Witness (1985 film)

Witness (1985 film)

Infobox Film
name = Witness


director = Peter Weir
writer = Earl W. Wallace
William Kelley
Pamela Wallace (story)
starring = Harrison Ford
Kelly McGillis
Lukas Haas
Danny Glover
Jan Rubes
Josef Sommer
producer = Edward Feldman
editing = Thom Noble
music = Maurice Jarre
distributor = Paramount Pictures
released = 8 February, 1985
runtime = 112 min.
language = English
budget = $12,000,000 (estimated)
imdb_id = 0090329

"Witness" is a 1985 American thriller film released by Paramount Pictures, and starring Harrison Ford, Kelly McGillis and Lukas Haas. It was also the feature film debut of Viggo Mortensen, who appeared in a minor role. Directed by Australian Peter Weir (his first American film), it was filmed in Philadelphia, Strasburg and Intercourse, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. It was rated R in USA for language, violence, and brief nudity. The soundtrack was composed and realized by Maurice Jarre.

The film won Academy Awards for Best Original Screenplay and Film Editing. Weir and Ford received nominations for Best Director and Best Actor respectively, and the film was nominated for Best Picture.

On August 23 2005, a special collector's edition DVD was released 20 years after the film's release.

ummary

Rachel Lapp (McGillis), an Amish widow, her father-in-law Eli (Jan Rubes), and her young son Samuel (Haas) are grieving at the funeral of Eli's son and Rachel's husband, Jacob. Days later, Rachel takes Samuel to visit her Mennonite sister in Baltimore. At the railway station in Philadelphia, little Samuel witnesses a brutal murder in a restroom. The police, led by Captain John Book (Ford), learn that Samuel is the sole witness. Book explains to the child that the man who was killed was a policeman and asks what he saw. Samuel knows only that there were two other men in the restroom, one of whom had a large build and had black skin like Book's partner Sergeant Elton Carter (Brent Jennings).

Book and Carter take Rachel and Samuel to a bar in West Philadelphia, over Rachel's objections, to see if Samuel can identify a local suspect whom Book and Carter have had run-ins with. When this proves unsuccessful, Book takes the pair to the home of his sister Elaine (Patti Lupone) for the night. The next day, Book takes Samuel to the police station to look at mugshots and suspect lineups where Samuel is unable to identify anyone. Near an officer's desk, Samuel sees a photograph of another police officer, Lieutenant James McFee (Danny Glover) whom he identifies to Book as the murderer. Book recalls a drug raid under McFee's command where there was a suspicion of a police tipoff that Carter also remembers.

Book goes to his mentor, Chief Paul Schaeffer (Josef Sommer), and tells him of Samuel's positive identification of McFee. They discuss how to proceed, with Book unaware that Schaeffer ordered the murder. Shortly thereafter, Book gets out of his car at his apartment's parking garage and sees McFee approaching him with a gun. Book and McFee engage in a shootout, and Book is shot in the abdomen.

Deducing that Schaeffer told McFee, Book notifies his partner and orders him to destroy all records of the case. He sneaks Rachel and Samuel out of Elaine's house in the middle of the night and drives them in Elaine's VW Squareback to Eli Lapp's farm in rural Lancaster County. As he departs from the farm, Book convulses from loss of blood and infection from the gunshot wound, which has gone untreated. He blacks out and the car careens out of control, into an elevated purple martin birdhouse in front of Lapp's barn. Rachel and Eli run to his aid and she asks Book why he didn't go to a hospital to treat his wound. Gasping for his life, Book responds that a gunshot wound would require a police report, which would give away their location. Reluctantly, Eli agrees to put Book up in their home. Stoltzfus, an Amish apothecary, prescribes a milk-and-linseed oil poultice wrap to combat the infection, and some herbal teas.

Book adopts Amish dress to be less conspicuous as he recovers, and begins to fall in love with Rachel. Her father-in-law disapproves of their relationship, and warns Rachel that the Elders are considering having Rachel shunned. Book, an amateur carpenter, fits into the community well, making toys for Samuel, repairing the birdhouse, and helping neighbors in a barn raising. (Ford worked several years as a carpenter in real life.) Rival Daniel Hochleitner (Alexander Godunov) wishes to court Rachel, but sees her interest in Book.

A few hours later after Book and the other Amish finished raising the barn, Rachel is observed by Book while she bathes inside the house. The next morning Book tells her that if they had made love the night before, either he would have to stay or she would have to leave.

Later on while visiting town, Book learns that his partner has been murdered. Upset, he becomes emotional when he sees some local non-Amish youths abusing his Amish companions, including Hochleitner, and beats them severely. As the Amish are strict pacifists, word of this unusual occurrence spreads quickly and soon Schaeffer and his henchmen are on their way.

Book realizes that he has to leave. Upon being told by Eli, Rachel removes her bonnet (symbolic of putting aside her Amish background) and runs to him in the field, where they share a passionate embrace. Shortly afterward, the farm is invaded by Schaeffer, McFee, and another corrupt officer, Fergie (Angus MacInnes). Book lures Fergie into a corn silo and opens a trap door that dumps loads of dry corn, smothering Fergie. Afterwards, he takes Fergie's shotgun and shoots McFee with it. Meanwhile, Samuel rings the farm bell loudly, and soon many Amish neighbors arrive. Schaeffer, knowing that he cannot kill them all, gives up.

