Witness (1985)

User Rating:

7.6/10   

Director:

Peter Weir

Writers:

William Kelley (story) and
Pamela Wallace (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

8 February 1985 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance | Thriller

Tagline:

Harrison Ford is John Book - A big city cop who knows too much. His only evidence: a small boy who's seen too much...

Plot:

A young Amish boy is sole witness to a murder; policeman John Book goes into hiding in Amish country to protect him until the trial.

Plot Keywords:

Amish | Murder | Police | Train | Love

Awards:

Won 2 Oscars. Another 10 wins & 25 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Fri. Nov. 13

7:30 AM

AMC

Cast

Harrison Ford	...	Det. Capt. John Book
Kelly McGillis	...	Rachel Lapp
Josef Sommer	...	Chief Paul Schaeffer
Lukas Haas	...	Samuel Lapp
Jan Rubes	...	Eli Lapp
Alexander Godunov	...	Daniel Hochleitner
Danny Glover	...	Det. Lt. James McFee
Brent Jennings	...	Det. Sgt. Elden Carter
Patti LuPone	...	Elaine
Angus MacInnes	...	Det. 'Fergie'
Frederick Rolf	...	Stoltzfus
Viggo Mortensen	...	Moses Hochleitner
John Garson	...	Bishop Tchantz
Beverly May	...	Mrs. Yoder
Ed Crowley	...	Sheriff
Timothy Carhart	...	Zenovich
Sylvia Kauders	...	Tourist Lady
Marian Swan	...	Marilyn Schaeffer
Maria Bradley	...	Casey Schaeffer
Rozwill Young	...	T-Bone, Suspect in Bar
Paul S. Nuss	...	Amish Man
Emily Mary Haas	...	Amish Woman
Fred Steinharter	...	Amish Man
John D. King	...	Amish Man
Paul Goss	...	Amish Man
Annemarie Vallerio	...	Amish Woman
Bruce E. Camburn	...	Amish Man
William Francis	...	Townsman
Tom Kennedy	...	Ticket Seller at Station (as Tom W. Kennedy)
Ardyth Kaiser	...	Couple in Garage
Thomas Quinn	...	Couple in Garage
Eugene Dooley	...	Detective
Victoria Scott D'Angelo	...	Detective
Richard Chaves	...	Homicide Detective
Tim Moyer	...	Detective
Nino Del Buono	...	Detective
James Frank Clark	...	Detective (as James Clark)
Joseph Kelly	...	Detective
Norman Carter	...	Detective
Craig Clement	...	Detective
Robert Earl Jones	...	Pop, Witness at Station
Michael Levering	...	Hoodlum
Cara Giallanza	...	Hoodlum
Anthony Dean Rubes	...	Hoodlum
Bernie Styles	...	Hot Dog Counterman
Blossom Terry	...	Mother at Station
Jennifer Mancuso	...	Little Girl at Station
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Nancy Kirk	...	Crying Amish woman at funeral (uncredited)

Directed by
Peter Weir

Writing credits
William Kelley		(story) and
Pamela Wallace		(story) &
Earl W. Wallace		(story)
Earl W. Wallace		(screenplay) &
William Kelley		(screenplay)

Produced by
David Bombyk	....	co-producer
Edward S. Feldman	....	producer
Wendy Stites	....	associate producer (as Wendy Weir)

Original Music by
Maurice Jarre

Cinematography by
John Seale		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Thom Noble

Casting by
Dianne Crittenden

Production Design by
Stan Jolley

Set Decoration by
John H. Anderson		(as John Anderson)

Makeup Department
Leland V. Crawford	....	hair stylist
Marie Delrusso	....	makeup artist
Michael Hancock	....	makeup supervisor (as Michael A. Hancock)
Bette Iverson	....	supervising hair stylist (as Bette L. Iverson)
Jay Cannistraci	....	additional makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Ted Swanson	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Pamela M. Eilerson	....	second assistant director (as Pamela Eilerson)
David McGiffert	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Carlos Acosta	....	props (as Carlos L. Acosta)
Frank L. Brown	....	lead man
Craig Edgar	....	set designer
David Goldman	....	props (as David M. Goldman)
Robert Krume	....	construction coordinator

Sound Department
Pamela Bentkowski	....	foley editor
Alan Bromberg	....	foley editor
Norval D. Crutcher	....	sound effects editor (as Norval Crutcher)
Don Digirolamo	....	sound re-recording mixer
Humberto Gatica	....	sound recording mixer
Robert Glass	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Bob Glass)
Cecelia Hall	....	supervising sound effects editor
Frank Howard	....	sound effects editor
Robert Knudson	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Buzz Knudson)
Alan L. Nineberg	....	sound effects editor
Andrew Patterson	....	sound effects editor
Bruce Richardson	....	sound effects editor (as Paul Bruce Richardson)
Fred Stafford	....	adr supervisor
Barry Thomas	....	sound mixer (as Barry D. Thomas)
George Watters II	....	supervising sound effects editor
Forest Williams	....	boom operator (as Forrest R. Williams)
Edward M. Steidele	....	foley artist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Charles E. Dolan	....	special effects supervisor
John R. Elliott	....	special effects

