City Hall (film)

City Hall is a 1996 American suspense drama film directed by Harold Becker and starring Al Pacino, John Cusack, Bridget Fonda and Danny Aiello. The film was Becker's second collaboration with Pacino, having directed him in Sea of Love (1989).

Plot
In New York City, Detective Eddie Santos and mob figure Tino Zapatti kill each other in a shootout; a stray bullet also kills a child passing by. In the wake of the tragedy, questions are raised as to why Judge Walter Stern, an old friend of the ambitious Mayor John Pappas, had previously set the criminal responsible free on probation. Pappas' loyal deputy mayor, Kevin Calhoun, decides to dig for answers. Meanwhile, legal aid Marybeth Cogan uncovers a conspiracy to smear Santos.

Calhoun's investigation leads to Frank Anselmo, a Brooklyn politician who has connections to Tino's uncle, crime boss Paul Zapatti. Anselmo plants money at Zapatti's behest to frame Santos. Calhoun and Cogan continue to seek the truth from a number of sources, including Santos' partner and another Zapatti relative. After the murder of probation officer Larry Schwartz, they ultimately conclude that Judge Stern had to be on the take. Pappas agrees that Stern must resign.

The scandal snowballs to the point where Zapatti instructs Anselmo to commit suicide rather than become an informer or go to jail. To protect his family, Anselmo shoots himself. Calhoun uncovers evidence that Pappas put Stern together with Anselmo to receive a bribe and leave the young Zapatti on the street. Calhoun soon tells Pappas there is only one choice—to quit as mayor and leave politics for good. ("You're gonna take yourself out, John. You're gonna take yourself out.")

Cast

 * Al Pacino as Mayor John Pappas
 * John Cusack as Kevin Calhoun
 * Danny Aiello as Frank Anselmo
 * Bridget Fonda as Marybeth Cogan
 * Tony Franciosa as Paul Zapatti
 * Martin Landau as Judge Walter Stern
 * David Paymer as Abe Goodman
 * Richard Schiff as Larry Schwartz
 * Harry Bugin as Morty the Waiter

Fritz Hollings, Senator from South Carolina at the time, had a cameo as Senator Marquand, a Southern senator whom Pappas attempts to woo in order to land the Democratic convention.

Reception
City Hall ranks 54% at Rotten Tomatoes based on 24 reviews. Roger Ebert gave the film a two and a half star and wrote, "Many of the parts of City Hall are so good that the whole should add up to more, but it doesn't."

Box office
The film was released on February 16, 1996 in 1,815 theatres. It debuted at #4 at the United States box office, grossing $8 million. For its second weekend, it landed at #6, grossing $13.8 million. According to the website Box Office Mojo, the film grossed an estimated $20 million in the U.S.