IMDb RATING
6.6/10
1.6K
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Daniel Isaacson attempts to determine the true complicity of his parents Paul and Rochelle Isaacson, who were executed for espionage in the 1950s.Daniel Isaacson attempts to determine the true complicity of his parents Paul and Rochelle Isaacson, who were executed for espionage in the 1950s.Daniel Isaacson attempts to determine the true complicity of his parents Paul and Rochelle Isaacson, who were executed for espionage in the 1950s.
Ilan Mitchell-Smith
- Young Daniel
- (as Ilan M. Mitchell-Smith)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaDespite its commercial failure, this was one of Sidney Lumet's favorite films of his own.
- Quotes
Paul Isaacson: If they didn't arrest people, they'd have nothing to do.
- Alternate versionsNBC edited 33 minutes from this film for its 1987 network television premiere.
- ConnectionsFeatured in By Sidney Lumet (2015)
Featured review
I, Daniel Isaacson
After his worried sister suffers a nervous breakdown, a graduate student tries to investigate whether his parents were really guilty of being Soviet spies in this solemn drama from Sidney Lumet. The film is loosely based on an actual married couple who were executed in the 1950s with their young children forced to grow up without them. The film shares some striking similarities with Lumet's latter 'Running on Empty' as it spins a tale of two youths trying to live their own lives separate from their parents' political actions. Not nearly as well-known or acclaimed, 'Daniel' is beset by an unhelpful, overly complex narrative structure that jumps randomly between time periods. Some of the supporting performances are also overwrought. The film does well though depicting Daniel and his sister's difficulties as children removed from their parents. The harsh times they experience in a state run institution are especially potent and the bond between the pair is heartfelt. Timothy Hutton is also perfectly cast in a passionate performance as the adult title character and his on/off narration of how the electric chair works is effectively eerie. Speaking of which, the eventual execution scenes are handled very well. On one hand, 'Daniel' is a bit of a mess with its time period leaps and inconsistent performances, but its portrait of a young man haunted by his parents' fate truly resonates.
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- sol-
- Nov 25, 2017
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Details
- Release date
- Countries of origin
- Languages
- Also known as
- Дэниел
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Gross US & Canada
- $687,475
- Gross worldwide
- $687,475
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