Midnight Run (1988)

Director:

Martin Brest

Writer (WGA):

George Gallo (written by)

Release Date:

20 July 1988 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Comedy | Crime | Thriller

Tagline:

A tough bounty hunter. A sensitive criminal.

Plot:

An accountant is chased by bounty hunters, the FBI, and the Mafia after jumping bail.

Plot Keywords:

Bounty Hunter | FBI | Accountant | Mafia | Cross Country

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Golden Globes. Another 1 win

Cast

Robert De Niro	...	Jack Walsh
Charles Grodin	...	Jonathan Mardukas
Yaphet Kotto	...	FBI Agent Alonzo Mosely
John Ashton	...	Marvin Dorfler
Dennis Farina	...	Jimmy Serrano
Joe Pantoliano	...	Eddie Moscone
Richard Foronjy	...	Tony Darvo
Robert Miranda	...	Joey
Jack Kehoe	...	Jerry Geisler
Wendy Phillips	...	Gail
Danielle DuClos	...	Denise Walsh
Philip Baker Hall	...	Sidney
Tom McCleister	...	Bill 'Red' Wood (as Thom McCleister)
Mary Gillis	...	Bus Ticket Clerk
John Toles-Bey	...	Monroe Bouchet
Thomas J. Hageboeck	...	Sergeant Gooch
Stanley White	...	Stanley
Scott McAfee	...	Boy on Plane
Linda Margules	...	Car Rental Clerk
Lois Smith	...	Mrs. Nelson
Fran Brill	...	Dana Mardukas
Michael Hawkins	...	FBI Surveillance Agent #1 (as Michael Gainsborough)
John Hammil	...	FBI Surveillance Agent #2
Lou Felder	...	Airline Pilot
Cameron Milzer	...	Stewardess #1
Sonia M. Roberts	...	Stewardess #2
Sam Sanders	...	Train Porter
Frank Pesce	...	Carmine
Paul Joseph McKenna	...	Ohio Policeman
Matt Jennings	...	Jason
Rosemarie Murphy	...	Coffee Shop Waitress
Jack N. Young	...	Amarillo Desk Sergeant
Robert Coleman	...	Native American
William Robbins	...	Native American
Wilfred Netsosie	...	Native American
Sherman L. Robbins	...	Native American
Dale Beard Jr.	...	Native American
Thomas Nez	...	Native American
Richard Gonzalez	...	Bar Cashier
Bill Fritz	...	Bar Customer
Pete Jensen	...	Flagstaff Police Captain
Andy Charnoki	...	Flagstaff Sheriff
Tracey Walter	...	Diner Counter Man
Robert Vento	...	Serrano Bodyguard
Joe 'Tippy' Zeoli	...	Serrano Bodyguard
James Portolese	...	Serrano Bodyguard (as Jim Portese)
Armando Muniz	...	Serrano Bodyguard
Dan York	...	Las Vegas FBI Agent #1
Rowdy Burdick	...	Las Vegas FBI Agent #2
Varnoy Lee	...	Airport Porter
Bob Maroff	...	L.A. Taxi Driver
Tom Irwin	...	FBI Agent Perry
Jimmie Ray Weeks	...	FBI Agent Tuttle (as Jimmy Ray Weeks)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Martin Brest	...	Airline Ticket Clerk (uncredited)
Lisa Burnett	...	Undercover Cop (uncredited)
Jock L. Schloss	...	Day Player (uncredited)

Directed by
Martin Brest

Writing credits (WGA)
George Gallo		(written by)

Produced by
Martin Brest	....	producer
William S. Gilmore	....	executive producer
Dan York	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Danny Elfman

Cinematography by
Donald E. Thorin		(as Donald Thorin)

Film Editing by
Chris Lebenzon
Michael Tronick
Billy Weber

Casting by
Michael Chinich
Bonnie Timmermann

Production Design by
Angelo P. Graham		(as Angelo Graham)

Art Direction by
James J. Murakami

Set Decoration by
George R. Nelson

Costume Design by
Gloria Gresham

Makeup Department
Dino Ganziano	....	hair stylist: second unit
Frank Griffin	....	makeup artist
Christine Lee	....	hair stylist (as Chris Lee)
Daniel C. Striepeke	....	makeup artist (as Dan Striepeke)

