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Hide in Plain Sight

  • 19801980
  • PGPG
  • 1h 32m
IMDb RATING
6.3/10
792
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Hide in Plain Sight (1980)
  • Drama
This was based on a true story. About a man (Caan) who discovers that his ex-wife has disappeared along with their children. It seems that her new boyfriend works for some criminals. After b... Read allThis was based on a true story. About a man (Caan) who discovers that his ex-wife has disappeared along with their children. It seems that her new boyfriend works for some criminals. After being arrested, the government offers to let him enter the newly developed Witness Protecti... Read allThis was based on a true story. About a man (Caan) who discovers that his ex-wife has disappeared along with their children. It seems that her new boyfriend works for some criminals. After being arrested, the government offers to let him enter the newly developed Witness Protection Program in exchange for testifying against his employers. His bosses instruct him to ma... Read all
IMDb RATING
6.3/10
792
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • James Caan
  • Writers
    • Leslie Waller(book)
    • Spencer Eastman(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • James Caan
    • Jill Eikenberry
    • Robert Viharo
Top credits
  • Director
    • James Caan
  • Writers
    • Leslie Waller(book)
    • Spencer Eastman(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • James Caan
    • Jill Eikenberry
    • Robert Viharo
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 19User reviews
    • 11Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Videos1

    Sneak Previews Season 2 Episode 22
    Video 29:04
    Sneak Previews Season 2 Episode 22

    Photos17

    James Caan and Andy Fenwick in Hide in Plain Sight (1980)
    Barbra Rae in Hide in Plain Sight (1980)
    James Caan and Barbra Rae in Hide in Plain Sight (1980)
    James Caan and Joe Grifasi in Hide in Plain Sight (1980)
    Kenneth McMillan in Hide in Plain Sight (1980)
    Danny Aiello, James Caan, and Jill Eikenberry in Hide in Plain Sight (1980)
    Leonardo Cimino, Nick Corello, Chuck Hicks, Thomas Hill, Barbra Rae, and Robert Viharo in Hide in Plain Sight (1980)
    James Caan, James De Closs, and Joe Grifasi in Hide in Plain Sight (1980)
    James Caan and Kenneth McMillan in Hide in Plain Sight (1980)
    James Caan and Jill Eikenberry in Hide in Plain Sight (1980)
    Joe Grifasi and Kenneth McMillan in Hide in Plain Sight (1980)
    James Caan and Beatrice Winde in Hide in Plain Sight (1980)

    Top cast

    Edit
    James Caan
    James Caan
    • Thomas Hacklin, Jr.as Thomas Hacklin, Jr.
    Jill Eikenberry
    Jill Eikenberry
    • Alisa Hacklinas Alisa Hacklin
    Robert Viharo
    Robert Viharo
    • Jack Scoleseas Jack Scolese
    Joe Grifasi
    Joe Grifasi
    • Matty Stanekas Matty Stanek
    Barbra Rae
    Barbra Rae
    • Ruthie Hacklinas Ruthie Hacklin
    Kenneth McMillan
    Kenneth McMillan
    • Sam Marzettaas Sam Marzetta
    Josef Sommer
    Josef Sommer
    • Jason R. Reidas Jason R. Reid
    Danny Aiello
    Danny Aiello
    • Sal Carvelloas Sal Carvello
    Thomas Hill
    Thomas Hill
    • Bobby Momisaas Bobby Momisa
    Chuck Hicks
    Chuck Hicks
    • Frankie Irishas Frankie Irish
    Andy Fenwick
    Andy Fenwick
    • Andy Hacklinas Andy Hacklin
    • (as Andrew Gordon Fenwick)
    Heather Bicknell
    • Junie Hacklinas Junie Hacklin
    David Clennon
    David Clennon
    • Richard Fieldstonas Richard Fieldston
    Peter Maloney
    Peter Maloney
    • Lee McHughas Lee McHugh
    Ken Sylk
    • Frantuzzias Frantuzzi
    David Margulies
    David Margulies
    • Detective Reillyas Detective Reilly
    Jude Farese
    • Carmineas Carmine
    Leonardo Cimino
    Leonardo Cimino
    • Don Angelo Venuccias Don Angelo Venucci
    • Director
      • James Caan
    • Writers
      • Leslie Waller(book)
      • Spencer Eastman(screenplay)
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit
    This was based on a true story. About a man (Caan) who discovers that his ex-wife has disappeared along with their children. It seems that her new boyfriend works for some criminals. After being arrested, the government offers to let him enter the newly developed Witness Protection Program in exchange for testifying against his employers. His bosses instruct him to marry his girlfriend so that she can't testify against him, they promise that they will take care of her. When he learns that his cohorts have done nothing to aid his family while in jail, he accepts the government's offer. So, he and his wife and her children enter the program. Now her ex-husband goes to a lawyer because he wants to sue the government for keeping him away from his children. —<rcs0411@yahoo.com>
    • witness protection
    • mobster
    • custody
    • bank robbery
    • witness protection program
    • 12 more
    • Plot summary
    • Add synopsis
    • Taglines
      • In June 1967, the U.S. Department of Justice abducted this man's children. If the same thing happened to your kids, how would you get them back?
    • Genre
      • Drama
    • Certificate
      • PG
    • Parents guide
      • Add content advisory

