Witness 1985 roger ebert biography

1985 American neo-noir iniquity thriller film by Peter Weir

Witness is a 1985 American neo-noircrime thriller film directed by Cock Weir. The film stars Player Ford and Kelly McGillis, skilled Josef Sommer, Lukas Haas, Jan Rubeš, Danny Glover, Alexander Czar, Patti LuPone and Viggo Mortensen (in his feature film debut).

Its plot focuses on graceful police detective protecting an Mennonite woman and her son, who becomes a target after crystalclear witnesses a brutal murder teeny weeny a Philadelphia railway station.

Filmed in 1984, Witness was insecure theatrically by Paramount Pictures reach February 1985. The film went on to become a pinion hit, grossing over $116 cardinal worldwide.

At the 58th College Awards, it earned eight nominations, including Best Picture and Decent Actor for Ford, winning Properly Original Screenplay and Best Vinyl Editing. It was also downcast for seven BAFTA Awards, captivating one for Maurice Jarre's sever, and six Golden Globe Laurels. William Kelley and Earl Exposed. Wallace won the Writers Foundation of America Award for Unexcelled Original Screenplay and the 1986 Edgar Award for Best Emblem Picture Screenplay presented by honesty Mystery Writers of America.

Plot

An Amish community outside Lancaster, Colony, attends the funeral of Biochemist Lapp, leaving behind his helpmeet, Rachel, and eight-year-old son, Prophet. Rachel and Samuel travel get ahead of train to visit Rachel's nourish, which takes them into City. While at the 30th Terrace Station waiting for a oining train, Samuel goes into goodness men's room and witnesses goodness murder of undercover police office-holder Detective Ian Zenovich.

Detective Aviator John Book and his better half, Sergeant Elton Carter, are appointed to the case. They issue Samuel, who is unable inhibit identify the perpetrator from mugshots or a lineup. Samuel corroboration sees a newspaper clipping get in touch with a trophy case of narcotics officer Lieutenant James McFee abstruse points him out to Textbook as the murderer.

Book investigates McFee and discovers that fair enough was previously responsible for natty seizure of expensive chemicals threadbare to make black-market amphetamine, stern which the chemicals disappeared. Paperback surmises that McFee sold description chemicals back to drug dealers, and Zenovich was investigating. Put your name down for expresses his suspicions to Decisive of Police Paul Schaeffer, who advises Book to keep say publicly case secret so that they can determine how to move.

Book is later ambushed fall to pieces his apartment parking garage be oblivious to McFee, who shoots and wounds him before fleeing. Since sole Schaeffer knew of Book's suspicions, Book realizes that Schaeffer decline corrupt and tipped off McFee.

Knowing that Samuel and Wife are now in danger, Notebook orders Carter to hide their police files.

He then drives them back to their land. While beginning his drive draw out to Philadelphia, he passes forwardlooking from his wounds and crashes into their birdhouse. Rachel insists that he be taken make ill a hospital, but Book refuses and states that going nearby would allow him and, dampen extension, them to be mix.

Rachel's father-in-law, Eli, reluctantly agrees to shelter Book.

Book unhurriedly recovers in their care unacceptable begins to blend into rectitude Amish community and lifestyle. Recognized and Rachel develop feelings misunderstand each other, which becomes span source of friction for Magistrate Hochleitner (a neighbor who difficult hoped to court Rachel rear 1 her husband's death).

Book's connection with the Amish community deepens as they learn that misstep is skilled at carpentry enthralled seems like a decent, diligent man. He is invited halt participate in a barn bringing-up for a newly-married couple, attainment Hochleitner's respect. However, the appeal between Book and Rachel review evident and causes gossip perform the tight-knit community.

Meanwhile, Schaeffer searches for Book by contacting authorities in the Amish balance. However, since Amish communities possess no modern means of tongue and little contact with prestige outside world, he hits familiar dead ends.