Afterwards, as Book prepares to leave, he shares a quiet moment with Samuel, then exchanges a long and loving gaze with Rachel but does not say goodbye to her. Before Book gets into his (sister's) car, Rachel's father-in-law tells him, "Be careful out there among the English" (the Amish term for outsiders), indicating his acceptance of Book. As Book drives away from the Lapp farm, he stops to say goodbye to Hochleitner, who is walking up the road, presumably to resume his courtship of Rachel.

Amish language

There were a few times that the dialect of the Amish, known widely as Pennsylvania Dutch, but called Pennsylvania German by most linguists, can be heard in this film. One instance is during construction of the new barn, an Amish man says to Harrison Ford's character, "Du huschd hott gschofft. Sell waar guud!", which means "You worked hard. That was good!" But most often in this film, the Amish are speaking High German, the standard language of Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, and the South Tyrol and taught in schools and universities worldwide. This is not the case in real life; the Amish speak Pennsylvania Dutch or English, but rarely speak High German among themselves, as few understand it fluently. The exceptions are, perhaps, the reading of the Holy Bible in church and the singing of hymns.

Cast

*Harrison Ford .... Det. Capt. John Book
*Kelly McGillis .... Rachel Lapp
*Josef Sommer .... Police 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
*Paul S. Nuss, Emily Mary Haas, Fred Steinharter, John D. King, Paul Goss, Annemarie Vallerio, Bruce E. Camburn .... Amish
*William Francis .... Town man
*Tom W. Kennedy .... Ticket seller at station
*Ardyth Kaiser, Thomas Quinn .... Couple in garage
*Eugene Dooley, Victoria Scott D'Angelo, Richard Chaves, Tim Moyer, Nino Del Buono, James Clark, Joseph Kelly, Norman Carter, Craig Clement .... Detectives
*Robert Earl Jones .... Custodian
*Michael Levering, Cara Giallanza, Anthony Dean Rubes .... Hoodlums
*Bernie Styles .... Counterman
*Blossom Terry .... Mother in station
*Jennifer Mancuso .... Little girl

Witness Movie Experience Tour

In 2005 – the 20th anniversary of the film's release – a "Witness" Movie Experience Tour was offered to tourists visiting Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. The tour included a trip to the farm featured in the film, as well as other sites featured in the film and the Lancaster Heritage Center Museum which featured an exhibit on the film.

External links

*
* [http://film.virtual-history.com/film.php?filmid=7393 Movie stills]


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Witness — Pour les articles homonymes, voir Witness (homonymie). Witness Données clés Réalisation Peter Weir Scénario Earl W. Wallace William Kelley Pamela Wallace (histoire) Acteurs principaux …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Witness (disambiguation) — The word witness can mean:Legal* Witness in a legal court * A person who views a legal execution at a prison. Religion and spirituality* To publicly affirm religious faith (similar but not identical to evangelising). * A forensic witness in the… …   Wikipedia

  • Witness (homonymie) — Cette page d’homonymie répertorie les différents sujets et articles partageant un même nom. Sur les autres projets Wikimedia : « Witness (homonymie) », sur le Wiktionnaire (dictionnaire universel) Witness peut désigner :… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Premios Óscar de 1985 — Anexo:Premios Óscar de 1985 Saltar a navegación, búsqueda La 58.ª ceremonia de entrega de los premios Óscar tuvo lugar el día 24 de marzo de 1986 en el Dorothy Chandler Pavilion de Los Ángeles. La gala fue presentada por Alan Alda, Jane Fonda y… …   Wikipedia Español

  • Anexo:Premios Óscar de 1985 — La 58.ª ceremonia de entrega de los premios Óscar tuvo lugar el día 24 de marzo de 1986 en el Dorothy Chandler Pavilion de Los Ángeles. La gala fue presentada por Alan Alda, Jane Fonda y Robin Williams. Contenido 1 Resumen de premios y… …   Wikipedia Español

  • 1985 in film —             List of years in film       (table) … 1975 .  1976 .  1977 .  1978  . 1979  . 1980  . 1981 … 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 …  …   Wikipedia

  • Witness to War: Dr. Charlie Clements — Filmdaten Originaltitel Witness to War: Dr. Charlie Clements Produktionsland USA …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Witness — Filmdaten Deutscher Titel: Der einzige Zeuge Originaltitel: Witness Produktionsland: USA Erscheinungsjahr: 1985 Länge: 112 Minuten Originalsprache: Englisch …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • 1980s in film — The decade of the 1980s in film involved many significant films. NOTOC Contents 1 Events 2 Top Grossing Films 3 Trends 4 List of films: # A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z.EventsThe 1980s saw the continued rise of the… …   Wikipedia

  • List of film director and composer collaborations — The following film score composers and film directors typically work together on projects. The list is alphabetical by director s last name. J. J. Abrams and Michael Giacchino Giacchino has scored J. J Abrams television projects Alias (2001 2006) …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”