Firefox (1982)

Director:

Clint Eastwood

Writers:

Craig Thomas (novel)
Alex Lasker (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

18 June 1982 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Thriller | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

His job...Steal it.

Plot:

A pilot is sent into the Soviet Union on a mission to steal a prototype jet fighter that can be partially controlled by a neuralink

Plot Keywords:

Aerial Combat | Nordenfelt Gun | Directed By Star | Underground | Mind Control

Cast

Clint Eastwood	...	Mitchell Gant
Freddie Jones	...	Kenneth Aubrey
David Huffman	...	Captain Buckholz
Warren Clarke	...	Pavel Upenskoy
Ronald Lacey	...	Semelovsky
Kenneth Colley	...	Colonel Kontarsky
Klaus Löwitsch	...	General Vladimirov
Nigel Hawthorne	...	Pyotr Baranovich
Stefan Schnabel	...	First Secretary
Thomas Hill	...	General Brown
Clive Merrison	...	Major Lanyev
Kai Wulff	...	Lt. Colonel Voskov
Dimitra Arliss	...	Natalia
Austin Willis	...	Walters
Michael Currie	...	Captain Seerbacker

Runtime:

136 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby (35 mm prints) | 70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints)

Certification:

Spain:T | Canada:PG (Ontario) | West Germany:16 | USA:PG (certificate #26725) | Australia:PG (DVD rating) | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 (1982) | Singapore:PG | Sweden:15 | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Cut Bank, Montana, USA

Company:

Malpaso Company, The

Trivia:

Prior to the release of the movie, the cover art for the novel "Firefox" showed an aircraft similar to a MiG-25 Foxbat. After the release of the movie, the cover art was updated to reflect the design of the movie version of the aircraft. There really is a MiG-31, and it's a modified version of the MiG-25.

Goofs:

Errors in geography: There's no Kirov str. within walking range by Kolomenskaya metro station.

Quotes:

[Kontarsky has arrived in the hanger, and spotted Gant in the cockpit of the MIG-31]
Col. Kontarsky: Doors. Close the doors!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Twisted (1986)

Something different for Eastwood

Firefox isn't your usual Eastwood film, he's almost branching out into Star Wars territory here with this Sci-Fi heavy Cold War Spy thriller. The effects like every 80's film have dated badly but for a movie made in 1982 they are rather good. Eastwood directs himself in what is a pretty average performance by his own high standards. The majority of the cast is made up by British character actors. Warren Clarke is really good but Freddie Jones and Nigel Hawthorne are pretty hammy. Also Raiders of the Lost Ark fans can spot Ronald Lacey playing Semelovsky a Jewish scientist. The first half of the film is a spy thriller and can be pretty nail biting at times as Clint gets his papers checked at regular intervals. Also he's suffering from the same post Vietnam War disorder that John Rambo had in First Blood and that really adds to the tension. The second half is more like Star Wars and is really great stuff. So better ice up at a cold one and enjoy Firefox for what it is, Cold War entertainment at it's best.