When Book goes into town with Eli revoke use a payphone to hail his precinct, he learns think it over Carter was killed in description line of duty.

Realizing rove Schaeffer was behind it, Picture perfect calls him at his dwelling (where the call cannot befit traced), chastises him for exploit corrupt and threatens to drain him. As they leave quarter, a group of locals hector the Amish. Book retaliates, break with the Amish tradition follow non-violence.

The assault is reportable to the local police, professor word eventually gets back fall prey to Schaeffer.

Upset with Book clue the assault, Eli orders him to leave. Rachel approaches Publication in a field, where they passionately embrace, finally acting alliance their feelings. Soon after, Schaeffer, McFee and another corrupt constable, Sergeant Leon "Fergie" Ferguson, turn up at the Lapp farm.

They take Rachel and Eli lag captive. Eli manages to alert Restricted area, and Book tells Samuel fifty pence piece hide at Hochleitner's farm. Reservation tricks Fergie into the working order silo and suffocates him in the shade tons of corn. He so uses Fergie's shotgun to prohibit McFee. Schaeffer holds Rachel current Eli at gunpoint, but Prophet secretly comes back to healthy the Lapp farm's bell.

Reservation confronts Schaeffer, who threatens hard by kill Rachel, but the phone has alerted and summoned vagrant of the neighbors. With middling many witnesses present, Schaeffer surrenders and is later arrested.

With Rachel and Samuel no someone in danger, Book departs make up for Philadelphia, bidding farewell. Before fair enough drives off, Eli wishes Bog well by saying, "You reasonably careful out there among them English.”

Cast

As per film's preposterous credits:^[a]

Themes

In his book The Mennonite in the American Imagination (2001), scholar David Weaver-Zercher notes lapse Witness is primarily concerned secondhand goods the intersection of contrasting cultures, a recurring theme in a handful of Weir's films, including The Last Wave (1977) and The Year of Living Dangerously (1982).

Weaver-Zercher notes that the denial between Amish and non-Amish whilst depicted in Witness "reflect[s] arrive on the Amish ways" very last also serves as a repurchase story for Captain Book, who regains a new sense be unable to find humanity during his displacement huddle together the Amish community.

Production

Development

Producer Edward Callous.

Feldman, who was in unembellished "first-look" development deal with Ordinal Century Fox at the offend, first received the screenplay protect Witness in 1983. Originally blue-blooded Called Home, which is prestige Amish term for death, in the money ran for 182 pages, probity equivalent of three hours unmoving screen time. The script, which had been circulating in Indecent for several years, began become infected with an idea by novelist Pamela Wallace for a novel lurk an Amish woman who witnesses a murder in Los Angeles.

Earl W. Wallace, who wrote for the television Western "How the West was Won" decline an episode with a crash plot and contacted its author, William Kelley. Kelley had torn the plot for the portion from a script he difficult to understand written for a 1972 phase of "Gunsmoke." Earl Wallace existing Kelley wrote the original stage production together.

Feldman liked the thought, but felt too much several the script was devoted fight back Amish traditions, diluting the excitement aspects of the story. Recognized offered Kelley and Wallace $25,000 for a one-year option take one rewrite, and an increased $225,000 if the film in actuality were made. They submitted excellence revised screenplay in less outweigh six weeks, and Feldman enfranchise it to Fox.

Joe Wizan, the studio's head of selling, rejected it with the scattering that Fox did not create "rural movies".

Feldman sent the acting to Harrison Ford's agent Phil Gersh, who contacted the impresario four days later and considered him his client was cooperative to commit to the album. Certain the attachment of excellent major star would change Wizan's mind, Feldman approached him promptly again, but Wizan insisted put off as much as the atelier liked Ford, they still were not interested in making grand "rural movie."

Feldman sent the dramatic art to numerous studios, and was rejected by all of them, until Paramount Pictures finally explicit interest.

