The Package (1989)

Director:

Andrew Davis

Writer (WGA):

John Bishop (written by)

Release Date:

25 August 1989 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

He's one man racing against time to stop the most explosive conspiracy in history.

Plot:

Experienced Green Beret sergeant Johnny Gallagher is escorting a prisoner, Airborne Ranger Thomas Boyette, back to the US, but Boyette escapes and Gallagher must risk life and limb to catch him.

Plot Keywords:

Prisoner | Escape | Sergeant | Airport | Ex Wife

Cast

Gene Hackman	...	Sgt. Johnny Gallagher
Joanna Cassidy	...	Eileen Gallagher
Tommy Lee Jones	...	Thomas Boyette
John Heard	...	Col. Glen Whitacre
Dennis Franz	...	Lt. Milan Delich
Pam Grier	...	Ruth Butler
Kevin Crowley	...	Walter Henke
Ron Dean	...	Karl Richards
Nathan Davis	...	Soviet Press Secretary
Chelcie Ross	...	Gen. Hopkins
Joe Greco	...	Gen. Carlson
Ike Pappas	...	Himself
Marco St. John	...	Marth
Reni Santoni	...	Chicago Police Lieutenant
Michael Skewes	...	MP
Johnny Lee Davenport	...	MP
Juan Ramírez	...	Thug
Miguel Nino	...	Thug
Mik Scriba	...	Thug
Thalmus Rasulala	...	Secret Service Commander
Joe Guzaldo	...	Press Secretary Rogers
Michael Tomlinson	...	Johnny's Field Soldier
Cody Glenn	...	Johnny's Field Soldier
Harry Lennix	...	Johnny's Field Soldier
Carlos Sanz	...	Johnny's Field Soldier
Diane Timmerman	...	Female Backpacker
Charles Mueller	...	Male Backpacker
Wilhelm von Homburg	...	West Berlin Police Lieutenant (as Wilhelm von Homberg)
Anatoli Davydov	...	Soviet Colonel (as Anatoly Davydov)
William Musyka	...	Soviet General
Gary Berkovich	...	Soviet General
Allen Hamilton	...	American General
Greg Noonan	...	Command Post Commander
Harry Teinowitz	...	Command Post Soldier
Don James	...	Command Post Soldier
Gary Goldman	...	Command Post Soldier
Katherine Lynch	...	Henke's Wife
Mary Seibel	...	Henke's Mother
Joe D. Lauck	...	Sen. Bruce
Dick Cusack	...	Secretary of State
Boris Leskin	...	Soviet Foreign Minister
Danny Goldring	...	Undercover Bum
Gregory Alan Williams	...	Col. Woods
Jack Kandel	...	Soldier with Orders
Nicholas Kusenko	...	Gen. Carlson's Aide (as Nick Kusenko)
Tina Gluschenko	...	Henke's Girlfriend
John W. Hardy	...	Skycap (as John Hardy)
Henry Godinez	...	Lockup Police Officer
Kathryn Joosten	...	Waitress
Oksana Fedunyszyn	...	Eileen's Secretary (as Oksana Fedunszyn)
Ralph Foody	...	Building Manager
Mike Bacarella	...	Paramedic
Steve Barbro	...	Hotel Police Officer
Eddie Bo Smith Jr.	...	Ft. Belvoir Duty MP
Greg Goossen	...	Soldier in Provost Marshal's Office
Dennis Cockrum	...	Computer Technician
Ivory Ocean	...	Washington D.C. Police Officer
Metta Davis	...	Washington D.C. Witness
Alex Ross	...	Liquor Store Clerk
Will Zahrn	...	Nazi Goon
Michael Gaylord James	...	Nazi Goon
Nancy Baird	...	Mrs. Delich, Milan's Wife
Gene Barge	...	Secret Service Agent
Walter Markley	...	Secret Service Agent
Otto von Wernherr	...	East German Army Lieutenant
Hilda McLean	...	Old German Woman
Leon Samoilovich	...	Soviet Security Agent
Dmitri Polytnsev	...	Translator
Lana Berkovich	...	Translator
John D'Amico	...	Soviet General Secretary
Ray Allen	...	United States President
Christine Cassel	...	Speaker at Governor's Conference
Billy Bosco	...	Milan's Son
Chad Smith	...	Milan's Son
Phillip Prerost	...	Hospital Police Officer
Jack Gold	...	Governor
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Tony Castillo	...	Diplomat (uncredited)
Alan Roger Currie	...	Military Officer (uncredited)
Larry Nazimek	...	Soviet Colonel (uncredited)
Alison Vesely	...	Woman at Funeral (uncredited)
Mark Williams	...	Miltary Officer (uncredited)
Gary Yates	...	Newspaper Reporter (uncredited)

