A Shock to the System is a 1990 American black comedy film directed by Jan Egleson and starring Michael Caine, Swoosie Kurtz, Elizabeth McGovern, and Peter Riegert. It is based on the 1984 novel A Shock to the System by British author Simon Brett.
The film was released on March 23, 1990 and received generally positive reviews from critics.
Cast[]
- Michael Caine as Graham Marshall
- Elizabeth McGovern as Stella Henderson
- Peter Riegert as Bob Benham
- Swoosie Kurtz as Leslie Marshall
- Will Patton as Lt. Laker
- John McMartin as George Brewster
- Jenny Wright as Melanie O'Conner
- Philip Moon as Henry Park
- Barbara Baxley as Lillian
- John Finn as Motorman
- Haviland Morris as Tara Liston
- Samuel L. Jackson as Ulysses
Production[]
The film was shot in New York City between May 22 and July 28, 1989, on a $10 million budget. Scenes were shot at Wall Street Plaza and Grand Central Terminal. The sailboat scenes were filmed on Lake Montauk.
According to Corsair Pictures executive Frank Perry, the screenplay originally ended with the character of Graham Marshall being killed off but was rewritten because of Caine's performance. A satisfactory ending to the film was not written until the fifth week of filming. The director Jan Egleson ultimately shot three different endings to the film, with the final version not being selected until editing during post-production.
Video[]
Trailer[]
