Murder at 1600
Encyclopedia
Murder at 1600 is a 1997 thriller film
starring Wesley Snipes
, Diane Lane
, Dennis Miller
, Ronny Cox
, Daniel Benzali
, and Alan Alda
. The 1600 in the title refers to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
, the address of the White House
. The film is based on the novel Murder in the White House by Margaret Truman
, daughter of U.S. President Harry S. Truman
.
in Washington, D.C.
, a janitor finds White House secretary Carla Town (Mary Moore) dead. Metropolitan Police
homicide
Detective
Harlan Regis (Wesley Snipes
), whose apartment house is awaiting demolition in favor of a parking lot, is put on the case. At the White House, Regis is introduced to Secret Service
chief Nick Spikings (Daniel Benzali
), national security adviser Alvin Jordan (Alan Alda
) and Secret Service agent Nina Chance (Diane Lane
). Spikings assigns Nina, a former Olympic gold-class
sharpshooter, to keep an eye on Regis.
Parallel to this, the White House has to deal with an impending international crisis: U.S. President Jack Neil (Ronny Cox
) has been trying to deal with a situation where American
s are being held hostage in North Korea
, and some people - including several members of his inner council and Vice President
Gordon Dylan - think Jack is not handling it the right way. Some people think Jack should send troops to North Korea to rescue the hostages.
Regis and Nina discover that Carla had an appointment in New York City
and a flight from New York to the Virgin Islands
, with no intention of returning to the USA. Coroner
Jimmy Foley (Richard Blackburn
) then tells Regis and Nina that whoever had sex
with Carla on the night of the murder used a condom
, meaning that no DNA
was left. White House janitor
Cory Allen Luchessi (Tony Nappo
) was apparently unaccounted for on the night of the murder and had once attempted to make a pass at Carla; he is arrested and questioned, but his testimony and a clearly set-up piece of evidence lead Regis to suspect that the Secret Service may be involved. That night, Regis finds his apartment burglarized; the culprit escapes, and in a subsequent search, a hidden bug is found.
In a picture of Carla, Regis sees Secret Service agent Burton Cash (Nigel Bennett
), who is in charge of Kyle Neil (Tate Donovan
), the son of Jack Neil and First Lady
Kitty Neil (Diane Baker
). Regis figures out that it was Kyle who had sex with Carla on the night of the murder. At the dance club, Regis talks to a young woman who says that Kyle once bragged that he shared Carla with his father. Carla's uncle's company, Brookline Associates, is Jack's leading East Coast
fundraiser and Brookline also owns the apartment Carla lived in.
Regis eventually discovers that Nina once used to be Kyle's bodyguard herself. When he confronts her, Nina explains that one night, she heard noises coming from Kyle's apartment, went in, and found Kyle beating up his girlfriend. Nina asked to be reassigned and was replaced by Burton Cash, and the Secret Service covered up the beating for Kyle so he wouldn't get arrested for assault & battery. This sparks Regis' suspicion that Kyle may actually be Carla's murderer.
On the next day, Nina decides to forgo her duty and sneaks into the archive storage where she appropriates several pieces of evidence from Town's leftover possessions. Spikings finds out about this and sends Agent Cooper (Tom Wright
) to look for Nina, who successfully avoids Cooper. She meets Regis and tells him that Carla, according to a note in an appointment book, had an appointment in New York with Craig Nisker & Associates, who have sold 5 of the top 10 scandal memoirs of all time, and they know that the appointment would be a good motive for Kyle to kill Carla. They also discover that the President and his wife were in the White House at the time of the murder, not at Camp David
, like they said they were. Since Jack had also slept with Carla, he would have the same motive Kyle would have for preventing a public scandal.
Regis confronts Kyle with his suspicions, who claims that he did not murder Carla, but is able to provide a special piece of information: among the bookings she made, Carla has supposedly also ordered a car - with the only hitch being that she had had no driving license. Later on, Regis and Nina discover that the most recent entries in Carla's appointment book were forged. With some clues left by Alvin Jordan, Regis manages to find out that Spikings has withheld several surveillance video tapes from the night of the murder. Regis goes to Spikings's residence to question him, and Spikings is willing to show him the tape but is instantly killed by a sniper
.