Directed by
Andrew Davis

Writing credits (WGA)
John Bishop		(written by)

Produced by
Beverly J. Camhe	....	producer
Andrew Davis	....	co-producer
James A. Dennett	....	associate producer
Dennis Haggerty	....	co-producer
Tobie Haggerty	....	producer
Charles Newirth	....	associate producer (as Charles J. Newirth)
Arne Schmidt	....	executive producer (as Arne L. Schmidt)

Original Music by
James Newton Howard

Cinematography by
Frank Tidy

Film Editing by
Billy Weber
Don Zimmerman

Casting by
Nan Charbonneau
Louis DiGiaimo
Richard S. Kordos

Production Design by
Michel Levesque

Art Direction by
Colleen Kennedy
Wynn Thomas

Set Decoration by
Rick Gentz		(as Rick T. Gentz)

Costume Design by
Marilyn Vance		(as Marilyn Vance-Straker)

Makeup Department
Rodger Jacobs	....	makeup artist
Ron Scott	....	hair stylist
Kathe Swanson	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Charles Newirth	....	production manager (as Charles J. Newirth)
Wolfgang Bajorat	....	production manager: Germany (uncredited)
Frank Dragun	....	unit manager: Germany (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Julie Chandler	....	assistant director: second unit
Tom Davies	....	assistant director: second unit
Frank Davis	....	additional second assistant director
James A. Dennett II	....	second second assistant director
James A. Dennett	....	second unit director
Craig Huston	....	first assistant director
Terry Leonard	....	second unit director
Gabriele Mattner	....	assistant director
Nilo Otero	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Maher Ahmad	....	visual consultant
Alan Broadbent	....	stand-by painter
Rick Caprarelli	....	lead man
David J. Chamerski	....	property assistant
Connie Chera	....	storyboard artist
William Dambra	....	assistant property master
William B. Fosser	....	set designer
Harry N. Haase	....	head painter
Rick Ladomade	....	property assistant (as Richard Ladomade)
Douglas E. Madison	....	property master (as Douglas Madison)
Bundy Trinz	....	set designer
Kenneth Turek	....	lead man
Andrew Zawacki	....	construction coordinator
Michael Tonke	....	prop buyer: Germany (uncredited)

Sound Department
Richard L. Anderson	....	supervising sound editor (as Richard Anderson)
Mary Andrews	....	adr editor
Karen M. Baker	....	assistant sound editor (as Karen Baker)
Gregg Barbanell	....	foley artist
Ron Bartlett	....	foley editor
Michael J. Benavente	....	sound editor
Destiny Borden	....	assistant sound editor
Linda Corbin	....	foley mixer
Burness Dembrowski	....	sound editor (as Bunny Speakman)
Ezra Dweck	....	sound effects recordist
Christopher Flick	....	foley editor
Gary S. Gerlich	....	sound editor
Mike Haney	....	sound re-recordist
Kimberly Harris	....	adr editor
Dale R. Janus	....	boom operator (as Dale Janus)
Rick Kline	....	sound re-recording mixer
Elliott Koretz	....	sound editor (as Elliot L. Koretz)
Gregg Landaker	....	sound re-recording mixer
Steve Maslow	....	sound re-recording mixer
Sarah Monat	....	foley artist
Daniel Richter	....	sound technician (as Danny Richter)
Gary Ritchie	....	sound re-recordist
Solange S. Schwalbe	....	foley editor (as Solange Schwalbe Boisseau)
Scott D. Smith	....	production sound mixer
Jeffrey A. Williams	....	boom operator (as Jeffrey Williams)

