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:

The voice of the man in the tweed jacket who interrogates Michelle in her apartment is dubbed by Roman Polanski.

Goofs:

Plot holes: In the airport scene with Michelle, Walker is terrified that the drug-sniffing dogs will find dope in their suitcase. Michelle assures Walker that there are no drugs, and the dogs walk by calmly. Walker seems to have forgotten that he's carrying at least a gram of cocaine in his pocket, which the police dogs don't notice either.

Quotes:

Richard Walker: Dede's been dead for over 12 hours.
Michelle: How do you know? What are you, a doctor?
Richard Walker: No corpse stinks that much after only 12 hours. Take my word for it. Yes, I am a doctor.

Movie Connections:

References Peur sur la ville (1975)

Soundtrack:

The More I See You

An enjoyably stylish film that is quite thrilling without resorting to gimmicks or tricks

Richard and Sondra Walker return to Paris for the first time since their honeymoon for him to attend a medical conference. While Richard is in the shower, Sondra leaves the hotel and vanishes. Unsure of where she has gone or if she left under duress or not, Richard begins a search that quickly reveals that she has gone missing. A mix-up with luggage and a smuggled substance lead him into the life of the mysterious Michelle who is more mixed up with his wife's disappearance than she lets on.

I have seen this film several times and I think the fact that it isn't a spectacularly gimmicky film is a big part of the reason why it doesn't really stick in my mind over the years. For this reason I watched it again yesterday as I'd forgotten most of the plot and felt it would be like seeing it all over again for the first time. The film takes the simple plot and uses the 'object' as a McGuffin of sorts of quite a big chunk of the film – we don't need to know why his wife has been kidnapped, only that Richard is desperate to get her back and is sucked into a situation he knows nothing of. In this regard the film really works well and manages to keep the pace up even if some of the characters are difficult to fit into the narrative. As a story it lacks fireworks and has a rather understated feel but it still works really well and I enjoyed the simplicity of the story combined with the ease with which it involved me.

The cast are good but it is Ford's film and he leads it really well. He convinces as the man becoming increasingly 'frantic' and he manages to involve humour as his character becomes savvier about what is happening and also appears to be seedier and less professional as a result! Seigner is good even if her character is easier to play; she is a fun character and her performance is good. Outside of these two, few are memorable and it is to their credit (mostly Ford's) that the film is still strong regardless. Other familiar faces include Pinon, Weeks and Huddleston.

Overall this is a solid little thriller that is rather old fashioned in it's telling. It relies on good set pieces within a good mystery plot rather than explosions or car chases and is much more satisfying as a result. Small bits of it don't totally come together but the overall effect is one of a simple film that is delivered with style and is enjoyable to watch.