Palmetto

This page contains or is about mature content. It may not be suitable for all readers.

Theatrical release poster
Palmetto
Directed by	Volker Schlondorff
Produced by	Al Corley Eugene Musso Bart Rosenblatt Matthias Wendlandt
Written by	James Hadley Chase (writer) E. Max Frye (screenplay)
Starring	Woody Harrelson Elisabeth Shue Gina Gershon Rolf Hoppe Chloe Sevigny Tom Wright Michael Rapaport
Music by	Klaus Doldinger
Editor(s)	Peter Przygodda
Studio(s)	Castle Rock Entertainment
Distributor	Columbia Pictures (theatrical) Warner Bros. (current; home video only)
Release date(s)	February 20, 1998 (U.S.) April 2, 1998 (Germany) June 26, 1998 (UK)
Running time	114 minutes
Language	English German
Gross revenue	$5,878,911

Palmetto is a 1998 neo-noir film directed by Volker Schlöndorff (as Volker Schlondorff) with a screenplay by E. Max Frye. It is based on the novel Just Another Sucker by James Hadley Chase. The film stars Woody Harrelson, Elisabeth Shue and Gina Gershon.

Plot

Harry Barber is serving time in prison after being framed in a corruption scandal.

Before his arrest, he was a reporter for a Florida newspaper that uncovered widespread corruption in the local government. After rejecting a bribe that would have ensured his silence, Harry finds the funds deposited into his bank account and he is promptly arrested. Now, two years later, he is released when an ex-cop's testimony vindicates him.

Though he is bitter against the town officials, Harry wanders back to Palmetto with his girlfriend Nina, who has been patiently waiting for him. Unable to find a job, he spends his days lounging in a local bar. In walks Rhea Malroux, the very attractive femme, wife of the richest man in town, who offers him a job: help her and her daughter Odette scam the old man out of $500,000 with a bogus kidnapping scheme, in which Harry would receive a ten percent cut.

Tempted by both Rhea's seductive charms and the prospect of some quick cash, Harry goes along with the plan. But when Odette winds up dead, and all indications point to Harry as the murderer, he finds himself in way over his head.

Cast

• Woody Harrelson as Harry Barber
• Elisabeth Shue as Mrs. Donnelly/Rhea Malroux
• Gina Gershon as Nina
• Rolf Hoppe as Felix Malroux
• Michael Rapaport as Donnely
• Jada Pinkett Smith as Annette Williams
• Chloe Sevigny as Odette
• Tom Wright as John Renick
• Marc Macaulay as Miles Meadows
• Joe Hickey as Lawyer
• Ralph Wilcox as Judge
• Peter Paul DeLeo as Bartender
• Richard Booker as Billy Holden

Reception

The film holds a 38% rating on review site Rotten Tomatoes, based on 32 reviews.

External links

• Palmetto at the Internet Movie Database
• Palmetto at AllMovie
• Palmetto at Rotten Tomatoes
• Palmetto film review at the Los Angeles Times

v - e - d

1980s Winter People • When Harry Met Sally... 1990s Lord of the Flies • Spirit of '76 • Sibling Rivalry • Misery • City Slickers • Late for Dinner • Year of the Comet • Honeymoon in Vegas • Mr. Saturday Night • A Few Good Men • Amos & Andrew • In the Line of Fire • Needful Things • Malice • Josh and S.A.M. • City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly's Gold • Little Big League • North • Barcelona • The Shawshank Redemption • Before Sunrise • For Better or Worse • Dolores Claiborne • Forget Paris • Beyond Rangoon • The Run of the Country • The American President • Othello • Dracula: Dead and Loving It • A Midwinter's Tale • City Hall • Lone Star • Striptease • Alaska • The Spitfire Grill • Extreme Measures • Ghosts of Mississippi • Hamlet • Some Mother's Son • Waiting for Guffman • subUrbia • Absolute Power • Zero Effect • Palmetto • My Giant • Sour Grapes • The Last Days of Disco • Mickey Blue Eyes • The Story of Us • The Green Mile 2000s Bait • Best in Show • Lost Souls • Proof of Life • Miss Congeniality • Hearts in Atlantis • The Majestic • Murder by Numbers • The Salton Sea • The Adventures of Pluto Nash • Two Weeks Notice • Kangaroo Jack • Dreamcatcher • A Mighty Wind • Envy • Before Sunset • The Polar Express • Kangaroo Jack: G'Day U.S.A.! • Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous • For Your Consideration • Music and Lyrics • Fracture • In the Land of Women • No Reservations • Michael Clayton • Sleuth • The Bucket List • Chaos Theory • Did You Hear About the Morgans? 2010s Flipped • Faster • Friends with Benefits • Bernie • The Magic of Belle Isle • Before Midnight • And So It Goes • The Rewrite • Being Charlie • LBJ Upcoming Daughter of the Bride • Pure • Shock and Awe

v - e - d
Lists Films by decade: 1910s-1920s (List) • 1930s (List) • 1940s (List) • 1950s (List) • 1960s (List) • 1970s (List) • 1980s (List) • 1990s (List) • 2000s (List) • 2010s (List) • 2020s (List) See also

v - e - d
DVD releases The Flight of Dragons • Heidi's Song Blu-ray releases The Flight of Dragons • Heidi's Song