Special Effects by
Rodman Kiser	....	special effects
Tom Ryba	....	special effects coordinator
Tom Tokunaga	....	special effects

Stunts
Troy Brown	....	stunts
Brian Burrows	....	stunts
Hank Calia	....	stunts
Jeannie Epper	....	stunts
Donna Evans	....	stunts
Terry Jackson	....	stunts
William T. Lane	....	stunts (as Bill Lane)
Rick Le Fevour	....	stunts
Terry Leonard	....	stunt coordinator (as Terry J. Leonard)
Stacy Logan	....	stunts
Tom Milanovich	....	stunts
Jeff Ramsey	....	stunts
Larry Randles	....	stunts (as Larry Randals)
Joe Stone	....	stunts
Jim Wilkey	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
William Allen Jr.	....	grip
William L. Allen Sr.	....	best boy grip (as Bill Allen)
Sam Barkan	....	rigging gaffer
Art Bartels	....	key grip
Sam Bertone	....	rigging gaffer
James Blanford	....	camera operator
James Blanford	....	photographer: second unit (as Jimmy Blanford)
Alphonse Blumenthal	....	best boy electric
Steve Bradarich	....	video assist operator
Rick Brown	....	grip (as Richard Brown)
Joe Carroll	....	second assistant camera (as W. Joe Carroll)
Dominic Contursi	....	electrician
Daniel Crededio	....	rigging best boy (as Dan Crededio)
Eugene F. Crededio	....	chief lighting technician
Ronald Crededio	....	electrician (as Ron Crededio)
Gerrit Dangremond	....	panaglide operator
Robert W. Faison	....	additional assistant camera (as Robert Faison)
Anthony Joseph Fatigato	....	rigging gaffer (as Tony Fatigato)
Will Gatlin	....	electrician
Brian C. Glover	....	first assistant camera (as Brian Glover)
Mauricio Gutierrez	....	second assistant camera
Lawrence Hammer	....	rigging gaffer (as Larry Hammer)
Steven Hiller	....	additional assistant camera (as Steve Hiller)
Mark Hogan	....	grip
Charles Jimenez	....	electrician
Michael Kohnhorst	....	first assistant camera
George Kohut	....	photographer: second unit
Gregory Lundsgaard	....	panaglide operator
Don Riozz McNichols	....	electrician (as Don Rio McNichols)
Donald E. Miller	....	grip
Frank Miller	....	camera operator (as Frank M. Miller)
Deana Newcomb	....	still photographer (as Deanna Newcomb)
William R. Nielsen Jr.	....	additional assistant camera (as William Nielsen)
John Rigden	....	rigging gaffer (as John Rigdon)
Tom Rigden	....	rigging gaffer (as Tommy Rigdon)
John S. Robertson	....	dolly grip
Bill Sears	....	grip
Eddie Bo Smith Jr.	....	rigging gaffer
Joe Tomko Jr.	....	grip (as Joseph Tomko Jr.)
James Zenk	....	still photographer (as Jim Zenk)

Casting Department
Barbara Harris	....	voice casting
Marla Shertz Wilson	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
George L. Little	....	costume supervisor
Carolyn Schraut-Barczak	....	costumer
Cheryl Weber	....	costumer
Mark Peterson	....	key costumer (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Gary Burritt	....	negative cutter
Paul Cichocki	....	assistant editor
Phil Hetos	....	color timer
Kevin Nolting	....	assistant editor
Lauren A. Schaffer	....	assistant editor (as Lauren Schaffer)

