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Straight Time

Year:

1978

Duration:

114 min

Genres:

Crime | Drama

IMDB rate:

7.4

Director:

Ulu Grosbard

Details

Country: USA

Release Date: 1978-07-14

Filming Locations: 7th Street, Downtown, Los Angeles, California, USA

Earnings

Gross: $9,900,000 (USA) Related Links

Cast

Actor

Character

Peter Kwong

Dustin Hoffman

Max Dembo

Theresa Russell

Jenny Mercer

Gary Busey

Willy Darin

Harry Dean Stanton

Jerry Schue

M. Emmet Walsh

Earl Frank

Rita Taggart

Carol Schue

Kathy Bates

Selma Darin

Sandy Baron

Manny

Jake Busey

Henry Darin (as Jacob Busey)

Tina Menard

Hotel Manager

Stephanie Ericson-Baron

Bar Patron

Dave Kelly

Counterman

Don Sommese

Waiter

Kit Jee Wong

Grocer

Jane Howard

Employment Clerk (as Betty Jane Howarth)

Ronald L. Mellinger

Jail Guard

Michael Blakley

Beach Boy #1

John Colton

Beach Boy #2

Edward Bunker

Mickey

Corey Rand

Carlos

John Gilgreen

Bank Guard

Mary Craven

Bank Teller

Peter Jurasik

Bank Teller

Enid Hendershot

Girl at Bank

James Ray

Jewelry Store Manager

Stuart I. Berton

Salesman #1

Barry Cahill

Salesman #2

Susan Sherman

Saleslady

Francesca Drown

Saleslady

Emily Le Rue

Girl

Ernest Taylor III

Job Applicant

Fran Ryan

Cafe Owner

Bob Jarvis

Police Officer

Mark F. Hill

Paramedic (uncredited)

Mags Kavanaugh

Cocktail Waitress (uncredited)

Mary Margaret Robinson

Hostage (uncredited)

Deborah Romare

Girl at Bank (uncredited)

Did you know?

Trivia

According to the DVD sleeve notes, "Before and during the film's shoot, [Dustin] Hoffman apprenticed himself to Edward Bunker, the ex-con whose book 'No Beast So Fierce' inspired the movie".

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The meaning of the film's "Straight Time" title refers to the post-prison activities of an ex-convict who is not performing anymore criminal acts, as with the similar expression "Going Straight", it being the title also of a number of other film & TV titles.

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Uncredited, Michael Mann worked on adapting the film's source novel "No Beast So Fierce" by Edward Bunker for the movie's script . The book later acted as a point of reference for Mann for the Neil McCauley character (played by Robert De Niro) when Mann later made the movie Heat (1995).

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Goofs

The first time Dembo meets his PO he is offered a cup of coffee in a very distinct mug... A few scenes later he is at the work temp agency and the boss of the office has the SAME mug on her desk.

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In the final diner scene, Jenny is smoking a cigarette and hands the cigarette to Max. In the next shot, the cigarette is back in Jenny's hand.

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When Max is incarcerated Jenny visits him and holds up her phone number against the glass. On returning to his cell Max tears off part of a cigarette wrapper and writes it down as 6561656. When he is later on the run he unfolds the piece of paper and looks at the number. It now has 2 digits transposed and is hyphenated: 656-6156.

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Quotes

Jerry Schue: [Max, Jerry and Carol are enjoying a backyard barbecue. Carol leaves to grab some drinks] Get me outta here. They're killing me. I can't make this scene anymore, get me outta here... You got something, I know you got something...

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Max Dembo: You know what I'd like to do... Why don't you run me by that hotel we'll check it out.

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