Release Date | 1987-12-18 |
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Runtime | 143 minutes |
Genres | Drama |
Stars | Jack Nicholson, Meryl Streep, Carroll Baker, Michael O'Keefe, Diane Venora |
Directors | Héctor Babenco, Keith Barish, Cornelia 'Nini' Rogan, Anne Goursaud, Enno Poersch |
Albany, New York, Halloween, 1938. Francis Phelan and Helen Archer are bums, back in their birth city. She was a singer on the radio, he a major league pitcher. Death surrounds them: she's sick, a pal has cancer, he digs graves at the cemetery and visits the grave of his infant son whom he dropped; visions of his past haunt him, including ghosts of two men he killed. That night, out drinking, Helen tries to sing at a bar. Next day, Fran visits his wife and children and meets a grandson. He could stay, but decides it's not for him. Helen gets their things out of storage and finds a hotel. Amidst their mistakes and dereliction, the film explores their code of fairness and loyalty.