The Substance of Fire

The Substance of Fire

97 mins | Drama | Sept. 11, 1996

Isaac Geldhart is a Holocaust survivor who, overcome by grief at the recent death of his wife, seems determined to run his publishing firm into the ground by printing books that have no hope of financial success. His son Aaron, who also works at the company, grows frustrated with Isaac's emotional decline and attempts to take over the firm. The resulting crisis involves Isaac's other two children, his daughter Sarah and his dying son Martin.

The Substance of Fire

97 mins | Drama | Sept. 11, 1996

The Substance of Fire
Isaac Geldhart is a Holocaust survivor who, overcome by grief at the recent death of his wife, seems determined to run his publishing firm into the ground by printing books that have no hope of financial success. His son Aaron, who also works at the company, grows frustrated with Isaac's emotional decline and attempts to take over the firm. The resulting crisis involves Isaac's other two children, his daughter Sarah and his dying son Martin.
IMDb rating 6.0
Producers Miramax
Original title The Substance of Fire
Directors Christine Gee, Daniel J. Sullivan
Writers Jon Robin Baitz

Cast

Tony Goldwyn

as Aaron Geldhart

Timothy Hutton

as Martin Geldhart

Ron Rifkin

as Isaac Geldhart

Sarah Jessica Parker

as Sarah Geldhart

Lee Grant

as Cora Cahn

Elizabeth Franz

as Miss Barzakian

Benjamin Ungar

as Young Issac

Roger Rees

as Max

Viola Davis

as Nurse

Adolph Green

as Mr. Musselblatt

Debra Monk

as Martha Hackett

Tom McDermott

as Old Printer

George Morfogen

as Otto the Printer

Andrew Pang

as Mr. Otani Jr

Edmund Ikeda

as Mr. Otani Sr

Gil Bellows

as Val Chenard

Eric Bogosian

as Gene Byck

Ronny Graham

as Louis Foukold

John Sullivan

as Stewart

Sophia Salguero

as Rachel

David S. Howard

as Dr. Bernard Kramer

Gregory Burke

as Young Martin Geldhart

William Cain

as Mr. Cox

Alec Mapa

as New Receptionist

Edgar Martinez

as Miquel

John Christopher Jones

as Book Binder

Dick Latessa

as Mr. McCormack Sr

Patrick Page

as Mr. McCormack Jr

Kate Forbes

as Rizzoli Book Buyer

Gloria Irizarry

as Esme

Barbara Eda-Young

as Reena Geldhart

Matt McGrath

as Young Book Clerk

José Ramón Rosario

as Dennis the Tailor

William Meisle

as Customer with Shoes

Gina Torres

as Maitre d'

Marc Schneier

as Rabbi

Lynn Clayton

as Beautiful Woman

Mary Fortune

as Art Student