Production Management
Bill Borden	....	production supervisor: New Zealand
Margaret Hilliard	....	production manager: New Zealand
Larry Powell	....	unit production manager
Murray Schwartz	....	unit production manager
Jeff Stolow	....	production manager: New York (as Jeffrey Stolow)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Bryan Denegal	....	second assistant director (as Bryan K. Denegal)
Alan Edmisten	....	second assistant director
William M. Elvin	....	first assistant director (as Bill Elvin)
Grant Gilmore	....	second second assistant director
Vicki Jackson-Lemay	....	second assistant director (as Vicki Jackson Lemay)
Britt Lomond	....	second assistant director: second unit
Glenn Randall Jr.	....	second unit director (as Glenn H. Randall Jr.)
Stan Zabka	....	first assistant director: second unit
Jerry Ziesmer	....	first assistant director
Charles Brescia	....	second second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
David Aaron	....	assistant property master
Robert J. Carlyle	....	construction foreman
Roger Dietz	....	stand-by painter
Emily Ferry	....	property master
Peter J. Kelly	....	set designer
Donald Krafft	....	lead man
Bill Luckey	....	assistant property master (as Bil Luckey)
David J. Negron	....	production illustrator
Roderick Nunnally	....	stand-by painter (as Rod Nunnally)
Roger Pancake	....	property master: second unit
Clarence Lynn Price	....	construction coordinator (as Lynn Price)
Mark Wade	....	property master
John Ballowe	....	assistant art director (uncredited)
Mychael Bates	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Christopher Gilman	....	props (uncredited)
Sean Haworth	....	art department assistant (uncredited)
Greg Knapp	....	construction medic (uncredited)
Brick Mason	....	storyboard artist (uncredited)
Timothy W. Tiedje	....	property master: Chicago (uncredited)

Sound Department
Greg Agalsoff	....	boom operator
Steve Agalsoff	....	cable person
James R. Alexander	....	sound mixer (as Jim Alexander)
Rick Alexander	....	supervising re-recording mixer
James Bolt	....	sound re-recording mixer
Joel Fein	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Joel Fien)
Glenn Hoskinson	....	sound editor
Daniel J. Leahy	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Dan Leahy)
Andy MacDonald	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Andrew McDonald)
Ian MacGregor-Scott	....	sound editor
Cindy Marty	....	dialogue editor
Andrew Patterson	....	sound editor (as Andy G. Patterson)
Christy Richmond	....	assistant sound editor
Albert Romero	....	sound recordist (as Albert L. Romero)
David Spence	....	sound editor
Greg Stacy	....	sound editor
John Stacy	....	supervising sound editor
Marvin Walowitz	....	sound editor
Denise Whiting	....	adr editor (as Denise Whiting-Gontz)
David A. Whittaker	....	supervising sound editor (as David Whittaker)
Karen G. Wilson	....	sound editor (as Karen Wilson)
Kyle Wright	....	sound editor
Thomas Paul Croce	....	foley artist (uncredited)
Steve Kohler	....	sound (uncredited)
Solange S. Schwalbe	....	sound editor (uncredited)
Thomas Whiting	....	adr editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Roy Arbogast	....	special effects supervisor
David Blitstein	....	special effects
Gaile R. Brown	....	special effects
Jeff Frink	....	special effects
Tom Love	....	special effects
Paul Sabourin	....	special effects
Neil Smith	....	special effects
Randy Cabral	....	special effects (uncredited)
Robert Cole	....	special effects hydraulic foreman (uncredited)

