An Enemy of the People
1978 · Movie · G · 107 min · ★ 6.8 · 58% critics
A doctor in a small town discovers that the hot springs being promoted to tourists are dangerously contaminated by industrial runoff. When local leaders push to bury the truth to protect profits and reputation, he insists on warning the public, triggering backlash and a tense fight over integrity, power, and public opinion.
Based on An Enemy of the People
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Details
- Years
- 1978
- Release date
- 1978-03-17
- Language
- English
- Rated
- G
- Runtime
- 107 min
- Critic score
- 58/100
- TMDB rating
- 6.8/10 (16 votes)
- Budget
- $2,500,000
About
You’ll likely enjoy this if you want a serious, debate-driven drama about truth versus local self-interest, with a “Jaws”-like civic denial angle; Not for you if you need fast pacing, action, or light entertainment.
Pros: timely moral conflict; strong supporting cast; thought-provoking themes | Cons: talky and stagey; slow, low energy; uneven lead casting
Themes
- health
- cover-up
- tannery
Cast & crew
Steve McQueen
as Dr. Thomas Stockmann
Charles Durning
as Peter Stockmann
Bibi Andersson
as Catherine Stockmann
Eric Christmas
as Morten Kiil
Michael Cristofer
as Hovstad
Richard Dysart
as Aslaksen
- MH
Michael Higgins
as Billing
Richard Bradford
as Captain Forster
- HL
Ham Larsen
as Morten Stockmann
- JL
John Levin
as Ejlif Stockmann
Directed by George Schaefer