Although the film's story-line is fiction, the facts of this low-key thriller are based on truth and provide a 'what if' scenario that keeps the viewer engaged. The director, Peter Yates, captured a style of filming and cinematography that makes it feel almost like an undiscovered Hitchcock film. Kelly McGillis is believable, although perhaps not quite the typical Hitchcock blonde, and Jeff Daniels may sound a bit too modern in some of his speech inflections, but Everything else about this film reeked of authenticity, from the genuine feel of the sets and authentic but real clothing, to the dialogue. I don't know why this film rated only a middlin score with viewers - perhaps they were expecting more of an action thriller,rather than the political intrigue style of thriller that it is.

Excellent and entertaining movie in many regards. The 1950's atmosphere is caught very well: elegant clothing, superb cars, leafy New York streets, New York's Grand Central Station and a cameo role for the shiny Chicago Express. The OST by George Delarue too is worth while listening to. It does more than just underpin the action in the movie, it stands perfectly well on its own legs.I've noticed some reviewers made a link between the looks of Ray Salwen (Mandy Patinkin) and a young Richard Nixon, who was heading the House on Un- American Activities Committee (HUAC) in the early fifties. I'd rather compare the smug Salwen figure with Roy Cohn, McCarthy's right hand and ax man. (Patinkin would have been a perfect choice for the main role of "Citizen Cohn" in 1992, although James Woods too did a nice job) As other reviewers have pointed out, there are indeed some similarities with Hitchcock movies from the 1950's. All shots show clean streets, nice looking people, shiny cars… You won't see any hoodlums, hobo's, mean looking motorcycle gang members. There's not even the page of a newspaper pushed around by the wind in the New York streets. Even the bad guys that kill the German young man with a knife are dressed up as if they come from the horses or some fancy restaurant. The romance between McGillis and FBI man Cochran (Daniels) too is treated in a very 1950's way. To many viewers, this will be seen as a lack of chemistry between the two main characters. However, to my h.o. an all too steamy relationship would have somehow spoiled this elegant movie, and especially slowed down the pace considerably.OK, there are a number of weak points in the scenario: it's highly improbable that a hush hush operation of smuggling Nazi's into the US would have used such an "unsafe safe-house" as the one in Carroll Street. ID papers would have been arranged for, while those war criminals were still in Europe, to reduce as much as possible the risks. And it's rather silly seeing a Senator's aide going as far as entering into Emily's bathroom. Very intimidating, OK, but I'd rather think this kind of a job would have been left to some low ranking goons. And finally, what the heck is he doing on the roof of New York's Grand Central Station ??? Still, nobody complains about similar weaknesses in let's say "North by Northwest", or "Sabotage". Indeed, this movie doesn't pretend being a semi-documentary, like De Niro's "Guilty by suspicion" (1991) or Citizen Cohn are. And as pure entertainment, House on Carroll Street does a nice job. I'd rate it 8/10

Not unlike a simple-minded Nancy Drew, McGillis plays a nosey but reluctant witness to Nazi war criminal underground railroad skullduggery who foils countless bad guys while falling in like with an FBI agent (Daniels) who doesn't carry a gun because they're too heavy. Yeah, right. Good old fashioned melodrama, "The House on Carroll Street" is a stagey, obvious, scripted, stiff, and sanitized for your protection. Recommended for viewers who prefer melodrama over reality.

Jeff Daniels(Fly Away Home,Dumb and Dumber,Speed) and Kelly MCGillis(Witness,Top Gun) star in thriller set in New York City in the summer of 1951. Emily Crane (McGillis) uncovers a plot by the U.S goverment to secretly bring Nazi war criminals to the U.S. But she has a man to watch for her!Jeff Daniels plays Cochran a federal agant sent to protect her. Eventually the two people fall in love. Then they must flee for their lives as the government knows that they know of the secret Nazi criminals coming over to America. The love story is OK for the movie , I just wish they would of shown us the criminals coming over , instead all we get those already here!!If you like love story thrillers, you might like this movie!!Or if you are either fans of Jeff Daniels or Kelly McGillis, you might like this movie!!If you decide to buy it, rent it before you do!!!It 's an average love story set during the era of post World War 2!!It has had neat ending , but i'm gonna give it away!!!So remember rent it before you buy as it may not be everything you though it was going to be!!!