Regis and Nina eventually discover that Alvin Jordan is behind everything, but things get the more difficult for them as Jordan has now framed Regis and Nina as traitors. Jordan wants Jack to resign so Dylan (Chris Gillett) can take over as President, because Dylan would not be afraid to send troops to North Korea to rescue the hostages, and Jordan believes that Jack's refusal to rescue the hostages by force makes Jack unfit to be President
.
Regis, Nina, and Regis's partner and friend Stengel (Dennis Miller
) enter the White House tunnels while Jordan still tries to make sure Dylan can take over as President. In the tunnels, the sniper who killed Spikings for Jordan pursues them and wounds Stengel, but Nina manages to kill him. Pursued by the Secret Service, Regis just barely manages to get in contact with the President and present him with the evidence of Jordan's conspiracy. Jordan attempts to shoot the President, only for his shot to be intercepted by Nina, and is killed by the Secret Service.
Nina and Stengel are brought to a hospital, where they recover from their injuries. In gratitude for his rescue, the President promises Regis to look into the commission who bought Regis's building.
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
starring Wesley Snipes
Wesley Snipes
Wesley Trent Snipes is an American actor, film producer, and martial artist, who has starred in numerous action films, thrillers, and dramatic feature films. Snipes is known for playing the Marvel Comics character Blade in the Blade film trilogy, among various other high profile roles...
, Diane Lane
Diane Lane
Diane Lane is an American film actress.Born and raised in New York City, Lane made her screen debut at the age of 13 in George Roy Hill's 1979 film A Little Romance, starring opposite Sir Laurence Olivier. Soon after, she was featured on the cover of Time magazine...
, Dennis Miller
Dennis Miller
Dennis Miller is an American stand-up comedian, political commentator, actor, sports commentator, and television and radio personality. He is known for his critical assessments laced with pop culture references...
, Ronny Cox
Ronny Cox
Daniel Ronald "Ronny" Cox is an American character actor, singer-songwriter and guitarist.-Personal life:Cox, the third of five children, was born in Cloudcroft, New Mexico, the son of Lounette and Bob P. Cox, a carpenter who also worked at a dairy. He grew up in Portales, New Mexico...
, Daniel Benzali
Daniel Benzali
Daniel Benzali is a Brazilian-American stage, television and film actor.-Biography:Benzali was born in Rio de Janeiro to Brazilian Jewish parents...
, and Alan Alda
Alan Alda
Alphonso Joseph D'Abruzzo , better known as Alan Alda, is an American actor, director, screenwriter, and author. A six-time Emmy Award and Golden Globe Award winner, he is best known for his role as Hawkeye Pierce in the TV series M*A*S*H...
. The 1600 in the title refers to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue may refer to:* The White House, the United States presidential residence at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, D.C....
, the address of the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
. The film is based on the novel Murder in the White House by Margaret Truman
Margaret Truman
Mary Margaret Truman Daniel , also known as Margaret Truman or Margaret Daniel, was an American singer who later became a successful writer. The only child of US President Harry S...
, daughter of U.S. President Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman was the 33rd President of the United States . As President Franklin D. Roosevelt's third vice president and the 34th Vice President of the United States , he succeeded to the presidency on April 12, 1945, when President Roosevelt died less than three months after beginning his...
.
Plot
In a restroom in the White HouseWhite House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, a janitor finds White House secretary Carla Town (Mary Moore) dead. Metropolitan Police
Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia
The Metropolitan Police Department, also known as the DC Police, DCPD, MPD, and MPDC is the municipal police force in Washington, D.C...
homicide
Homicide
Homicide refers to the act of a human killing another human. Murder, for example, is a type of homicide. It can also describe a person who has committed such an act, though this use is rare in modern English...
Detective
Detective
A detective is an investigator, either a member of a police agency or a private person. The latter may be known as private investigators or "private eyes"...
Harlan Regis (Wesley Snipes
Wesley Snipes
Wesley Trent Snipes is an American actor, film producer, and martial artist, who has starred in numerous action films, thrillers, and dramatic feature films. Snipes is known for playing the Marvel Comics character Blade in the Blade film trilogy, among various other high profile roles...
