Frantic (1988)

Director:

Roman Polanski

Writers:

Roman Polanski (writer) &
Gérard Brach (writer)
(more)

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:

Doctor | Missing Wife | Espionage | Loss Of Friend | Kidnapping

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
Jean-Pierre Delage	...	Florist
Marc Dudicourt	...	Cafe Owner
Artus de Penguern	...	Waiter
Dominique Pinon	...	Wino
Richard Dieux	...	Desk Cop
Yves Rénier	...	Inspector
Robert Ground	...	U.S. Security Officer
Bruce Johnson	...	Marine Guard
Michael Morris	...	U.S. Embassy Clerk
Claude Doineau	...	U.S. Embassy Clerk
John Mahoney	...	U.S. Embassy Official
Jimmie Ray Weeks	...	Shaap
Alan Ladd	...	Bellboy 3
André Quiqui	...	Blue Parrot Barman (as Andre 'Quiqui')
Thomas M. Pollard	...	Rastafarian
Böll Boyer	...	Dede Martin
Tina Sportolaro	...	TWA Clerk
David Huddleston	...	Peter
Alexandra Stewart	...	Edie
Robert Barr	...	Irwin
Patrick Floersheim	...	Man in Leather
Marcel Bluwal	...	Man in Tweed
Isabelle Soimaud	...	Houseboat Owner (as Isabelle Noah)
Yorgo Voyagis	...	The Kidnapper
David Jaul	...	The Bodyguard
Jean-Claude Houbart	...	Dead Driver (as Jean-Claude Houbard)
Raouf Ben Amor	...	Dr. Metlaoui
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Stéphane Copeau	...	Extra (uncredited)

Directed by
Roman Polanski

Writing credits
Roman Polanski		(writer) &
Gérard Brach		(writer)
Robert Towne		uncredited and
Jeff Gross		uncredited

Produced by
Tim Hampton	....	producer
Thom Mount	....	producer

Original Music by
Ennio Morricone

Cinematography by
Witold Sobocinski

Film Editing by
Sam O'Steen

Production Design by
Pierre Guffroy

Costume Design by
Anthony Powell

Makeup Department
Jean-Max Guérin	....	hair stylist
Sophie Harvey	....	assistant makeup artist
Didier Lavergne	....	chief makeup

Production Management
Claude Albouze	....	unit manager
Daniel Szuster	....	production manager
Jean-Yves Asselin	....	unit manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Yves Baignères	....	third assistant director
Michel Cheyko	....	first assistant director
Michel Ferry	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Jean-François Cousson	....	propman
Alain Guyard	....	production buyer
Roland Jacob	....	production buyer
Gérard James	....	set dresser
Alain Laude	....	propman
Marcel Laude	....	property master
René Loubet	....	construction manager
Félix Placenti	....	production buyer
Albert Rajau	....	assistant art director
Gérard Viard	....	assistant art director
Jean-Yves Rabier	....	assistant art director (uncredited)

Sound Department
Jean-François Auger	....	sound re-recording mixer
Roberto Garzelli	....	assistant dialogue editor
Jean Gouldier	....	sound editor
Dean Humphreys	....	sound re-recording mixer
Matthieu Imbert	....	boom operator
Jean-Pierre Lelong	....	sound effects
Denis Martin	....	boom operator
Eric Mauer	....	assistant sound editor
Martine Mory	....	dialogue editor
Laurent Quaglio	....	supervising sound editor
Jean-Pierre Ruh	....	production sound mixer
Jim Shields	....	dialogue editor

Stunts
Vic Armstrong	....	stunts
Daniel Breton	....	stunt arranger
Rémy Julienne	....	stunt double: car stunts
Wendy Leech	....	stunt double
Vic Armstrong	....	stunt double: Mr. Ford (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Florent Bazin	....	focus puller: second unit
François Duhamel	....	still photographer
Marcel Gellier	....	key grip
Jean Harnois	....	camera operator
Marc Koninckx	....	Steadicam operator
François Lauliac	....	focus puller
Pascal Lebègue	....	director of photography: second unit
Yvon Sausseau	....	key grip
Isabelle Scala	....	camera loader
Jacques Touillaud	....	chief electrician
Jérôme Touillaud	....	best boy