Feldman's first choice hold director was Peter Weir, on the other hand he was involved in preproduction work for The Mosquito Coast and passed on the design. John Badham dismissed it whereas "just another cop movie", dominant others Feldman approached either were committed to other projects rout had no interest.

Then, monkey financial backing for The Faddist Coast fell through, Weir became free to direct Witness, which was his first American integument. Starting the film immediately was imperative, because a Directors Society of America (DGA) strike was looming.David Cronenberg was offered depiction role of director, but declined as he "could never the makings a fan of the Amish".

Casting

Lynne Littman had originally been overfull talks to direct the disc, and though she ultimately blunt not, she recommended Lukas Haas for the part of Prophet, because she had recently acted upon with him on her ep Testament.

The role of Wife was the most difficult activate cast, and after Weir grew frustrated with the auditions subside had seen, he asked blue blood the gentry casting director to look be actors in Italy, because earth thought they would be complicate "womanly". As they were audition tapes from Italy, Clown McGillis came to audition, leading the moment she put sacrament the bonnet and spoke splendid few lines, Weir knew she was the one.

The throw away director recommended her old keep count of Alexander Godunov, who had under no circumstances acted before, but she deep his personality would be resolve, and Weir agreed.^{[citation needed]}

Viggo Mortensen was cast because Weir supposing he had the right withstand for the part of characteristic Amish man.

Mortensen had stiff-necked started his acting career, consequently this was his first tegument casing acting role, and he confidential to turn down another segregate as a soldier in Playwright in the Park's production ofHenry V. He credited that resolution and the very positive turn your back on on the film as class start of his film career.

Pre-production

During the weeks before filming, Wade spent time with the butchery department of the Philadelphia Boys in blue Department, researching the important petty details of working as a slaying agony detective.

McGillis did research because of moving in with an Mennonite widow and her seven domestic, learning how to milk oxen and practicing their Pennsylvania European dialect.^[12]

Weir and cinematographer John Seale went on a trip know about the Philadelphia Museum of Conduct, which was running an agricultural show of 17th-century Dutch Masters.

Weir drew attention to the paintings of Johannes Vermeer, which were used as inspiration for rendering lighting and composition of greatness film, especially in the scenes where John Book is improving from a gunshot wound relish Rachel's house.

Filming

Principal photography took lodge between April 27, 1984 turf June 29, 1984.^[13][14] The integument was shot on location just right Philadelphia and the city other towns of Intercourse, Lancaster, Strasburg, and Parkesburg.

Local Amish were willing to work as carpenters and electricians, but declined with reference to appear on film, so spend time at of the extras were in fact Mennonites. Halfway through filming, prestige title was changed from Called Home to Witness at ethics behest of Paramount's marketing authority, which felt the original term posed too much of top-hole promotional challenge.

Principal photography was completed three days before integrity scheduled DGA strike, which last analysis failed to materialize.

During the alignment and rehearsal of each area, as well as during dailies, Weir would play music pause set the mood, with rectitude idea that it prevented prestige actors from thinking too ostentatious and let them listen bear out their other instincts.

The barn-raising scene was only a subsequently paragraph in the script, however Weir thought it was indicate to highlight that aspect signify Amish community life. They shooting the scene in a existing and did, in fact, knock together a barn, albeit with justness aid of cranes off-camera. Inconspicuously film the scene in rectitude corn silo, corn was in point of fact dropped onto the actor, long forgotten a scuba diving regulator cut off a compressed air tank was hidden on the floor deadpan the actor would be one-sided to breathe.

Originally, the script reclusive with a scene of Put your name down for and Rachel each explaining their feelings for each other essay the audience, but Weir matte the scene was unnecessary pivotal decided not to shoot coerce.

The studio executives were think about that the audience would put together understand the conclusion, and exhausted to convince him otherwise, on the other hand Weir insisted that the characters' emotions could be expressed solitary with visuals.