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      (At around fifteen minutes) The newscast Tommy (James Caan) sees in the bar, is Buffalo legend Irv Weinstein. Weinstein was the anchorman for WKBW Eyewitness News (Channel 7) for thirty-four years from 1964 to 1998.
    • Connections
      Featured in Sneak Previews: Little Darlings, Simon, Little Miss Marker, The Black Stallion, Hide in Plain Sight (1980)

    User reviews19

    Review
    Top review
    A Thought-Provoking Gem
    Compelling all the way through and based on a true story. Tom (Caan) wants his kids back after the Feds have taken them as part of a witness relocation program. Seems his ex-wife Ruthie (Rae) has hooked up with a minor gangster Jack (Viharo) who's testified against gang bosses. As part of his deal with the Feds, Jack's married Ruthie and they and her two kids by Tom are secretly spirited away to a new life. Trouble is no one, least of all the Feds, bothered telling Tom whose paternal interests have been totally ignored. A working stiff, Tom tries respectfully to work through the government bureaucracy to establish some kind of paternal rights for access to his kids. Nonetheless, his access could lead the gang to stoolie Jack's whereabouts, resulting in a central conflict of interests.

    Clearly, there's a subtext to the storyline. Set in 1967, the narrative generally shows how uncaring Feds are about an average working guy's rights. Much of the proceedings are taken up with Tom being brushed off by ascending levels of government even up to his congressman. For Tom, it's ironic that the establishment he supports as an anti-hippie blue-collar conservative would treat him so cavalierly. In a sense, the movie suggests reasons for working class guys to despise government as much as do the anti-war hippies of the time. In effect, the governing agencies come across as basically uncaring about the broader consequences of their acts, seemingly either in Vietnam or Buffalo, NY. That's why Tom angrily identifies himself to a Fed as "Nobody" at movie's end. He's had an odd learning experience, but a learning experience it is. Perhaps I exaggerate some, but the subtextual core is definitely present in this adaptation of a real life event.

    Anyway, Caan delivers an ace performance as Tom. Note how his lines are delivered in rather groping and not very articulate fashion, befitting a guy more skilled with his hands than his tongue. Thus, Caan manages a convincing role without special pleading. The rest of the rather large cast also performs ably, especially rotund McMillan as a street-wise cop and Viharo as the callous stoolie. But, as much as I wanted to hug her, I'm afraid Eikenberry is a shade too sweet and understanding as Tom's new girl friend.

    On the whole, the movie comes across as very skillfully done, with a thought provoking storyline, and results that are generally underrated. So don't pass it up.
    helpful•1
    0
    • dougdoepke
    • Jul 15, 2017

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • March 21, 1980 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Die Machtprobe
    • Filming locations
      • Buffalo, New York, USA
    • Production company
      • Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $3,806,930
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $810,109
      • Mar 23, 1980
    • Gross worldwide
      • $3,806,930
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 32 minutes
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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