Casting Department
Marie-Sylvie Caillierez	....	casting assistant: France
Margot Capelier	....	casting: France
Luc Etienne	....	crowd casting
Bonnie Timmermann	....	casting: USA

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Julie Faraday	....	assistant costume designer
Laurence Guindollet	....	wardrobe assistant
Françoise Marechal	....	wardrobe assistant
Bernard Minne	....	wardrobe assistant
Germinal Rangel	....	wardrobe master

Editorial Department
Denis Coq	....	second assistant editor
Glenn Cunningham	....	first assistant editor
Nadja Sassi	....	second assistant editor
Yvan Lucas	....	color timer (uncredited)

Music Department
Suki Buchman	....	assistant music editor
Nanni Civitenga	....	musician: electric bass
Enrico DeMelis	....	music coordinator (as Enrico De Melis)
Sergio Marcotulli	....	music recording engineer
Ennio Morricone	....	conductor
Ennio Morricone	....	orchestrator
Suzana Peric	....	music editor
Giovanni Santucci	....	musician: flugelhorn
Mike Deasy	....	musician (uncredited)

Other crew
Monique Albouze	....	publicity coordinator
Sylvette Baudrot	....	continuity
Marie-Odile Bertot	....	production accountant
Claude Challe	....	nightlife advisor
Isabelle Dassonville	....	production coordinator
Quinn Donoghue	....	unit publicist
Todd Gallagher	....	movie mount
Brian Gibbs	....	production accountant
Derf La Chapelle	....	choreographer
Hoang Le Van	....	production accountant
Marie McFerran	....	production coordinator
Françoise Piraud	....	production assistant: Mr. Polanski
Catherine Riviere	....	production assistant: Mr. Mount
Olivier Thaon	....	location manager
Louise Vincent	....	dialogue coach
Paul Witz	....	front projectionist

Production Companies

• Warner Bros. Pictures
• Mount Company, The

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures (1988) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1992) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Warner Bros. Finland (1988) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1988) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (Argentina) (VHS)
• Sandrews (1999) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Warner Bros. (Spain)
• Warner Home Video (1998) (Netherlands) (DVD) (rental)
• Warner Home Video (1999) (Netherlands) (DVD) (retail)
• Warner Home Video (19??) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (video)
• Warner Home Vídeo (1999) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Cinécam  camera equipment provided by
• Elektra Records  soundtrack
• Euro-Titres  titles and opticals
• Forum Studio  music recorded at
• S.I.S.  re-recorded digitally at (as S.I.S Studios, France)
• Transpalux  lighting
• Unione Musicisti di Roma  music performed by

Also Known As:

Frantic (France)

Runtime:

120 min

Country:

USA | France

Language:

English | French

Color:

Color

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: The match from the matchbook sounds like a wooden match when it falls after Dr. Walker checks his watch with it.

Quotes:

Hotel Detective Le Grand Hotel: Have you and your wife been to Paris before?
Richard Walker: Yes, on our honeymoon.
Hotel Detective Le Grand Hotel: Is it possible she met someone here? Someone she has been thinking about?
Richard Walker: Since June 15th, 1964?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Gynaikes dilitirio (1993)

Soundtrack:

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

A great 80's film from one of the world's best directors

I highly recommend this film to this site members and visitors so that they can appreciate an excellent drama-thriller combination from director Roman Polanski. This film shows one of Harrison Ford's best, if not his best performance ever, and the introduction of Emmanuelle Seigner, whose character plays the most important role in the movie. Though the story takes place in a beautiful city, Polanski takes you to Paris' ordinary dark streets and alleys, and also gives us a realistic view of how good or dangerous people can be. Up to this day, I really don't know why this movie has not been that popular in the U.S. and even less why it didn't get nominated for any major awards when it was well done. Now that Polanski is popular again, I hope movie collectors take the chance to see why he is one of the greatest of all time.