# Pacific Heights (film)

Pacific Heights is a 1990 thriller film about a couple who works hard to renovate their dream house and become landlords to pay for it. Unfortunately, one of their tenants has plans of his own.
    Directed by John Schlesinger. Written by Daniel Pyne.

## Patty Palmer

* [before sex with Drake] I wish I had spurs.

## Carter Hayes

* [to Drake] You're a brave and stupid man.
* [as James Danforth in the interrogation room] They're lying. These people are completely pathological. They took 1/2 a year's rent from me and they said I never paid them. They evicted me, they slandered me, they totally destroyed my credit. They physically assaulted me. They threatened my life. And now this. These people are parasites. Florence. [sighs] I am so sorry... that you were even touched by any of this. Oh, God, I'm so embarrassed. When I first met you, I was enchanted and I... I was dazzled. I'm sorry. No, it's not like I can't prove they're lying. I can prove, they're lying. It's gonna take a little time. [sighs] I'll have to take them to court, I guess, but for right now it's my word against theirs, isn't it? I don't know what these people want. You know that if they hadn't tied up my trust, I would never ask you for anything. But if the bail isn't paid, I can't get out of here, and I cannot prove to you, Sir. What I hope Florence already knows in her heart. At least I would hope that you know. Look... I'm just asking you to do... whatever it is your heart tells you to do.

