Brokedown Palace
| Brokedown Palace | |
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Theatrical release poster
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| Directed by | Jonathan Kaplan |
| Produced by | Adam Fields |
| Written by | David Arata (screenplay) Adam Fields David Arata (story) |
| Starring | |
| Edited by | Don Zimmerman |
| Distributed by | 20th Century Fox |
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Release date
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Running time
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100 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English, Thai |
| Budget | $25 million |
| Box office | $10,115,013 |
Brokedown Palace is a 1999 American drama film directed by Jonathan Kaplan, and starring Claire Danes, Kate Beckinsale, Bill Pullman and Lim Kay Tong. It deals with two American friends imprisoned in Thailand for drug smuggling. Because it presents a critical view of the Thai legal system, most scenes were filmed in the Philippines; however, some panoramas and views were filmed in Bangkok. Its title is taken from a Grateful Dead song written by Jerry Garcia and Robert Hunter from their 1970 album American Beauty.
Lifelong best friends Alice Marano and Darlene Davis take a trip after graduating from high school, giving their parents the impression that they're going to Hawaii. However, Alice talks Darlene into going to Thailand instead, after comparing the prices of both destinations. Darlene agrees, albeit with some reluctance. Once in Thailand, they meet a captivating Australian man who calls himself Nick Parks. Darlene is particularly smitten with Nick and convinces Alice to take Nick up on his offer to treat the two of them to what amounts to a day trip to Hong Kong. At the airport, the girls are seized by the police and shocked to discover that one of their bags contains heroin.
The two girls are interrogated by the Thai police and Darlene signs a confession written in Thai, which she foolishly thinks is her verbatim statement. At their trial, they beg for mercy and are given a lenient 33-year sentence instead of the usual life sentence in prison. In prison, the girls are advised to seek out Henry Greene, aka "Yankee Hank", an expatriate American attorney living in Thailand.
As the girls try to deal with the violence and squalor of prison, Hank begins work on their case. He tracks down another girl who had been used as an unwitting drug mule by Nick Parks, but is warned that the smuggler has friends in high places. Hank arranges a deal with a corrupt prosecutor whereby the girls will receive a clemency if they confess to having lied about Parks' involvement. However, the prosecutor reneges on the deal after the girls confess. Desperate, and realizing that Darlene will not survive their time in prison, Alice begs the King of Thailand to allow her to serve both of their sentences in exchange for letting Darlene go. The deal is accepted and Darlene is released, where she promises to continue working with Hank to try and free Alice.
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