Raising Cain
Encyclopedia
Raising Cain is a 1992
psychological thriller film
written and directed by Brian De Palma
, and starring John Lithgow
, Lolita Davidovich
and Steven Bauer
.
), becomes concerned that Carter is obsessively studying their daughter, Amy; he regards her like a scientist tracking the development of his creation.
The audience quickly learns that Carter suffers from multiple personality disorder. His multiples are Cain, a streetwise hustler, Josh, a trauma
tized little boy, and Margo, a middle-aged mother figure. Carter/Cain is killing young mothers to procure their children for his experiments.
In a side story we learn that Jenny is having an affair with Jack Dante (Steven Bauer
), the widower of a former patient. She fell in love with him and had a relationship with her years ago, but he left her. Now he's back, and she plans to leave Carter and run off with him. When Carter accidentally discovers their tryst, he descends all the way into his madness. Carter/Cain begins leaving subtle clues for the police that Jack is the real killer.
Next Carter attempts to kill Jenny by submerging her car in a lake. She pulls herself out and confronts Carter at their home. Unable to find Amy, Jenny demands Carter tell her where she is. Carter replies that she is with his father — whom Jenny knows has been dead for years.
Carter is apprehended for attempted murder
. The police bring Dr. Lynn Waldheim (Frances Sternhagen
) to interrogate him. Waldheim interviews Carter and informs the police that she co-wrote a book with Dr. Nix Sr. called Raising Cain about a boy with multiple personality disorder. The doctors agreed that patients with MPD seemed to share certain childhood traumas
, but there could be no ethical way to test these theories through direct clinical observation. Dr. Nix Sr. had extensive detailed knowledge of Cain's tortured childhood, including a few taped recordings of their sessions. However, Waldheim was never allowed to meet Cain. She pieced the situation together: Dr. Nix Sr. dispassionately put his own son through years of severe child abuse
to gain first-hand accounts of his traumatic psychological development and study the emerging personalities. Horrified, Waldheim quit the project.
During interrogation, the "Carter" personality disappears, and "Margo" (the mother) and "Josh" (the child) act and speak for him. Josh recites a rhyme:
"Hickory dickory dock. Cain has picked his lock. He did a bad deed now Josh comes to bleed. Hickory dickory dock."
With this, Josh vanishes, and Margo assumes control of the body. She stonewalls Waldheim from any further questioning.
Eventually, Carter/Cain break from their confines. They pounce upon Dr. Waldheim, knocking her unconscious, stealing her wig, dress, and coat. "They" then leave the building disguised as her. The police soon find Waldheim on the floor of an interview room begging them to arrest Carter before any children are harmed.
In fact, Dr. Nix, Sr. (also played by Lithgow) is alive, having faked his own death to elude prosecution for attempting to buy babies. He has established a new identity and a clandestine research facility in Norway
. He has been using Carter and his multiples to procure the children so he will have an adequate control group to study the development of MPD.
Jenny follows who she thinks is Waldheim to a motel, but it's actually Carter/Cain. She follows Carter/Cain, who is now Margo in Waldheim's wig and clothes, into an elevator. When it opens, she sees Dr. Nix Sr. with her daughter Amy. While Jenny begs for Nix Sr. to give back her daughter, Carter/Cain/Margo stabs "their" father from behind. Shortly afterward, Jack arrives with the police, and Carter/Cain/Margo disappears.
The movie ends with Jenny and Amy in a park. Amy plays alone while Jenny chats with another mother. Soon Amy runs off into the woods saying "Daddy, Daddy". Jenny calls for her and follows into the woods. She shortly after finds Amy, who says her father has gone away. When Jenny bends down to pick Amy up, Carter appears behind her in a wig and a dress; Margo is now in control. Jenny holds Amy in her arms, oblivious to who is behind her.
1992 in film
The year 1992 in film involved many significant films. -Top grossing films:-Awards:Academy AwardsGolden Globe AwardsNational Film Awards...
psychological thriller film
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...
written and directed by Brian De Palma
Brian De Palma
Brian Russell De Palma is an American film director and writer. In a career spanning over 40 years, he is probably best known for his suspense and crime thriller films, including such box office successes as the horror film Carrie, Dressed to Kill, Scarface, The Untouchables, and Mission:...
