A Shock to the System

"Climbing the corporate ladder can be murder."

1990 1h 31m EN

😐

6.5

MID

★6.5TMDB · 154

CrimeComedy

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

When experienced advertising executive Graham Marshall loses out on a promotion to a young man, he goes down in a path of vengeance.

“Climbing the corporate ladder can be murder.”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

Michael Caine
Graham Marshall
Elizabeth McGovern
Stella Anderson
Peter Riegert
Robert Benham
Swoosie Kurtz
Leslie Marshall
Will Patton
Lieutenant Laker
Jenny Wright
Melanie O'Conner
John McMartin
George Brewster
Barbara Baxley
Lillian

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Jan Egleson
Writers: Andrew Klavan
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 7

ERA

Did you know

36 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 7

ERA

Did you know

Directed by Jan Egleson, shot by Paul Goldsmith. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Gary Chang. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Peter C. Frank shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 7

CAST

Did you know

Michael Caine and Elizabeth McGovern and Peter Riegert carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 7

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "Climbing the corporate ladder can be murder.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 7

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0100602 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Jan Egleson directs. Paul Goldsmith behind the camera. Gary Chang scores. Peter C. Frank cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

136 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
2Directed by Jan Egleson, shot by Paul Goldsmith. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
3Original score by Gary Chang. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
4Editor Peter C. Frank shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
5Michael Caine and Elizabeth McGovern and Peter Riegert carry the top of the cast.
6Marketing tagline: "Climbing the corporate ladder can be murder.".
7IMDB entry: tt0100602 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
8Classified under 10 themes, including "new york city", "based on novel or book", "sailing", "lighter".

The technical file

Cinematography: Paul Goldsmith
Original score: Gary Chang
Editing: Peter C. Frank
Production design: Howard Cummings
Costume design: John Dunn
Runtime: 91 min · 1h 31m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Original language: EN
Certification (US): R
IMDB: A Shock to the System (1990)

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Jan Egleson

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Community reviews

What people are saying

John Chard2014-11-15
★ 9/10
Graham has had enough of getting the shaft… A Shock to the System is directed by Jan Egleson and adapted to screenplay by Andrew Klavan from the novel written by Simon Brett. It stars Michael Caine, Elizabeth McGovern, Peter Riegert, Will Patton and Swoosie Kurtz. Music is by Gary Chang and cinematography by Paul Goldsmith. Graham Marshall (Caine) is once again overlooked for promotion and once again his harpy wife (Kurtz) belittles him.Then a heated exchange at the train station results in the accidental death of a beggar, and he gets away with it, something which gives Graham some devilish thoughts, one of Satan's light bulbs ignited above his head. By his own admission Michael Caine has readily done films just to pay the bills or build a new house. His success ratio as per great films and performances to bad films and tired performances probably stacks up as 1 in 10, consider this, in this same year he made Bullseye! What we do know though, is that when he gets it right he knocks it out the park and thus makes all his bad films easy to forgive. A Shock to the System is an under valued film on his CV, a brilliantly constructed black comedy that finds Caine effortlessly shifting through the emotional gears. From beat down Milquetoast to ruthless killer with a glint in his eye, Caine plays it to perfection. There's stabs of humour along the way, Caine a natural at this of course, and he even gets a young love interest in the form of the unbelievably cute Lizzie McGovern. Interesting to note that Graham's sex life improves greatly once the killing begins! Driven by an antagonist who toys with the audiences sympathies and moral repulsions, this is a film that's deserving of greater exposure and is ripe for re-evaluation. Great film, great Caine. 9/10
CinemaSerf2023-08-26
★ 7/10
I enjoyed this. "Graham" (Michael Caine) gets a bit narked when he is overlooked for promotion at work. When he heads home, he realises that that is just the beginning of his irritations - his wife "Leslie" (Swoosie Kurtz) nags him relentlessly! What to do? Well, his house has some dodgy electrics and whilst trying to restore the lights, he gets a mild electric shock. His "Eureka" moment is upon him - he can just eliminate those who stand in his way, or annoy the hell out of him... What now ensues is a short series of cleverly thought out, well, "accidents" that enable him to rid himself of his wife and to occupy that all important corner office at work. Can he get away with it? The thing about Caine's performance here is that it engenders sympathy. You feel for the man - and I was certainly egging him on as his shenanigans start to attract the attentions of others - not least the insurance company inspector who is looking at their domestic wiring. Not even 90 minutes long, this flies by - good efforts from Caine, the usually rather bland Elizabeth McGovern, Kurtz and Peter Riegert as the smarmy, corporate man who stole his chair in the first place. Not laugh a minute, no - but it does raise a smile and make you wonder just how far you might go, if opportunity presented itself.
kevin20192026-03-02
★ 8/10
"A Shock to the System" is one of those films where you eventually find yourself rooting for the character - in this case Graham Marshall - who would ordinarily be considered the bad guy, especially in light of the fact he proceeds to murder all the key figures in his life who have gradually become obstacles frustrating his efforts at every turn to achieve his full professional potential. This excellent film has been wonderfully directed by Jan Egleson with the camera restlessly roaming around the spacious office and allowing us to momentarily eavesdrop on random snippets of administrive business and there is also a slow and marvellously well balanced tension which begins to mount towards the end when it seems as though Marshall's homicidal machinations are slowly unravelling, but guess what? The film decides to let him escape justice so he can continue his unscruplous climb up the long ladder to corporate success.