), whose apartment house is awaiting demolition in favor of a parking lot, is put on the case. At the White House, Regis is introduced to Secret Service
United States Secret Service
The United States Secret Service is a United States federal law enforcement agency that is part of the United States Department of Homeland Security. The sworn members are divided among the Special Agents and the Uniformed Division. Until March 1, 2003, the Service was part of the United States...
chief Nick Spikings (Daniel Benzali
Daniel Benzali
Daniel Benzali is a Brazilian-American stage, television and film actor.-Biography:Benzali was born in Rio de Janeiro to Brazilian Jewish parents...
), national security adviser Alvin Jordan (Alan Alda
Alan Alda
Alphonso Joseph D'Abruzzo , better known as Alan Alda, is an American actor, director, screenwriter, and author. A six-time Emmy Award and Golden Globe Award winner, he is best known for his role as Hawkeye Pierce in the TV series M*A*S*H...
) and Secret Service agent Nina Chance (Diane Lane
Diane Lane
Diane Lane is an American film actress.Born and raised in New York City, Lane made her screen debut at the age of 13 in George Roy Hill's 1979 film A Little Romance, starring opposite Sir Laurence Olivier. Soon after, she was featured on the cover of Time magazine...
). Spikings assigns Nina, a former Olympic gold-class
1988 Summer Olympics
The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were an all international multi-sport events celebrated from September 17 to October 2, 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. They were the second summer Olympic Games to be held in Asia and the first since the 1964 Summer Olympics...
sharpshooter, to keep an eye on Regis.
Parallel to this, the White House has to deal with an impending international crisis: U.S. President Jack Neil (Ronny Cox
Ronny Cox
Daniel Ronald "Ronny" Cox is an American character actor, singer-songwriter and guitarist.-Personal life:Cox, the third of five children, was born in Cloudcroft, New Mexico, the son of Lounette and Bob P. Cox, a carpenter who also worked at a dairy. He grew up in Portales, New Mexico...
) has been trying to deal with a situation where American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
s are being held hostage in North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
, and some people - including several members of his inner council and Vice President
Vice President of the United States
The Vice President of the United States is the holder of a public office created by the United States Constitution. The Vice President, together with the President of the United States, is indirectly elected by the people, through the Electoral College, to a four-year term...
Gordon Dylan - think Jack is not handling it the right way. Some people think Jack should send troops to North Korea to rescue the hostages.
Regis and Nina discover that Carla had an appointment in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and a flight from New York to the Virgin Islands
Virgin Islands
The Virgin Islands are the western island group of the Leeward Islands, which are the northern part of the Lesser Antilles, which form the border between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean...
, with no intention of returning to the USA. Coroner
Coroner
A coroner is a government official who* Investigates human deaths* Determines cause of death* Issues death certificates* Maintains death records* Responds to deaths in mass disasters* Identifies unknown dead* Other functions depending on local laws...
Jimmy Foley (Richard Blackburn
Richard Blackburn
Sir Richard Arthur Blackburn OBE was a judge, prominent legal academic and former military officer in Australia. He became a judge of three separate courts in Australia, and eventually became chief justice of the Australian Capital Territory. In the 1970s he decided one of Australia's earliest...
) then tells Regis and Nina that whoever had sex
Sex
In biology, sex is a process of combining and mixing genetic traits, often resulting in the specialization of organisms into a male or female variety . Sexual reproduction involves combining specialized cells to form offspring that inherit traits from both parents...
with Carla on the night of the murder used a condom
Condom
A condom is a barrier device most commonly used during sexual intercourse to reduce the probability of pregnancy and spreading sexually transmitted diseases . It is put on a man's erect penis and physically blocks ejaculated semen from entering the body of a sexual partner...
, meaning that no DNA
DNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms . The DNA segments that carry this genetic information are called genes, but other DNA sequences have structural purposes, or are involved in...
was left. White House janitor
Janitor
A janitor or custodian is a professional who takes care of buildings, such as hospitals and schools. Janitors are responsible primarily for cleaning, and often some maintenance and security...