, and starring John Lithgow
John Lithgow
John Arthur Lithgow is an American actor, musician, and author. Presently, he is involved with a wide range of media projects, including stage, television, film, and radio...
, Lolita Davidovich
Lolita Davidovich
Lolita Davidovich is a Canadian film and television actress.-Early life and career:Davidovich was born in London, Ontario, the daughter of immigrants from Yugoslavia. Her father was from Belgrade, the capital of Serbia, and her mother was from Slovenia; she spoke only Serbian during her early years...
and Steven Bauer
Steven Bauer
Steven Bauer is a Cuban-American actor. He is known for his role as Manny Ribera in the 1983 film Scarface, and his role on the bilingual PBS show Que Pasa, USA.-Early life:...
.
Plot
Dr. Carter Nix (Lithgow) is a respected child psychologist, the son of a giant in the field. His wife, Jenny (Lolita DavidovichLolita Davidovich
Lolita Davidovich is a Canadian film and television actress.-Early life and career:Davidovich was born in London, Ontario, the daughter of immigrants from Yugoslavia. Her father was from Belgrade, the capital of Serbia, and her mother was from Slovenia; she spoke only Serbian during her early years...
), becomes concerned that Carter is obsessively studying their daughter, Amy; he regards her like a scientist tracking the development of his creation.
The audience quickly learns that Carter suffers from multiple personality disorder. His multiples are Cain, a streetwise hustler, Josh, a trauma
Psychological trauma
Psychological trauma is a type of damage to the psyche that occurs as a result of a traumatic event...
tized little boy, and Margo, a middle-aged mother figure. Carter/Cain is killing young mothers to procure their children for his experiments.
In a side story we learn that Jenny is having an affair with Jack Dante (Steven Bauer
Steven Bauer
Steven Bauer is a Cuban-American actor. He is known for his role as Manny Ribera in the 1983 film Scarface, and his role on the bilingual PBS show Que Pasa, USA.-Early life:...
), the widower of a former patient. She fell in love with him and had a relationship with her years ago, but he left her. Now he's back, and she plans to leave Carter and run off with him. When Carter accidentally discovers their tryst, he descends all the way into his madness. Carter/Cain begins leaving subtle clues for the police that Jack is the real killer.
Next Carter attempts to kill Jenny by submerging her car in a lake. She pulls herself out and confronts Carter at their home. Unable to find Amy, Jenny demands Carter tell her where she is. Carter replies that she is with his father — whom Jenny knows has been dead for years.
Carter is apprehended for attempted murder
Attempted murder
Attempted murder is a crime in England and Wales and Northern Ireland.-Today:In English criminal law, attempted murder is the crime of more than merely preparing to commit unlawful killing and at the same time having a specific intention to cause the death of human being under the Queen's Peace...
. The police bring Dr. Lynn Waldheim (Frances Sternhagen
Frances Sternhagen
Frances Hussey Sternhagen is an American actress. Sternhagen has appeared on and off Broadway, in movies, and on TV since the 1950s.-Personal life:...
) to interrogate him. Waldheim interviews Carter and informs the police that she co-wrote a book with Dr. Nix Sr. called Raising Cain about a boy with multiple personality disorder. The doctors agreed that patients with MPD seemed to share certain childhood traumas
Psychological trauma
Psychological trauma is a type of damage to the psyche that occurs as a result of a traumatic event...
, but there could be no ethical way to test these theories through direct clinical observation. Dr. Nix Sr. had extensive detailed knowledge of Cain's tortured childhood, including a few taped recordings of their sessions. However, Waldheim was never allowed to meet Cain. She pieced the situation together: Dr. Nix Sr. dispassionately put his own son through years of severe child abuse
Child abuse
Child abuse is the physical, sexual, emotional mistreatment, or neglect of a child. In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Children And Families define child maltreatment as any act or series of acts of commission or omission by a parent or...
to gain first-hand accounts of his traumatic psychological development and study the emerging personalities. Horrified, Waldheim quit the project.
During interrogation, the "Carter" personality disappears, and "Margo" (the mother) and "Josh" (the child) act and speak for him. Josh recites a rhyme:
"Hickory dickory dock. Cain has picked his lock. He did a bad deed now Josh comes to bleed. Hickory dickory dock."