## Dialogue

    Drake Goodman: [as they are house painting] You have to remember this is an investment, Patty. You can't afford to do everything at once.
    Patty Palmer: It's not just an investment - it's our home.
    Judge Mitchell Black: In answer to your suit against him, Mr. Hayes has submitted to the court affidavits A and B confirming plaintive's attempted unlawful eviction of a Mr. Hayes on the 15th of last May.
    Drake Goodman: [quietly to Stephanie] No, I turned his gas and electricity off. There's a policeman...
    Stephanie MacDonald: Your Honor, my client and I...
    Judge Mitchell Black: Miss MacDonald, I assume you have received these documents?
    Stephanie MacDonald: Yes, I have just received them, Your Honor. I think there's been a mix up.
    Judge Mitchell Black: I think the law is quite clear on this point, don't you? Mr. Hayes is entitled to a reduction of rent due to uninhabitability caused by Mr. Goodman's misguided attempt to force him from the premises by disconnecting his utilities. Court rules for the defendant, Carter Hayes. Let the records show that according to the lease, Mr. Hayes's legal cost to be paid by the plaintiff.
    Stephanie MacDonald: Your Honor, I would like to ask for a 10-minute postponement.
    Judge Mitchell Black: Miss MacDonald, I see you have other cases before this court today. I hope you're better prepared for them. I assumed you'll wanna cooperate with the bench now in keeping things moving?
    Stephanie MacDonald: Yes, sir.
    [Gavel thuds.]
    Drake Goodman: That's it?
    Stephanie MacDonald: Why didn't you tell me you tried to force him out?
    Drake Goodman: I didn't think it mattered.
    Stephanie MacDonald: You set us back months.
    Drake Goodman: He's lying!
    Stephanie MacDonald: This guy has been playing you like a piano concerto.
    Drake Goodman: Me? What about you? I got a guy livin' in my building who hasn't paid one cent! Not only can't you get him out, but now I owe him money?
    Stephanie MacDonald: Maybe you'd like to retain another attorney.
    [Stephanie starts to walk away.]
    Patty Palmer: Stephanie. [sighs] Please don't quit. Drake's been under a lot of pressure. The bank is threatening to foreclose on us.
    Stephanie MacDonald: This isn't a moral question, Patricia. Morally, you're right. You win. Big deal. This is a game and the object of the game is to get Hayes out of your building before he destroys your lives. He knows you're gonna get him out eventually. He's just trying stay there as long as he can.
    Patty Palmer: Why?
    Stephanie MacDonald: I don't know! Because it's possible. Because he's evil. What difference does it make? It's nothing personal. God forbid he ever makes it personal.
    Patty Palmer: [as Drake and Carter fight] Drake! Stop it, you're killing him! Stop it! Drake! GODDAMN IT!
    [Drake tackles Carter through the front door window and they fall down the stairs]
    Patty Palmer: Stop it!
    [The fighting continues until Patty finds Drake, and she hugs him]
    Patty Palmer: You all right?
    [Soon after the cops pull up, they arrest Drake instead of Carter]
    Drake Goodman: You're arresting the wrong FUCKING man! YOU'RE ARRESTING THE WRONG MAN!
    Carter Hayes: What are you doing, Drake? You can't come in here.
    Drake Goodman: Listen, Carter. It's no big deal. I just want to go upstairs and see Patty, okay?
    Carter Hayes: But you're breaking the law, Drake.
    Drake Goodman: W... wait a minute.
    [Carter shoots Drake, then plants a crowbar by him]
    Lieutenant Lou Baker: I recognized the name on the report.
    Sergeant Bobby Amato: You two know each other?
    Lieutenant Lou Baker: Bobby, why don't you take these upstairs, see if we can get a running start on where this cretin might fence the appliances.
    Sergeant Bobby Amato: Sure thing, Lieutenant.
    Lieutenant Lou Baker: Thank you. [Amato leave] I guess you're wishing now you'd rented to the Black man.
    Patty Palmer: You never brought back your application.
    Lieutenant Lou Baker: Oh, I brought it back.
    Patty Palmer: I never got it.
    Lieutenant Lou Baker: Uh-huh. The Porsche in your garage was leased. Hayes made one payment, put stolen plates on it. They've been looking for him ever since. I sent a tow to haul away what's left of It.
    Patty Palmer: He shot my boyfriend.
    Lieutenant Lou Baker: I know. You're lucky he didn't kill him. This is a sick individual, Miss Palmer. Be grateful he's out of your life. Right now, you don't mean a thing to him. Leave it that way. If he's gonna get caught, we'll capture him.
    Patty Palmer: He shot my boyfriend. My boyfriend is in the hospital. He destroyed our property. There are lawsuits, there's the foreclosure. I had a miscarriage. And you're telling me to forget about him?
    Lieutenant Lou Baker: Next time, maybe he ain't so lucky. Next time, maybe he runs into the man who blows his brains out.
    Patty Palmer: Next time?
    Lieutenant Lou Baker: Let him go, Miss Palmer.
    Amy: Patty?
    Patty Palmer: Yeah?
    Amy: Do you mind if I ask you why you're selling? I mean, you've done so much to this place. You've obviously put your heart in it.
    Patty Palmer: No, not really. It was just an investment.

## Taglines

* He won't pay his rent. He won't leave. And he's got the law on his side. Go figure...if you dare.
* It seemed like the perfect house. He seemed like the perfect tenant...Until they asked him to leave.
* They wanted a tenant in the worst way. And that's what they got.
* Where terror lives.
* They were the perfect couple, buying the perfect house. Until a perfect stranger moved into their lives.

## Cast

* Melanie Griffith - Patty Palmer
* Matthew Modine - Drake Goodman
* Michael Keaton - Carter Hayes/James Danforth
* Laurie Metcalf - Stephanie MacDonald
* Mako - Toshio Watanabe
* Nobu McCarthy - Mira Watanabe
* Dorian Harewood - Dennis Reed
* Tippi Hedren - Florence Peters
* Beverly D'Angelo - Ann Miller
* Carl Lumbly - Lou Baker
* Sheila McCarthy - Liz Hamilton
* Luca Bercovici - Greg
* Jerry Hardin - Bennett Fidlow
* Dan Hedaya - Loan Officer
* D.W. Moffett - Bill
* Barbara Tyson - Amy

## External links

* Pacific Heights quotes at the Internet Movie Database
* Pacific Heights at Rotten Tomatoes
* Pacific Heights at Allmovie
* Pacific Heights at Mojo