996)
Trailer
Play trailer0:31
1 Video
40 Photos
Political ThrillerCrimeDramaMysteryThriller

The accidental shooting of a boy in New York leads to an investigation by the Deputy Mayor, and unexpectedly far-reaching consequences.The accidental shooting of a boy in New York leads to an investigation by the Deputy Mayor, and unexpectedly far-reaching consequences.The accidental shooting of a boy in New York leads to an investigation by the Deputy Mayor, and unexpectedly far-reaching consequences.

  • Director
    • Harold Becker
  • Writers
    • Ken Lipper
    • Paul Schrader
    • Nicholas Pileggi
  • Stars
    • Al Pacino
    • John Cusack
    • Bridget Fonda
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • IMDb RATING
    6.2/10
    25K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Harold Becker
    • Writers
      • Ken Lipper
      • Paul Schrader
      • Nicholas Pileggi
    • Stars
      • Al Pacino
      • John Cusack
      • Bridget Fonda
    • 90User reviews
    • 25Critic reviews
    • 62Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 nomination total

    Videos1

    City Hall
    Trailer 0:31
    City Hall

    Photos40

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    Top Cast89

    Al Pacino
    Al Pacino
    • Mayor John Pappas
    John Cusack
    John Cusack
    • Kevin Calhoun
    Bridget Fonda
    Bridget Fonda
    • Marybeth Cogan
    Danny Aiello
    Danny Aiello
    • Frank Anselmo
    Martin Landau
    Martin Landau
    • Judge Walter Stern
    David Paymer
    David Paymer
    • Abe Goodman
    Anthony Franciosa
    Anthony Franciosa
    • Paul Zapatti
    • (as Tony Franciosa)
    Richard Schiff
    Richard Schiff
    • Larry Schwartz
    Lindsay Duncan
    Lindsay Duncan
    • Sydney Pappas
    Nestor Serrano
    Nestor Serrano
    • Det. Eddie Santos
    Mel Winkler
    • Det. Holly
    Luna Lauren Velez
    Luna Lauren Velez
    • Elaine Santos
    • (as Lauren Vélez)
    Chloe Morris
    • Maria Santos
    Ian Quinlan
    Ian Quinlan
    • Randy Santos
    Roberta Peters
    Roberta Peters
    • Nettie Anselmo
    Angel David
    Angel David
    • Vinnie Zapatti
    Larry Romano
    Larry Romano
    • Tino Zapatti
    Rob LaBelle
    Rob LaBelle
    • James Wakeley
    • Director
      • Harold Becker
    • Writers
      • Ken Lipper
      • Paul Schrader
      • Nicholas Pileggi
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews90

    6.224.5K
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    Summary

    Reviewers say 'City Hall' Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Curabitur pretium tincidunt lacus.

    Nulla facilisi etiam dignissim diam quis enim lobortis scelerisque
    Lorem ipsum dolorSit amet consecteturAdipiscing elitSed do eiusmodTempor incididuntUt labore et doloreMagna aliquaUt enim ad minimVeniam quisNostrud exercitation
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    Related interests

    Dustin Hoffman and Robert Redford in All the President's Men (1976)
    Political Thriller
    James Gandolfini, Edie Falco, Sharon Angela, Max Casella, Dan Grimaldi, Joe Perrino, Donna Pescow, Jamie Lynn Sigler, Tony Sirico, and Michael Drayer in The Sopranos (1999)
    Crime
    Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)
    Drama
    Jack Nicholson, Faye Dunaway, and Kelvin Harrison Jr. in Chinatown (1974)
    Mystery
    Cho Yeo-jeong in Parasite (2019)
    Thriller

    Storyline

    Did you know

    • Trivia
      Marlon Brando was considered for the role of Mayor John Pappas. Brando made numerous bizarre suggestions for his character including for him to be an active member of a bongo club and to have a pet parrot who would always accompany him. When Paul Schrader pointed out to Brando that his suggestions were causing the story to stray away from being about New York politics, Brando replied "No one gives a damn about New York politics, we have a guy with a bongo club and a parrot, let's get rid of the politics!"
    • Goofs
      When Kevin and Marybeth are returning from Buffalo, they get off of a New Jersey Transit train.
    • Quotes
      • Mayor John Pappas: I was warned not to come here. I was warned. They warned me, "Don't stand behind that coffin." But why should I heed such a warning, when a heartbeat is silent and a child lies dead? "Don't stand behind" this coffin. That boy was as pure and as innocent as the driven snow. But I must stand here, because I have not given you what you should have. Until we can walk abroad and recreate ourselves; until we can stroll along the streets like boulevards; congregate in parks free from fear, our families mingling, our children laughing, our hearts joined - until that day we have no city. You can label me a failure until that day. The first and perhaps only great mayor was Greek. He was Pericles of Athens, and he lived some 2500 years ago, and he said, "All things good on this Earth flow into the City, because of the City's greatness." Well, we were great once. Can we not be great again? Now, I put that question to James Bone, and there's only silence. Yet could not something pass from this sweet youth to me? Could he not empower me to find in myself the strength to have the knowledge to summon up the courage to accomplish this seemingly insurmountable task of making a city livable? Just livable. There was a palace that was a city. It was a PALACE! It was a PALACE and it CAN BE A PALACE AGAIN! A PALACE, in which there is no king or queen, or dukes or earls or princes, but subjects all: subjects beholden to each other, to make a better place to live. Is that too much to ask?
      • Audience: No!
      • Mayor John Pappas: Are we asking too much for this?
      • Audience: No!
      • Mayor John Pappas: Is it beyond our reach?
      • Some Audience Members: No!
      • Mayor John Pappas: Because if it is, then we are nothing but sheep being herded to the final SLAUGHTERHOUSE! I will not go down, THAT WAY!
      • [the audience begins shouting approval]
      • Mayor John Pappas: I choose to FIGHT BACK! I choose to RISE, not fall! I choose to LIVE, not die! And I know, I know that what's within me is also WITHIN YOU.
      • Audience Member: Amen!
      • Mayor John Pappas: That's why I ask you now to join me. Join me, RISE UP with me, RISE UP on the wings of this slain angel.
      • [Audience members begin shouting "Yes" at every pause]
      • Mayor John Pappas: We'll rebuild on the soul of this little warrior. We will pick up his standard and RAISE it high! Carry it forward until THIS CITY - YOUR CITY - OUR CITY - HIS CITY - IS A PALACE OF GOD! IS A PALACE OF GOD! I am with you, little James. I am you.
    • Connections
      Featured in At the Movies with Ebert & Roeper: Broken Arrow/Black Sheep/Beautiful Girls/A Midwinter's Tale/Antonia's Line (1996)
    • Soundtracks
      A Wonderful Guy
      Music by Richard Rodgers
      Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II

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    Details

    • Release date
      • February 16, 1996 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • City Hall: La sombra de la corrupción
    • Filming locations
      • Teaneck, New Jersey, USA(city hall interiors)
    • Production company
      • Castle Rock Entertainment
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    • Budget
      • $40,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $20,340,204
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $6,950,794
      • Feb 18, 1996
    • Gross worldwide
      • $20,340,204
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    • Runtime
      • 1h 51m(111 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • SDDS
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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