Chattahoochee (film)

Chattahoochee is a 1989 American drama film directed by Mick Jackson and starring Gary Oldman and Dennis Hopper. The film is based on the real-life experiences of Chris Calhoun in a Florida state mental institution. Calhoun later met James Hicks who wrote the script. It was turned down by several major studios before being accepted by Hemdale Film Corporation, a small British-owned, Los Angeles–based company that also produced Platoon, Hoosiers, The Last Emperor, and Salvador.

Plot
Emmett Foley is an American hero of the Korean War who attempts to commit suicide, first by provoking local police and then by shooting himself in the chest. After his recovery, he is sent to the Florida State Hospital, an institution in Chattahoochee, Florida, where he fights against doctors and staff who are terrorizing and torturing their patients. His efforts eventually led to sweeping reforms in the Florida mental health system.

Cast

 * Gary Oldman as Emmett Foley
 * Dennis Hopper as Walker Benson
 * Frances McDormand as Mae Foley
 * Pamela Reed as Earlene
 * Ned Beatty as Dr. Harwood
 * M. Emmet Walsh as Morris
 * Lee Wilkof as Vernon
 * Matt Craven as Lonny
 * Richard Portnow as Dr. Debner
 * Wilbur Fitzgerald as Duane
 * William Newman as Jonathan

Basis
The main character, Emmitt Foley, is a fictional character based on Chris Calhoun. Chattahoochee appeared in theaters nationwide May 11, 1990. Another famous person institutionalized at Chattahoochee was Ruby McCollum, the African-American woman who shot state senator-elect, Dr. C. Leroy Adams in 1952. Her case brought many of these same practices to light.

Reception
Chattahoochee appeared in theaters nationwide May 11, 1990. (Theatrical Release Date: April 20, 1990) The film holds an 11% rating at Rotten Tomatoes based on nine reviews, with an average score of 4.6 out of 10. Oldman compared the responses to Chattahoochee and his 1986 film Sid and Nancy, feeling the former was underappreciated and the latter overrated. He described Chattahoochee as "really good" work.