Frantic (1988)

User Rating:

6.7/10   

Director:

Roman Polanski

Writers:

Roman Polanski (writer) &
Gérard Brach (writer)

Release Date:

26 February 1988 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

They've taken his wife. Now he's taking action.

Plot:

A doctor and his wife go to Paris for a medical conference. While showering, his wife disappears. His lack of language...

Plot Keywords:

Paris | Doctor | Husband Wife Relationship | Amateur Sleuth | Loss Of Friend

Cast

Harrison Ford	...	Dr. Richard Walker
Betty Buckley	...	Sondra Walker
Emmanuelle Seigner	...	Michelle
Djiby Soumare	...	Taxi Driver
Dominique Virton	...	Desk Clerk
Gérard Klein	...	Gaillard
Stéphane D'Audeville	...	Bellboy
Laurent Spielvogel	...	Hall Porter
Alain Doutey	...	Hall Porter
Jacques Ciron	...	Le Grand Hotel Manager
Roch Leibovici	...	Bellboy 2
Louise Vincent	...	Tourist
Patrice Melennec	...	Hotel Detective Le Grand Hotel
Ella Jaroszewicz	...	Restroom Attendant
Joëlle Lagneau	...	Florist

Also Known As:

Frantic (France)

Runtime:

120 min

Country:

USA | France

Language:

English | French

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:14 | Iceland:16 (video rating) | Germany:12 | Netherlands:12 | Norway:15 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Finland:K-12 | France:U | Peru:14 | Singapore:NC-16 | Spain:T | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R | Ireland:15

Filming Locations:

Le Grand Hotel Inter Continental, 2 rue Scribe, Paris 9, Paris, France

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

Director Cameo: [Roman Polanski]the taxi driver who hands over the matches to Dr. Walker.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Walker climbs on the roof to Michelle's apartment, the suitcase comes open and her belongings pour out, sliding down the roof and to the ground many floors below. The Statue of Liberty model can be clearly seen flying over the edge, hitting the dormer of a window, and launching out into the courtyard. However, a few minutes later, once we have learned the statue's importance, it is still lying on that dormer, and Walker and Michelle must climb out to get it, risking their lives.

Quotes:

Richard Walker: You can talk about this in front of Michelle. She knows more about it than you do.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Gynaikes dilitirio (1993)

Soundtrack:

San Francisco (Be Sure To Wear Some Flowers In Your Hair)

Quiet, but intense and quite excellent

The title does not 100 percent reflect the atmosphere of the film. Yes, as Ford's character rummages through a strange city looking for his kidnapped wife he does become "frantic", it is in a very quiet fashion. No screaming or fits of hysterics, but you can sense it in Ford's acting. Speaking of acting, this film is almost all Ford and Emmanuelle Seigner, very few of the supporting characters make much of a mark here. For me, the most intriguing part is the almost total lack of chemistry between those two characters. Though they are in most of the second half of the film together, neither one cares a rip about the other's wish (him=to get his wife back, her=to get her money). But if you think about it, how much would a young, drug-pushing European girl and a middle-aged, successful American doctor have in common anyway? Theirs is an inspired pairing, and a very good movie is the result. Watch this one.