Sadness at Leaving

Sadness at Leaving

20 mins | Jan. 1, 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.

Sadness at Leaving

20 mins | Jan. 1, 1992

Sadness at Leaving
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.
Producers
Original title Sadness at Leaving
Directors Chris Kraus
Writers Ann Rower, Erje Ayden, Chris Kraus

Cast

Richard Hell

as Carl Halman

Rosemary Hochschild

as Melinda

George Bartenieff

as Hubert Cleaver

Larry Gregory

as Nat Cooper

Penny Arcade

as Juanita

Paula Greevy

as Elise O'Leary

Jerome Koenig

as Gus Steinermann

Judy Nylon

as Melinda (voice)

Michael Ryan

as Col. Bechstein