The Water Engine | 
| Director: Steven Schachter
Actors: Charles Durning, Patti Lupone, William H. Macy, John Mahoney, Joe Mantegna
Studio: Turner Home Entertainment
List Price: $49.98
Buy New: $19.43
You Save: $30.55 (61%)
New (4) Used (6) from $12.94
Rating:  4 reviews
Sales Rank: 10274
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Ntsc
Language: English (Unknown)
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Media: VHS Tape
Number Of Items: 1
Running Time: 89 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.4
Dimensions (in): 7.3 x 4.2 x 1.1
ISBN: 6303433731
UPC: 053939633634
EAN: 9786303433738
ASIN: 6303433731
Theatrical Release Date: August 24, 1992
Release Date: May 23, 1995
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Condition: brand new factory sealed, original factory box cover as shown
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| Editorial Reviews:
Description
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.
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| Customer Reviews:
 Great movie about deceptive lawyers June 19, 1999
4 out of 5 found this review helpful
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.
 . November 1, 1999
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
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.
A Film That Holds Water October 4, 2004
Yendor (Gilroy, CA United States)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
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.
DESERVES TO BE ON DVD, TALE OF AN AMERICAN INVENTOR July 14, 2008
FRANK ROCKER (RIVERSIDE, CA)
This is the type of film that should be shown to students of history and political science. David Mamet is one of America's better screen writers/directors of the smaller, independant film. Those of you who viewed Tucker might enjoy this similar story of a man ahead of his time. The big budget film Chain Reaction with Morgan Freeman was probably inspired from this gem of a movie.
William Macy does a good job as a man of dreams/visions who comes up with the ideal engine run on a cheap power source, H 2 O. His invention produces the domino effect. Big business becomes threatened and shady characters enter his life, uninvited. Oil companies don't want competition. This thread of the story line looks like it was taken from today's headlines. Now that gas is looming at $5 dollars a gallon, what would happen if this invention came out today?
A good movie provokes thought and discussion. The Water Engine deserves to be out on DVD and gain a bigger audience. I hope some company will put this movie out soon.
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