With this, Josh vanishes, and Margo assumes control of the body. She stonewalls Waldheim from any further questioning.
Eventually, Carter/Cain break from their confines. They pounce upon Dr. Waldheim, knocking her unconscious, stealing her wig, dress, and coat. "They" then leave the building disguised as her. The police soon find Waldheim on the floor of an interview room begging them to arrest Carter before any children are harmed.
In fact, Dr. Nix, Sr. (also played by Lithgow) is alive, having faked his own death to elude prosecution for attempting to buy babies. He has established a new identity and a clandestine research facility in Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. He has been using Carter and his multiples to procure the children so he will have an adequate control group to study the development of MPD.
Jenny follows who she thinks is Waldheim to a motel, but it's actually Carter/Cain. She follows Carter/Cain, who is now Margo in Waldheim's wig and clothes, into an elevator. When it opens, she sees Dr. Nix Sr. with her daughter Amy. While Jenny begs for Nix Sr. to give back her daughter, Carter/Cain/Margo stabs "their" father from behind. Shortly afterward, Jack arrives with the police, and Carter/Cain/Margo disappears.
The movie ends with Jenny and Amy in a park. Amy plays alone while Jenny chats with another mother. Soon Amy runs off into the woods saying "Daddy, Daddy". Jenny calls for her and follows into the woods. She shortly after finds Amy, who says her father has gone away. When Jenny bends down to pick Amy up, Carter appears behind her in a wig and a dress; Margo is now in control. Jenny holds Amy in her arms, oblivious to who is behind her.
Cast
- John LithgowJohn LithgowJohn Arthur Lithgow is an American actor, musician, and author. Presently, he is involved with a wide range of media projects, including stage, television, film, and radio...
as Carter / Cain / Dr Nix / Josh / Margo - Lolita DavidovichLolita DavidovichLolita Davidovich is a Canadian film and television actress.-Early life and career:Davidovich was born in London, Ontario, the daughter of immigrants from Yugoslavia. Her father was from Belgrade, the capital of Serbia, and her mother was from Slovenia; she spoke only Serbian during her early years...
as Jenny - Steven BauerSteven BauerSteven Bauer is a Cuban-American actor. He is known for his role as Manny Ribera in the 1983 film Scarface, and his role on the bilingual PBS show Que Pasa, USA.-Early life:...
as Jack Dante - Frances SternhagenFrances SternhagenFrances Hussey Sternhagen is an American actress. Sternhagen has appeared on and off Broadway, in movies, and on TV since the 1950s.-Personal life:...
as Dr Lynn Waldheim - Gregg HenryGregg HenryGregg Lee Henry is an American theatre, film and television character actor and rock, blues and country musician.-Biography:...
as Lieutenant Terri - Tom BowerTom BowerTom Bower is a British writer, noted for his revelatory investigative work such as his unauthorized biographies.A former Panorama reporter, his books include unauthorised biographies of Tiny Rowland, Robert Maxwell, Mohamed Al-Fayed, Geoffrey Robinson, Gordon Brown and Richard Branson...
as Sergeant Cully - Mel HarrisMel HarrisMel Harris is an American actress.-Personal life:Harris was born in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, the daughter to Mary Michael "Mike", a high school science teacher, and Warren Harris, a university football coach...
as Sarah - Teri AustinTeri AustinTeresa "Teri" Austin is a Canadian-born film and television actress, with an extensive career in the United States.She is probably best-known for her performance as Jill Bennett on Knots Landing and season 9 of the crime drama, Matlock.- External links :...
as Karen - Gabrielle CarterisGabrielle CarterisGabrielle Anne Carteris is an American actress known for her role as Andrea Zuckerman on the early seasons of the 1990s television series Beverly Hills, 90210.-Personal life:...
as Nan - Barton Heyman as Mack
- Amanda Pombo as Amy
- Kathleen Callan as Emma
- Geoff Callan as Young Lover
- John McGowanJohn McGowanJohn McGowan may refer to:*John McGowan , former Ontario MPP and member of the Canadian House of Commons*Jack McGowan , Broadway writer, performer and producer...
as Sam