Product Details

• Actors: Charles Durning, Patti LuPone, William H. Macy, John Mahoney, Joe Mantegna
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, NTSC
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Warner Home Video
• VHS Release Date: May 23, 1995
• Run Time: 89 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6303433731
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #77,304 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

In the 1930s, Charles Lang invents an engine that runs using water for fuel. But when he tries to get it patented, he is first offered a ridiculously low amount. When he refuses, he is suddenly several people are pressuring him to sell. The big oil companies don't want the competition. Now he has to try and keep them from getting his idea, and somehow get it published.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Film That Holds Water, October 4, 2004

By 

Yendor "sknayfan" (Gilroy, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Water Engine [VHS] (VHS Tape)

An interesting yet sad allegorical story set in the depression era by David Mamet. There is some truth simmering underneath a plausible plot. THE WATER ENGINE stars William H Macy as Charles Lang who invents an engine that runs entirely on water. When he tries to get get backers to help him patent the engine, he finds himself in a web of deceit,threats, betrayal and murder. There is no happy ending in this film because the minute he tries to reveal his invention, everything snowballs to less than positve results. Any help Lang tries to obtain, there seems to be a network of law enforcement to media (i.e. newspapers) that can't or won't help him. The point to the story is obvious as the power of the oil and auto industry are entities not to be reckoned with and that sometimes (or most of the time) the little man will lose to the big corporations.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars ., October 31, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Water Engine [VHS] (VHS Tape)

A fine little movie based on a play by David Mamet. It maybe gets a little carried away with itself towards the end, and suffers from its "made for television" aesthetic, but it's still well-performed, gripping, and dark.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great movie about deceptive lawyers, June 18, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Water Engine [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Outstanding movie about corrupt lawyers and big business. Any small manufacturer who has created a unique product and hopes to distribute it through stores like Staples, Office Depot, and CompUSA, (i.e., large U.S. specialty retailers) should see this movie before talking to anyone--particularly the buyers for the retailers. This movie takes viewers through the hair-raising twists and turns of deception and corruption that lead eventually to murder.