Against All Odds (1984)

Director:

Taylor Hackford

Writers:

Daniel Mainwaring (1947 screenplays)
Eric Hughes (writer)

Release Date:

2 March 1984 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Crime | Drama | Romance | Thriller

Tagline:

She was a beautiful fugitive. Fleeing from corruption. From power. He was a professional athlete past his prime. Hired to find her, he grew to love her. Love turned to obsession. Obsession turned to murder. And now the price of freedom might be nothing less than their lives.

Plot:

A gangster hires an ex-football player to find his girlfriend. When he finds her, they fall in love, and the twists start to appear.

Plot Keywords:

Nudity | Beautiful Woman | American Football | Neo Noir | Remake

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 2 nominations

Cast

Rachel Ward	...	Jessie Wyler
Jeff Bridges	...	Terry Brogan
James Woods	...	Jake Wise
Alex Karras	...	Hank Sully
Jane Greer	...	Mrs. Grace Wyler
Richard Widmark	...	Ben Caxton
Dorian Harewood	...	Tommy
Swoosie Kurtz	...	Edie
Saul Rubinek	...	Steve Kirsch
Pat Corley	...	Ed Phillips
Bill McKinney	...	Head Coach Stassen
Allen Williams	...	Bob Soames
Sam Scarber	...	Assistant Coach Sam
Jon St. Elwood	...	Ahmad Cooper
Tamara Stafford	...	Kirsch's Girlfriend
Jonathan Terry	...	Ryskind
Paul Valentine	...	Councilman Leonard Weinberg
Ted White	...	Security Guard with Dog
Stone Bower	...	Security Guard
Mel Scott-Thomas	...	Quarterback
Barnetta McCarthy	...	Receptionist #1
Ginger LaBrie	...	Receptionist #2
David Dayan	...	Car Valet
Tom Kelly	...	Football Announcer
Kid Creole	...	Kid Creole (as August Darnell)
Adriana Kaegi	...	Coconut
Cheryl Poirier	...	Coconut
Taryn Hagey	...	Coconut
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Coati Mundi	...	Kid Creole's Band (uncredited)

Directed by
Taylor Hackford

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Eric Hughes		writer
Daniel Mainwaring		1947 screenplay

Produced by
Jerry Bick	....	executive producer
Bill Borden	....	associate producer
William S. Gilmore	....	producer
Taylor Hackford	....	producer
Gene Rudolf	....	consulting producer

Original Music by
Larry Carlton
Michel Colombier

Cinematography by
Donald E. Thorin

Film Editing by
Fredric Steinkamp
William Steinkamp

Casting by
Nancy Klopper

Production Design by
Richard Lawrence

Set Decoration by
Garrett Lewis

Costume Design by
Michael Kaplan

Makeup Department
Dorothy J. Pearl	....	makeup consultant
Marina Pedraza	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Jim Cranston	....	production manager
Tom Joyner	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
William M. Elvin	....	second assistant director
Stephen J. Fisher	....	first assistant director: second unit
Thomas J. Mack	....	first assistant director
Nilo Otero	....	dga trainee

Art Department
Chris Butler	....	lead man
Emily Ferry	....	property master
Howard Hester	....	construction coordinator
Gregory Pickrell	....	set designer
William Ladd Skinner	....	set designer (uncredited)

Sound Department
Gary Alexander	....	sound re-recording mixer
Jim Bullock	....	sound editor
Don Coufal	....	boom operator
Chris Jenkins	....	sound re-recording mixer
Tom C. McCarthy	....	sound editor
Richard Oswald	....	adr editor
Larry Stensvold	....	sound re-recording mixer
Don S. Walden	....	sound editor
Jeff Wexler	....	sound mixer
Vanessa Theme Ament	....	foley artist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Joseph P. Mercurio	....	special effects