Stunts
Gary Epper	....	stunt coordinator
Gary Epper	....	stunts
Anderson Martin	....	stunts
Bob Minor	....	stunts
Glenn R. Wilder	....	stunt coordinator (as Glenn Wilder)
Vic Armstrong	....	stunt double: Mr. Ford (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Charlie Clifton	....	camera operator: second unit (as Chuck Clifton)
Lawrence K. Freeman	....	electrical best boy
Chaim Kantor	....	second assistant camera
Robin P. Knight	....	key grip (as Robin Knight)
Dan Lerner	....	camera operator
Bruce MacCallum	....	first assistant camera
Bernie Schwartz	....	dolly grip
Gary Tandrow	....	gaffer (as Gary B. Tandrow)
Josh Weiner	....	still photographer

Casting Department
Elina deSantos	....	location casting: Philadelphia
Tom Scott	....	location casting: Lancaster
Ilene Starger	....	casting associate
Gail Walton	....	location casting: Philadelphia

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Paula Cain	....	costumer
Dallas D. Dornan	....	costume supervisor
Shari Feldman	....	costume supervisor
Michael W. Hoffman	....	costumer

Editorial Department
Michael Amundsen	....	apprentice editor
Joan E. Chapman	....	assistant editor
Bob Noland	....	color timer
Jane Moran	....	first assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Richard Stone	....	supervising music editor

Transportation Department
Clifford D. Hill	....	transportation

Other crew
Eugene Dooley	....	police advisor (as Capt. Eugene Dooley)
Nora Dunfee	....	dialect consultant: Amish
Eyal Geva	....	assistant: Mr. Weir
Cara Giallanza	....	production assistant
John D. King	....	advisor: Amish
Michael Klastorin	....	publicist
Michael John Meehan	....	location manager (as Michael Meehan)
Michel Mention	....	assistant: Maurice Jarre
Judith Pritchard	....	secretary to Mr. Swanson (as Judy Pritchard)
Sandra Rabins	....	production auditor
Diane Schneier	....	production assistant
Gloria Slate	....	assistant: Mr. Feldman and Mr. Bombyk
Lynn Stewart	....	production assistant
Ruth Tighe	....	production assistant
Cynnie Troup	....	script supervisor
Hope Williams	....	script supervisor
T.J. Healy II	....	production assistant (uncredited)

Thanks
Dick Thornburgh	....	thanks (as Governor Dick Thornburgh)

Production Companies

• Paramount Pictures (presents)
• Edward S. Feldman Production

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1985) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1989) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1985) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (1985) (Argentina) (VHS)
• CIC Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• Paramount Filmes do Brasil (Brazil) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Segue Music  supervising music editor
• Todd-AO Studios  sound re-recording (as Todd-AO)
• Record Plant Scoring  scoring
• Varèse Sarabande  soundtrack (as Varèse Sarabande Records and Cassettes)
• Pennsylvania Department of Commerce, The Office of Film Promotion  the producers wish to express thier appreciation for the assistance and cooperation of (as The Pennsilvania Film Bureau Department of Commerce)
• Pacific Title  titles and opticals
• White Gloves  negative cutting

Also Known As:

Called Home (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

112 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | German

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Australia:M | South Korea:15 | USA:R (certificate #27540) | Sweden:11 | Argentina:13 | Ireland:15 | Peru:14 | Singapore:NC-16 | UK:15 | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

30th Street Station - 3001 Market Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

Viggo Mortensen's feature film debut.

Goofs:

Continuity: The first time Book goes to Strasburg with Eli to use the phone, the initial shot shows the horse and buggy pulling into a "parking space." On the next shot, we watch John exit the buggy and walk toward the phone. As John passes the horse, we see that the horse has been been chained to hold it in place. As John passes the horse and group of people, we see Eli exit the buggy, then walk up to join the group. How the horse got chained, or who did it, is unexplained.

Quotes:

Eli Lapp: What you take into your hand, you take into your heart.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Nanny: Yetta's Letters (#6.18)" (1999)

Soundtrack:

(WHAT A)WONDERFUL WORLD

topnotch

This is one of those movies whose virtues and subtleties become more and more apparent with subsequent viewings. The crime story is nothing more than a pretense - a "MacGuffin", in Hitchcock's phrase - on which to hang this sensitive and insightful story of the conflict between modernity and the culture of the Amish, which is portrayed here with admiring respect and not a hint of condescension.

Harrison Ford's portrayal of John Book is perhaps his finest work on screen so far. In particular, Book's struggle to suppress his rising attraction for Rachel, and his tormented realization that a relationship between them is not possible, is achingly portrayed. Ford's effort is well-matched by Kelly McGillis, whose beauty here is almost breathtaking. The erotic interplay between them, because it is consummated, gives off an almost painful tension, and the easily lampooned "running through the field" scene - because it has been led up to so convincingly - is almost heartbreaking. The character of Eli Lapp, wonderfully played by Jan Rubes, is richly multifaceted. His suspicion of the "English" outsider and his anger at Rachel's attraction to him, is surmounted by an underlying humanity. His parting words to Book, "You be careful out there among them English," are moving testimony to his acceptance of him. His stern yet loving dialogue to his grandson about renouncing hatred and violence is a treasured moment.

Both direction and cinematography are spendid. The simplicity of Amish interiors is shot in a way that makes its austerity almost beautiful, and the barnraising scene is an exercise in cinematic lyricism.

It would be easy to fault the movie for the facile scene in which the punks taunting of Book's newfound friends and protectors drives him over the edge (Eli: "It's not our way, Book" Book: "No, bit it's MY way."), but his gift to the young thug of a bloody nose is mighty satisfying to behold.

My one criticism is with the music; certainly not with the venerable Maurice Jarre's score itself, but with its paltry synthesized realization. They should have found the money to spring for a full orchestra.

In short, a highly satisfying, richly themed, and multifacted film which is well worth watching.