Cory Allen Luchessi (Tony Nappo
Tony Nappo
Tony Nappo is a Canadian actor. He is perhaps best known for his roles in Revelation, Saw II, Land of the Dead, Four Brothers, and You Might as Well Live.-Biography:Tony was born and raised in Scarborough, Ontario, Canada...
) was apparently unaccounted for on the night of the murder and had once attempted to make a pass at Carla; he is arrested and questioned, but his testimony and a clearly set-up piece of evidence lead Regis to suspect that the Secret Service may be involved. That night, Regis finds his apartment burglarized; the culprit escapes, and in a subsequent search, a hidden bug is found.
In a picture of Carla, Regis sees Secret Service agent Burton Cash (Nigel Bennett
Nigel Bennett
Nigel Bennett is an English actor/director/writer who has been based in Canada since 1986. He is best known for playing the vampire patriarch Lucien LaCroix in the TV series Forever Knight, for which he won the Canadian Gemini Award for best supporting actor in a dramatic series.-Life and...
), who is in charge of Kyle Neil (Tate Donovan
Tate Donovan
Tate Buckley Donovan is an American actor. He is known for his role in the FX drama Damages, as Tom Shayes, and for his role as Jimmy Cooper in the American teen drama television series The O.C....
), the son of Jack Neil and First Lady
First Lady
First Lady or First Gentlemanis the unofficial title used in some countries for the spouse of an elected head of state.It is not normally used to refer to the spouse or partner of a prime minister; the husband or wife of the British Prime Minister is usually informally referred to as prime...
Kitty Neil (Diane Baker
Diane Baker
Diane Carol Baker is an American actress who has appeared in motion pictures and on television since 1959.-Early life:...
). Regis figures out that it was Kyle who had sex with Carla on the night of the murder. At the dance club, Regis talks to a young woman who says that Kyle once bragged that he shared Carla with his father. Carla's uncle's company, Brookline Associates, is Jack's leading East Coast
East Coast of the United States
The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, refers to the easternmost coastal states in the United States, which touch the Atlantic Ocean and stretch up to Canada. The term includes the U.S...
fundraiser and Brookline also owns the apartment Carla lived in.
Regis eventually discovers that Nina once used to be Kyle's bodyguard herself. When he confronts her, Nina explains that one night, she heard noises coming from Kyle's apartment, went in, and found Kyle beating up his girlfriend. Nina asked to be reassigned and was replaced by Burton Cash, and the Secret Service covered up the beating for Kyle so he wouldn't get arrested for assault & battery. This sparks Regis' suspicion that Kyle may actually be Carla's murderer.
On the next day, Nina decides to forgo her duty and sneaks into the archive storage where she appropriates several pieces of evidence from Town's leftover possessions. Spikings finds out about this and sends Agent Cooper (Tom Wright
Tom Wright (actor)
Tom Wright is a television and theatre actor. He was born in Englewood, New Jersey and attended West Chester University in West Chester, Pennsylvania....
) to look for Nina, who successfully avoids Cooper. She meets Regis and tells him that Carla, according to a note in an appointment book, had an appointment in New York with Craig Nisker & Associates, who have sold 5 of the top 10 scandal memoirs of all time, and they know that the appointment would be a good motive for Kyle to kill Carla. They also discover that the President and his wife were in the White House at the time of the murder, not at Camp David
Camp David
Camp David is the country retreat of the President of the United States and his guests. It is located in low wooded hills about 60 mi north-northwest of Washington, D.C., on the property of Catoctin Mountain Park in unincorporated Frederick County, Maryland, near Thurmont, at an elevation of...
, like they said they were. Since Jack had also slept with Carla, he would have the same motive Kyle would have for preventing a public scandal.