Stunts
Jophery C. Brown	....	stunt driver (as Jophery Brown)
David Burton	....	stunt driver
William H. Burton	....	stunt driver (as Bill Burton)
Carl Ciarfalio	....	stunt double: Sully
Bud Davis	....	stunt driver
Bud Davis	....	stunts
Gary Davis	....	stunt coordinator
Buddy Joe Hooker	....	stunt driver
Hubie Kerns Jr.	....	stunts
Carey Loftin	....	stunt driver: Ferrari
Charlie Picerni	....	stunt driver (as Charles Picerni)
Ronnie Rondell Jr.	....	stunt driver (as Ronnie Rondell)
Dennis Scott	....	stunt driver
Glenn R. Wilder	....	stunt driver (as Glenn Wilder)
Dick Ziker	....	stunt driver
Loyd Catlett	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
James F. Boyle	....	gaffer
John Burnett	....	second assistant camera: additional photography
Pat Campea Jr.	....	key grip: second unit
Earl L. Clark	....	camera operator
Craig Denault	....	camera operator
Frank P. Flynn	....	photographer: second unit
Daniel C. Gold	....	second assistant camera
Rob Hahn	....	first assistant camera
Daniel R. Jordan	....	key grip
Nick Kurges	....	second grip
Dan Lerner	....	Steadicam operator
Elliott Marks	....	still photographer
Edward R. Nedin	....	best boy (as Ed Nedin)
Jeffrey W. Petersen	....	electrician
James M. Sheppherd	....	dolly grip (as Jim Sheppherd)
Ronald Vidor	....	Steadicam operator
Fred M. Waugh	....	camera operator: second unit

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Julie Starr Dresner	....	key costume supervisor
James Lapidus	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Don Brochu	....	assistant editor
Sheri Eisenberg	....	digital mastering colorist
Rick Meyer	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Curt Sobel	....	supervising music editor

Transportation Department
Chris Haynes	....	driver
Jim Kirby	....	driver: camera car, second unit (as James Kirby)
David Marder	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Richard Davis Jr.	....	location manager
Ron Lambert	....	supervising lab timer
Jerri Lauridsen	....	assistant: Mr Hackford
Gail Martin-Sheridan	....	production accountant
Booker McClay	....	publicist
Dan Perri	....	title designer
June Samson	....	script supervisor
Jill Vandermeer	....	production office coordinator

Production Companies

• Columbia Pictures Corporation
• New Visions Pictures

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures (1984) (USA) (theatrical)
• RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video (1984) (USA) (VHS)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1986) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Columbia TriStar (Brazil) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar (Brazil) (VHS)
• LK-TEL (Argentina) (video)

Other Companies

• Atlantic Records  soundtrack
• Movie Magic  titles
• Pacific Title  opticals

Runtime:

128 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Singapore:M18 | USA:R (Certificate #27136) | UK:15 (theatrical rating) | UK:18 (video rating) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Canada:R (Ontario) | South Korea:18 | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Chile:18 | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 (1984) | Peru:18 | Sweden:15 | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Chichén Itzá, Yucatán, Mexico

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

"Against All Odds" won Phil Collins the Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance in 1985, and it was also nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song. Collins was the only nominee in the category not invited to sing his song on stage, and sat in the audience as Ann Reinking performed it. His perceived negative reaction shown on the telecast is considered to be one of the most awkward moments in the history of the ceremony, and has been a favorite reference for Dennis Miller to relate someone reacting in a horrified fashion.

Goofs:

Continuity: In "The Palace" scene where "Kid Creole & the Coconuts" are performing, Terry leaves the main floor and goes into Jake's office. The song playing in the background "Curiosity" skips a beat when heard muffled in Jake's office.

Quotes:

Jessie Wyler: He said the only way I'd get away from him would be to kill him.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The Best of Film Noir (1999) (V)

Soundtrack:

MAKING A BIG MISTAKE

One of my all-time favorites!

I give this movie a 10. I'm a longtime fan of Jeff Bridges, and this is one of his best. Jeff is the only good guy surrounded by bad guys and worse guys. Even the women are treacherous, except Swoosie Kurtz, who plays a kind of pathetic, lonely secretary. "Against All Odds" is a remake of an older film, but they've done a nice job updating it. There are so many twists and turns in the plot, it will keep you guessing right up to the end.

I don't want to give anything away, but there's a great car chase scene that will have you on the edge of your seat. There are some nice scenes of the ruins at Chichen Itza (in Mexico) and the beautiful island of Cozumel before it became a tourist trap. The soundtrack is great too.

I've seen this movie at least 10 times on video, maybe more. When I first saw it in the theater in 1984 I hadn't even heard of James Woods before. He is truly a plus in this picture, in fact all the cast is really good. Even though this is in the category of "Romance" it's not a chick-flick. Guys will like it too.