The Presidio (1988)

User Rating:

5.7/10   

Director:

Peter Hyams

Writer (WGA):

Larry Ferguson (written by)

Release Date:

10 June 1988 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

THE PRESIDIO ARMY BASE, SAN FRANCISCO. When a landmark of historic tradition becomes the scene of a shocking murder, a military commander and a street-tough cop are forced into action... against the killer, the mysterious past, and each other.

Plot:

Jay Austin is now a civilian police detective. Colonel Caldwell was his commanding officer years before...

Plot Keywords:

Army | Detective | Presidio | Chase | Female Nudity

Cast

Sean Connery	...	Lt. Col. Alan Caldwell
Mark Harmon	...	Jay Austin
Meg Ryan	...	Donna Caldwell
Jack Warden	...	Sgt. Maj. Ross Maclure
Mark Blum	...	Arthur Peale
Dana Gladstone	...	Col. Paul Lawrence
Jenette Goldstein	...	Patti Jean Lynch
Marvin J. McIntyre	...	MP Zeke
Don Calfa	...	Howard Buckely
John DiSanti	...	Det. Marvin Powell
Robert Lesser	...	Sgt. Mueller
James Hooks Reynolds	...	George Spota
Curtis W. Sims	...	Sgt. Garfield
Rick Zumwalt	...	Bully in Bar
Rosalyn Marshall	...	Lawrence's Secretary

Also Known As:

The Presidio: The Scene of the Crime (UK)

Runtime:

97 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

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

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Singapore:NC-16 | Canada:14+ (Ontario - 2006) | South Korea:15 | Netherlands:16 | Australia:M | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Finland:K-16 | France:U | Norway:15 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R | West Germany:16

Filming Locations:

San Francisco, California, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

Originally meant to star Sir Sean Connery and Don Johnson, but Johnson had to drop out due to scheduling conflicts with "Miami Vice" (1984). Mark Harmon was brought in as a last-minute replacement.

Goofs:

Continuity: The same few stuntmen keep getting knocked down over and over during the Chinatown chase.

Quotes:

Thug (unknown): Who the hell do you think you are?
Sgt. Major Ross Maclure: I'm the Infantry, sonny.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Game K N B: (2007-03-03)" (2007)

Soundtrack:

That Old Black Magic

Great Chase Scenes Highlight an Engrossing Film

I would be giving this film a 10 out of 10 if it weren't for the relative letdown of the ending which does not quite resonate the way it should have.

But this small disappointment does nothing to erase the first hour of the film which brims with great characterization, great acting and great direction.

Peter Hyams chose to pace his film with two great chase scenes which are so well directed, they should be studied by younger filmmakers who think fast cutting and CGI somehow makes action scenes exciting.

Shot with long takes and real stunts, the car chase is a model of great action directing that takes your breath away even after the tenth viewing. As for the foot chase scene, it is so well-paced (kudos to Hyams' editor Jim Mitchell) that you can still see everything in spite of the frenetic action (again a craft that is totally lost in most of today's disappointing action films) Extra tip of the hat should also go to Bruce Broughton for his inspired and powerful score.