Regis confronts Kyle with his suspicions, who claims that he did not murder Carla, but is able to provide a special piece of information: among the bookings she made, Carla has supposedly also ordered a car - with the only hitch being that she had had no driving license. Later on, Regis and Nina discover that the most recent entries in Carla's appointment book were forged. With some clues left by Alvin Jordan, Regis manages to find out that Spikings has withheld several surveillance video tapes from the night of the murder. Regis goes to Spikings's residence to question him, and Spikings is willing to show him the tape but is instantly killed by a sniper
Sniper
A sniper is a marksman who shoots targets from concealed positions or distances exceeding the capabilities of regular personnel. Snipers typically have specialized training and distinct high-precision rifles....
.
Regis and Nina eventually discover that Alvin Jordan is behind everything, but things get the more difficult for them as Jordan has now framed Regis and Nina as traitors. Jordan wants Jack to resign so Dylan (Chris Gillett) can take over as President, because Dylan would not be afraid to send troops to North Korea to rescue the hostages, and Jordan believes that Jack's refusal to rescue the hostages by force makes Jack unfit to be President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
.
Regis, Nina, and Regis's partner and friend Stengel (Dennis Miller
Dennis Miller
Dennis Miller is an American stand-up comedian, political commentator, actor, sports commentator, and television and radio personality. He is known for his critical assessments laced with pop culture references...
) enter the White House tunnels while Jordan still tries to make sure Dylan can take over as President. In the tunnels, the sniper who killed Spikings for Jordan pursues them and wounds Stengel, but Nina manages to kill him. Pursued by the Secret Service, Regis just barely manages to get in contact with the President and present him with the evidence of Jordan's conspiracy. Jordan attempts to shoot the President, only for his shot to be intercepted by Nina, and is killed by the Secret Service.
Nina and Stengel are brought to a hospital, where they recover from their injuries. In gratitude for his rescue, the President promises Regis to look into the commission who bought Regis's building.
Cast
- Wesley SnipesWesley SnipesWesley Trent Snipes is an American actor, film producer, and martial artist, who has starred in numerous action films, thrillers, and dramatic feature films. Snipes is known for playing the Marvel Comics character Blade in the Blade film trilogy, among various other high profile roles...
as Detective Harlan Regis - Diane LaneDiane LaneDiane Lane is an American film actress.Born and raised in New York City, Lane made her screen debut at the age of 13 in George Roy Hill's 1979 film A Little Romance, starring opposite Sir Laurence Olivier. Soon after, she was featured on the cover of Time magazine...
as Agent Nina Chance - Daniel BenzaliDaniel BenzaliDaniel Benzali is a Brazilian-American stage, television and film actor.-Biography:Benzali was born in Rio de Janeiro to Brazilian Jewish parents...
as Agent Spikings - Dennis MillerDennis MillerDennis Miller is an American stand-up comedian, political commentator, actor, sports commentator, and television and radio personality. He is known for his critical assessments laced with pop culture references...
as Detective Stengel - Alan AldaAlan AldaAlphonso Joseph D'Abruzzo , better known as Alan Alda, is an American actor, director, screenwriter, and author. A six-time Emmy Award and Golden Globe Award winner, he is best known for his role as Hawkeye Pierce in the TV series M*A*S*H...
as National Security Adviser Alvin Jordan - Ronny CoxRonny CoxDaniel Ronald "Ronny" Cox is an American character actor, singer-songwriter and guitarist.-Personal life:Cox, the third of five children, was born in Cloudcroft, New Mexico, the son of Lounette and Bob P. Cox, a carpenter who also worked at a dairy. He grew up in Portales, New Mexico...
as President of the United States Jack Neil - Diane BakerDiane BakerDiane Carol Baker is an American actress who has appeared in motion pictures and on television since 1959.-Early life:...
as First Lady Kitty Neil - Tate DonovanTate DonovanTate Buckley Donovan is an American actor. He is known for his role in the FX drama Damages, as Tom Shayes, and for his role as Jimmy Cooper in the American teen drama television series The O.C....
as Kyle Neil - Harris YulinHarris YulinHarris Yulin is an American actor who has appeared in dozens of Hollywood and television films.-Life and career:Yulin was born in...
as General Clark Tully - Tom WrightTom WrightTom Wright may refer to:*Tom Wright , American film and Broadway actor*Tom Wright , Australian actor*Tom Wright , Victorian Football League player...
as Agent Cooper