Music Department
Bruce Babcock	....	orchestrator
Chris Boardman	....	orchestrator
Stu Cantor	....	music supervisor: Buttermilk Sky Associates Inc.
Brad Dechter	....	orchestrator
Sandy DeCrescent	....	music contractor (as Sandy Decrescent)
Murray Deutsch	....	music supervisor: Buttermilk Sky Associates Inc. (as Murray Deutch)
Nancy Fogarty	....	music editor
Marty Paich	....	conductor
Marty Paich	....	orchestrator
Ross Pallone	....	score engineer
Robert Schaper	....	score engineer (as Robert Schape)
Andrew Silver	....	assistant music editor
Dan Wallin	....	score engineer
John Rotondi	....	scoring engineer: Y4 (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Robert A. Hogan	....	transportation captain
Patrick Nallon	....	transportation captain (as Patrick J. Nallon)
James Riccio	....	transportation coordinator (as James A. Riccio)
Robert Wallace	....	driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Chris Albrecht	....	set assistant
Stephen Andrzejewski	....	location scout
Jacqueline G. Arthur	....	assistant: Marilyn Vance-Straker (as Jackie Arthur)
Marge Benton	....	technical advisor
Brian W. Boyd	....	office assistant
Dru Anne Carlson	....	script supervisor
Eugene Carroll	....	technical advisor: Center for Defense Information (as Rear Admiral Eugene Carroll)
Christine Cassel	....	technical advisor: Physicians for Social Responsibility (as Christine Cassell)
Allegra Clegg	....	production coordinator
Herb Cohen	....	technical advisor
James A. Dennett II	....	assistant: Mr. Davis (as Jamey Dennett)
Lauri Feldman	....	assistant production coordinator
Joe Heniff	....	set assistant
Fred Horne	....	technical advisor
Bob Hudgins	....	location manager
Jay Johnson	....	title designer
Shelley Kirkwood	....	unit publicist
Joseph F. Kosala	....	technical advisor (as Joe Kosala)
Ross L. Kulma	....	first aid
Sophia Lansky	....	additional voices
Michael J. Malone	....	location manager (as Michael Malone)
Walter Markley	....	technical advisor
Michael Mason	....	synclavier programmer
Marila Meggett	....	assistant accountant
Kimberly K. Miller	....	location scout
Bridget Murphy	....	financial representative
Nancy Newman	....	office assistant
Caryn Plotke	....	set assistant
Heather Pollock	....	set assistant
Gary Ryder	....	extras coordinator
Edward Schillinger	....	set assistant
Al Sigoloff	....	technical advisor
George Simkowski	....	marketing coordinator
Cheryl A. Stone	....	production accountant (as Cheryl Stone)
Michael Sudalnik	....	craft service (as Michael J. Sudalnik)
Robyn K. Taylor	....	office assistant
Teresa Tucker-Davies	....	assistant: Mr. Davis (as Teresa Tucker)
Jacqueline Verdeven	....	extras coordinator (as Jackie Verdeven)
Thomas Hezel	....	trainee (uncredited)
Steve Kraus	....	dailies projectionist (uncredited)
Omar McClinton	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Rick Washburn	....	weapons coordinator (uncredited)

