Sadness at Leaving (1992)
Following the erection of the Berlin wall, special agent Carl Halman is assigned by East German intelligence to move to New York where he’ll “sleep” as a writer until he is called. Using the code-name “April 23,” Carl successfully infiltrates the uptown-downtown literary world in 1950s New York. He edits a magazine, follows the Knicks, and marries Melinda, the socialite wife of best-selling jock novelist Hubert Cleaver, Ayden’s hilarious Norman Mailer pastiche. Through Carl’s eyes, we see New York City change from an outpost of Europe to the new capital of an anarchistic, post-ideological world. But then, when Carl least expects it, he’s called.
Director: Chris Kraus
Runtime: 20 min
Release Date: January 1, 1992
Cast
- Richard Hell - Carl Halman
- Rosemary Hochschild - Melinda
- George Bartenieff - Hubert Cleaver
- Larry Gregory - Nat Cooper
- Penny Arcade - Juanita
- Paula Greevy - Elise O'Leary
- Jerome Koenig - Gus Steinermann
- Judy Nylon - Melinda (voice)
- Michael Ryan - Col. Bechstein
Screenplay
- Chris Kraus
- Erje Ayden (Novel)
- Ann Rower
Editing: Chris Kraus
Original Language: en
More Films by Director: Chris Kraus
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Sadness at Leaving about?
- Following the erection of the Berlin wall, special agent Carl Halman is assigned by East German intelligence to move to New York where he’ll “sleep” as a writer until he is called. Using the code-name “April 23,” Carl successfully infiltrates the uptown-downtown literary world in 1950s New York. He edits a magazine, follows the Knicks, and marries Melinda, the socialite wife of best-selling jock novelist Hubert Cleaver, Ayden’s hilarious Norman Mailer pastiche. Through Carl’s eyes, we see New York City change from an outpost of Europe to the new capital of an anarchistic, post-ideological world. But then, when Carl least expects it, he’s called.
- Who directed Sadness at Leaving?
- Sadness at Leaving was directed by Chris Kraus.
- Who stars in Sadness at Leaving?
- Sadness at Leaving stars Richard Hell, Rosemary Hochschild, George Bartenieff, Larry Gregory, Penny Arcade, Paula Greevy.
- How long is Sadness at Leaving?
- Sadness at Leaving has a runtime of 20m (20 minutes).