Stunts
Pete Antico	....	stunt double: Robert DeNiro
Geoff Brewer	....	stunts (as Geof Brewer)
Tony Brubaker	....	stunts
Blair Burrows	....	stunts
Brian Burrows	....	stunts
Richard E. Butler	....	stunts (as Dick Butler)
Roydon Clark	....	stunts
Erik Cord	....	stunts
Justin De Rosa	....	stunts
Greg Wayne Elam	....	stunts (as Greg Elam)
Corey Michael Eubanks	....	stunts (as Corey Eubanks)
Clifford Happy	....	stunts (as Cliff Happy)
Bill Hart	....	stunts
Gene Hartline	....	stunts
Orwin C. Harvey	....	stunts (as Orwin Harvey)
Kent Hays	....	stunts
Eddie Hice	....	stunts
Larry Holt	....	stunts
Mike Johnson	....	stunts
William T. Lane	....	stunts (as Bill Lane)
John Moio	....	assistant stunt coordinator
John Moio	....	stunts
Glenn Randall Jr.	....	stunt coordinator (as Glenn H. Randall Jr.)
Spiro Razatos	....	stunts (as Spiro Razados)
Mario Roberts	....	stunts
Thomas Rosales Jr.	....	stunts (as Tom Rosales)
Dennis Scott	....	stunts
Jerry Summers	....	stunts
Neil Summers	....	stunts
Rock A. Walker	....	stunts
Dick Warlock	....	stunts
Gary J. Wayton	....	stunts (as Gary Wayton)
Jim Wilkey	....	stunts
Spiro Razatos	....	stunt double (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Matthew E. Alper	....	second assistant camera (as Matthew Alper)
Holly Bower	....	still photographer
James F. Boyle	....	gaffer (as Jim Boyle)
Jeffrey R. Clark	....	assistant camera: second unit (as Jeff Clark)
Steve Clark	....	second key grip
Peter Davidian	....	best boy
Daniel Dayton	....	assistant camera: second unit (as Danny Dayton)
Richard Foreman Jr.	....	still photographer (as Richard Foreman)
Michael Gershman	....	camera operator (as Michael E. Gershman)
Daniel C. Gold	....	first assistant camera (as Dan Gold)
Rob Hahn	....	camera operator
Frank M. Holgate	....	aerial photographer: second unit (as Frank Holgate)
Robin P. Knight	....	key grip (as Robin Knight)
T. Sano Kwong	....	second key grip
Montey Menapace	....	best boy (as Montey F. Menapace)
David L. Merrill	....	dolly grip
Stephen G. Shank	....	camera operator: second unit
Robert Sordal	....	key grip: second unit
John M. Stephens	....	aerial cinematographer: second unit
John M. Stephens	....	director of photography: second unit
Frank Byrne	....	additional second assistant camera (uncredited)
Russell Caldwell	....	best boy: New York (uncredited)
Paolo Cascio	....	second assistant camera (uncredited)
Richie Ford	....	gaffer: New York (uncredited)
Dave Friedman	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Roland Neveu	....	additional still photographer (uncredited)
Joe A. Ponticelle	....	first assistant camera (uncredited)

Casting Department
Jane Alderman	....	casting: Chicago
Shelley Andreas	....	casting: Chicago
Jeff Block	....	casting assistant: New York (as Jeffrey Block)
David Gonzales	....	casting associate
Barbara Harris	....	voice casting
Catherine Holzer-Ballowe	....	location casting (as Cathie J. Holzer)
Barbara L. Roche	....	location casting
Suzanne Ryan	....	casting assistant: New York
Mark A. Ridge	....	extras casting (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
James M. George	....	costumer: men, second unit (as Jimmy George)
Oda Groeschel	....	costumer
G. Tony Scarano	....	costume supervisor (as Tony Scarano)

Editorial Department
Michael Amundsen	....	assistant editor
Vaune Kirby Frechette	....	assistant editor (as Vaune Kirby)
Ron Lambert	....	color timer
Angie Luckey	....	apprentice editor
Craig A. Nelson	....	assistant editor
Ray Sabo	....	negative cutter
Steve Kraus	....	editing systems technician (uncredited)

Music Department
Bob Badami	....	music editor
Steve Bartek	....	orchestrator (as Steven Bartek)
Julian Bratolyubov	....	music copyist
Chuck Domanico	....	musician
Michael Fisher	....	musician (as Mike Fisher)
John Goux	....	musician
Ralph Grierson	....	musician
Julie Hall	....	assistant music editor
Johnny 'Vatos' Hernandez	....	musician: drums (as John "Vatos" Hernandez)
Ira Ingber	....	musician
Bill Jackson	....	score mixer
Paul Jackson Jr.	....	musician
John 'Juke' Logan	....	musician
Frank Marocco	....	musician
Neil Stubenhaus	....	musician (as Neal Stubenhaus)