Thanks
Kit Bernardi	....	special thanks: The Chicago Hilton and Towers
James Cunningham	....	special thanks: Chicago Police Department
Kathryn Darrell	....	special thanks: Chicago Office of Film and Entertainment
Willy Egger	....	special thanks
Thomas Flanagan	....	special thanks: Chicago Police Department
Charles Geocaris	....	special thanks: Chicago Office of Film and Entertainment
Suzy Kellet	....	special thanks: Illinois Film Office (as Suzy Kellett)
Janet Kerrigan	....	special thanks: Illinois Film Office
Lynne Madison	....	special thanks
Richard Moskal	....	special thanks: Illinois Film Office
Herb Nagel	....	special thanks: The Chicago Hilton and Towers
James Riccio	....	in fond memory of (as James A. Riccio)
Peter Schurla	....	special thanks: Chicago Police Department (as Lt. Pete Schurla)
Carson Pirie Scott	....	special thanks
Gerhard Seibert	....	special thanks: The Chicago Hilton and Towers

Production Companies

• Orion Pictures Corporation

Distributors

• 20th Century Fox (1990) (France) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox of Germany (1990) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Cinematografica Distributori Indipendenti (CDI) (1989) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Orion Pictures Corporation (1989) (worldwide) (theatrical)
• Svensk Filmindustri (SF) (1989) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• 4 Front Video (1994) (France) (VHS)
• 4 Front Video (1994) (Germany) (VHS)
• 4 Front Video (1994) (UK) (VHS)
• Cecchi Gori Home Video (2004) (Italy) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (????) (Italy) (video)
• Image Entertainment (????) (USA) (video)
• MGM Home Entertainment (Europe) (2000) (UK) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (1998) (Canada) (VHS)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2003) (Canada) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2000) (Germany) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2000) (France) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1998) (USA) (VHS)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (USA) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (USA) (laserdisc)
• Nordisk Film (2001) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Orion Home Video (1999) (Japan) (VHS)
• Orion Home Video (video)
• RCA/Columbia Pictures International Video (1990) (Germany) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Chicago Audio Works  production sound services
• Victor Duncan  camera equipment provided by

Runtime:

108 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour (Astrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Singapore:PG | Spain:7 | Australia:M | USA:R (certificate #29795) | Finland:K-16 | Norway:15 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | West Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Chicago, Illinois, USA

Company:

Orion Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

Kris Kristofferson campaigned hard to get the role of the Airborne Ranger that went to Tommy Lee Jones.

Goofs:

Factual errors: Violation of military uniform regulations: Lt.Col. Gallagher's hair is way out of standard (should be coiffed so as to be off the collar) and the General's hair in the beginning is too long. Wearing of a cover (hat) is not allowed indoors except by Military Police and guard duty, yet Sgt. Gallagher is wearing his prior to being placed on house arrest.

Quotes:

Soviet Colonel: [speaking in Russian] What's now?
Col. Glen Whitacre: [driver pulls over and stops car] Why are we stopping, Sergeant?
MP: Sorry sir, just checking the map.
[produces pistol and shoots both passengers dead]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Intimate Portrait: Pam Grier" (1999)

Soundtrack:

I Don't Know

Intriguing cold war movie with the timing a little off

Tommy Lee Jones is "The Package," a prisoner that Gene Hackman is returning to the United States from Germany in this 1989 film also starring Joanna Cassidy, Dennis Franz and John Heard. The United States and the Soviet Union are in the midst of delicate peace negotiations, but there are factions of the military who don't want to see it happen. Jones is Tommy Boyette, their hired assassin who, through an intricate plot, is supposed to kill the soviet premier. Boyette escapes via a mens room while the Hackman character, Johnny Gallagher, is returning him to the states. Gallagher starts investigating; it's not long before he's uncovered the plot.

This is a very good movie with some exciting sequences and lots of tension, as Gallagher finds himself and everyone around him in tremendous danger as he figures out what's going on. He has the help of his ex-wife (Joanna Cassidy) who is in the military, and a Chicago police officer, played by Dennis Franz.

The problem with this film is in its timing - it was released in August 1989 in the U.S., and in November of that year, the Berlin Wall came down, rendering the film dated -- and it had only been released in two countries by then. It's nevertheless a well-acted, well-directed film. Seen today, it holds up better as a story set in the past than it did a story set in a present that was changing dramatically.