The Substance of Fire

7.1

102 minutes

9/11/1996

Overview

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.

Cast List

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
John Patrick Walker
as Peter
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 (uncredited)
David Boston
as Sign Painter (uncredited)