Transportation Department
Richard L. Dresser	....	transportation captain
Sam Edelman	....	transportation coordinator
Ron Reed	....	transportation captain
Tim Roslan	....	transportation coordinator
Gary Edelman	....	driver: honeywagon (uncredited)

Other crew
Jean Barash	....	assistant: Mr. Gilmore
John Bensberg	....	craft service
Trixie Bourne	....	assistant: Mr. De Niro
Pat Chapman	....	production coordinator
Terri Clemens	....	production coordinator: Chicago
Patrick J. Conley	....	assistant location manager: New York
John Craig	....	production accountant: second unit
Mitchell El Mahdy	....	first aid (as Mitchel El-Mahdy)
Nancy Erger	....	production assistant: second unit
Skip Fink	....	highway coordinator: Arizona
Stuart Fink	....	unit publicist
Cliff Fleming	....	pilot
Ellen Fontana	....	assistant: Mr. York (as Ellen Myers Erwin)
Robert J. Forshaw	....	production assistant
Wilma Garscadden-Gahret	....	script supervisor
Todd M. Gavin	....	production assistant: second unit (as Todd Gavin)
Paula Gilmore	....	production coordinator: second unit
Cathy Haft	....	location manager: New York
Bill Hansen	....	highway coordinator: Arizona
Trevor Haysom	....	location manager: New Zealand
K.C. Hodenfield	....	production assistant
Diane Krakower	....	assistant: Mr. Brest (as Diane Dougherty)
Stevie Lazo	....	assistant production accountant (as Stevie Lazo Harrison)
Greg Lazzaro	....	location manager
Mark McCarville	....	assistant location manager: New York
Louis Molina	....	craft service
Marie Morales	....	liaison: Navajo
Denise Morgan	....	assistant production accountant
Joe Murphy	....	production accountant
Kathleen Newport	....	script supervisor: second unit
John Panzarella	....	location manager (as John Angelo Panzarella)
Peter Pastorelli	....	location manager: New York
Dan Perri	....	title designer
Alysen Pyne	....	production assistant: Los Angeles
Ross Reynolds	....	aerial coordinator: second unit
Ross Reynolds	....	pilot
Fran Roy	....	production administrator: second unit
Allan Schmidt	....	highway coordinator: Arizona
David N. Schrager	....	production assistant (as David Schrager)
Mark Steensland	....	production assistant
Rob Stevens	....	assistant production coordinator
Cathy K. Stoia	....	production coordinator: New York (as Cathy Stoia)
Bill Warren Jr.	....	pilot
Stanley White	....	technical advisor (as Sgt. Stanley White)
June Wilhelm	....	production assistant: Arizona/Nevada
Salvatore Carino	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Evelyn Fitzgerald	....	assistant production coordinator: New York (uncredited)
Steve Kraus	....	dailies projectionist (uncredited)
Alan Potashnick	....	personal assistant: Robert DeNiro (uncredited)
Todd Turner	....	production assistant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• City Light Films
• Universal Pictures

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1988) (USA) (theatrical)
• Svenska Filminstitutet (SFI) (1988) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1988) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• United Pictures Finland (1988) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Esselte Video (1990) (Finland) (VHS)
• Mainostelevisio (MTV3) (1992) (Finland) (TV)
• Nordisk Film (2000) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Finland Oy (2004) (Finland) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Nordic (2004) (Sweden) (DVD)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (2007) (USA) (DVD) (HD-DVD)
• CIC Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar (Brazil) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Cinema Research  titles and opticals
• For Stars Catering  catering
• Hansard  background compositing
• MCA Records  soundtrack

Runtime:

126 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Canada:14+ (Ontario) | South Korea:18 | Philippines:R-18 | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 (video rating) | USA:R | West Germany:12 | UK:15 (original rating) | Spain:T

Filming Locations:

Cameron, Arizona, USA

Company:

City Light Films

Trivia:

Danny Elfman wrote lyrics for the end credits theme "Try to believe". He sang the lead and recorded it with his band Oingo Boingo under the guise of "Mosley & the B-men". This version only appears on the soundtrack album. It was mixed by Brian Foraker

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: When Dorfler takes the duke to the airfield after taking him away from Jack, the duke tells him that he can't fly. Dorfler tells him to sleep on it and knocks him out with a punch. The sound of the punch is noticeably out of synch with the punch.

