Directed by:
Tim BoxellScreenplay:
Miles MurphyCinematography:
Hiro NaritaCast:
Pete Postlethwaite, Gabriel Mann, Emily Harrison, Diana Scarwid, Bruce McGill, Tom Bower, Garrett Warren, Ron Roggé, Bob Sáenz, James Carraway, Peggy Sandow (more)Plots(1)
A young reporter is forced to take an active role in a story he's covering in this drama inspired by a true story. Jack Daumier (Gabriel Mann) is a journalist who has just been hired to write for The Valley Standard, a newspaper in San Jose, California, published by Albion Munson (Pete Postlethwaite). While much of the country is mired in the Great Depression, San Jose's agricultural industry is prospering, and Jack mostly finds himself covering fluffy, inconsequential stories. He thinks he's following another one when he's asked to attend a party thrown by Horace and Natalie Walsh (Bruce McGill and Diana Scarwid) in honor of their son, Blake Walsh (Joe Mandragona), who has been named second-in-command at Horace's successful department store. Jack thinks meeting Blake's beautiful sister, Helen (Emily Harrison), is the high point of the evening until Blake disappears after stepping out for a moment. Horace is later contacted by kidnappers, who are holding Blake for ransom. As local and federal authorities squabble over how to handle the case and rival reporters from around the state invade San Jose to cover the kidnapping, two men are arrested and charged with the crime. A handful of powerful local businessmen are determined to see that "justice is served" and are ready to take the law into their own hands, but Jack speaks to a witness who makes a compelling case for the innocence of the accused men, and decides he has to intervene to insure their safety. VALLEY OF THE HEART'S DELIGHT was based in part on the 1933 abduction of Brooke L. Hart, though the story has been fictionalized for this adaptation. (official distributor synopsis)
(more)Cast
Pete Postlethwaite
UK
Best movies:
Inception (2010)
The Usual Suspects (1995)
In the Name of the Father (1993)
Gabriel Mann
USA
Best movies:
The Bourne Supremacy (2004)
The Bourne Identity (2002)
The Life of David Gale (2003)
Emily Harrison
USA
Best movies:
Curse of the Puppet Master (1998)
Take (2007)
Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star (2003)
Diana Scarwid
USA
Best movies:
After the Promise (1987) (TV movie)
The Cure (1995)
Guyana Tragedy: The Story of Jim Jones (1980) (TV movie)
Bruce McGill
USA
Best movies:
The Last Boy Scout (1991)
Cinderella Man (2005)
A Perfect World (1993)
Tom Bower
USA
Best movies:
Die Hard 2 (1990)
North Country (2005)
The Negotiator (1998)
Garrett Warren
Best movies:
Spider-Man 2 (2004)
The Rundown (2003)
The Losers (2010)
Ron Roggé
USA
Best movies:
Stranger Things (2016) (series)
The Perfect Game (2009)
Cellular (2004)
Bob Sáenz
Best movies:
Black August (2007)
Helicopter Mom (2014)
The Darwin Awards (2006)
James Carraway
Best movies:
Zodiac (2007)
Rent (2005)
The Assassination of Richard Nixon (2004)
Peggy Sandow
Best movies:
My Name is Khan (2010)
Blue Jasmine (2013)
Black August (2007)
Corey Fischer
USA
Best movies:
McCabe & Mrs. Miller (1971)
M*A*S*H (1970)
Brewster McCloud (1970)
Ralph Peduto
USA
Best movies:
The Rock (1996)
Mrs. Doubtfire (1993)
True Believer (1989)
Eric Toms
USA
Best movies:
Growing Out (2009)
Ian Scott McGregor
USA
Best movies:
The Brass Teapot (2012)
The Zodiac (2005)
Carl Bressler
USA
Best movies:
The Usual Suspects (1995)
Arthur 2: On the Rocks (1988)
The Californians (2005)