Quotes:

[first lines]
[Jack trying to pick door lock. He drops one of his picks. When he bends over to pick it up, a gun shot is fired through the door, right where his head had been previously]
Jack Walsh: Shit!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Sydney (1996)

One of the best 'mismatched buddy' genre movies of the period

Jack Walsh is an ex-cop turned bounty hunter working for bail-bondsman Eddie Moscone. Looking for another job to bring in, Jack is presented with an ex-mob accountant, Jonathon Mardukas, who has ripped off the mafia for millions of dollars and has gone on the run. Using the very basic tricks of his trade, Jack easily finds and catches his man and prepares to transport him back to Moscone and collect his pay. However, with the FBI, the mafia and other bounty hunters all looking to bring in Jonathon for differing reasons, Jack has a hard road ahead of him – and that's before he discovers Jonathon's phobias about planes.

In terms of cinema, I remember the 80's for one main genre – the buddy movie; the genre continues today but that is my overriding memory of the films I saw during this time and since then from the period. Hardly a dynamic hotbed or imagination and innovation, the genre did throw up many films that are quite enjoyable if you meet them on their own terms and it did occasionally produce some that are very enjoyable and still stand up years later – for a combination of reasons, Midnight Run is one of these and, for my money is a great street smart comedy. Of course it is still a genre film but the plot is well written combining a reasonably engaging story with a fun series of set pieces. While it is not laugh our loud funny apart from maybe once or twice what it does manage is to have a comic tone to it and a great sense of fun and energy throughout. It is hard to describe but it is one of those films that just feels comfortable and fun to watch.

A major part of this is the fantastic playing of the actors – the cast and their chemistry go a long way to making this a better film that it may have been in other, less able, hands. De Niro plays his well-practiced tough guy but allows himself to be the butt of humour if not out and out jokes. What he (and the writers) did very well was to keep the audience on his side even though he was basically transporting Jonathon to his death! He comes off as a likable guy and De Niro takes what many other actors have made into a clichéd part and really made it his own. His easy chemistry with Grodin also helps a lot and the two really so work together thanks to a good comic performance from him. Of course in a more serious film, Jonathon as he was would be very unrealistic but Grodin's delivery suits the material and tone of the film perfectly. The support cast are all given minor roles to share out and they all contribute in their own little way. Kotto gives plenty of laughs with a minor character. Ashton has less time and a less likable character but still does OK; Farina could not look more 'mob' if he tried; Pantoliano swears a lot and is amusing while minor roles for the like of Walters and Hall add to the cast in cameos. While the film has a deep cast, it really belongs to De Niro and Grodin, both of whom really deliver and have an easy chemistry between them befitting the genre.

If I had a complaint it would be the sheer volume of swear words in the film; the first time I saw it was on ITV (that most notorious of editors – they cut whole scenes out of Die Hard due to swearing!) and it was cut to shreds with plenty of badly dubbed lines and scenes just removed due to language. Personally I'm not overly bothered by it but it is such a fun film that it seems a shame to make it unsuitable for children by such liberal use of the F word (one or two can be forgiven but every other word pretty much makes it unsuitable), but I suppose it is all part of the tough but fun tone of the film and I enjoy it regardless.

Overall this is not one of the greatest films ever nor one of De Niro's best but it is a very, very good genre film and, in my mind, stands out from many other buddy-style movies that have been made in the crime/thriller sort of mould. The plot mixes a good story with many fun set pieces and keeps a solidly enjoyable pace all the way through while a roundly strong cast all make better use of the script than lesser actors could have done. A very enjoyable genre film and one that I will keep coming back to due to its reliable mix of pace, energy, fun and excitement.