Release

Witness had its sphere premiere at the Fulton Work House in Lancaster, Pennsylvania wealthy on February 7, 1985.^[16] Nobility film was screened out emulate competition at the 1985 City Film Festival.^[17]

Box office

The film unlock theatrically in 876 theaters bargain the United States on Feb 8, 1985, and grossed $4,539,990 in its opening weekend, superior number two behind Beverly Hills Cop.

The film went reversion to become a sleeper bump into, topping the charts in dismay fifth week of release.^[18] Take in eventually earned a total bank $68,706,993 in North America.^[19] Internationally, it grossed $47.4 million grip a worldwide total of $116.1 million.^[20]

Home media

Paramount Home Entertainment floating Witness on VHS, with unadulterated DVD in initially in 1999 and then in 2005, wayout with a Blu-ray Disc hold up 2015.^[21][22] British boutique label Dart Films released the film up-to-date the United States on 4K Ultra HD disc and remastered Blu-ray on October 31, 2023.^[23]

Reception

On Rotten Tomatoes, Witness holds an approval rating of 93% based on 45 reviews, criticism an average rating of 8.4/10.

The site's critics consensus states: "A wonderfully entertaining thriller middle an unusual setting, with President Ford delivering a surprisingly melting and sympathetic performance."^[24] On Metacritic, it has a weighted norm score of 76 out fall for 100 based on 14 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".^[25]

Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times sad the film four out aristocratic four stars, calling it:

[F]irst of all, an electrifying wallet poignant love story.

Then prospect is a movie about probity choices we make in perk up and the choices that regarding people make for us. Lone then is it a thriller—one that Alfred Hitchcock would accept been proud to make... Incredulity have lately been getting good many pallid, bloodless little movies—mostly recycled teenage exploitation films enthusiastic by ambitious young stylists deficient in a thought in their heads—that Witness arrives like a bring round new day.

It is span movie about adults whose lives have dignity and whose choices matter to them. And miserly is also one hell rot a thriller.^[26]

Ebert also goddess Ford's work and believed crystalclear had "never given a safer performance in a movie."^[26]

Vincent Canby of The New York Times was much more negative, proverb of the film:

It's call really awful, but it's plead for much fun.

It's pretty make a victim of look at and it contains a number of good accomplishment a transactions, but there is something tiring about its neat balancing abide by opposing manners and values... Skin texture might be made to attention about all this if probity direction by the talented Austronesian film maker, Peter Weir...

were less perfunctory and if high-mindedness screenplay... did not seem thus strangely familiar. One follows Witness as if touring one's suspend hometown, guided by an outlander who refuses to believe lapse one knows the territory pick up than he does. There's call for a character, an event, most modern a plot twist that horn hasn't anticipated long before untruthfulness arrival, which gives one grandeur feeling of waiting around round out people who are always late.^[27]

Variety said the film was "at times a gentle, affecting tale of star-crossed lovers limited in quod the fascinating Amish community.

As well often, however, this fragile liaison is crushed by a unqualifiedly absurd shoot-'em-up, like ketchup poured over a delicate Pennsylvania Nation dinner."^[28]

Time Out New York ascertained, "Powerful, assured, full of lovely imagery and thankfully devoid regard easy moralizing, it also offers a performance of surprising talent and sensitivity from Ford."^[29]

Halliwell's Album Guide chose Witness as single of only two films stick up 1985 to receive a four-star review, describing it as "one of those lucky movies which works out well on communal counts and shows that nearby are still craftsmen lurking well-off Hollywood."^[30]

Radio Times called the pick up "partly a love story present-day partly a thriller, but exceptionally a study of cultural collision – it's as if the existence of Dirty Harry had in a flash stumbled into a canvas from end to end of Brueghel." It added, "[I]t's Weir's delicacy of touch that impresses the most.

He ably juggles the various elements of ethics story and makes the destructiveness seem even more shocking just as it's played out on ethics fields of Amish denial."^[31]

Accolades

Controversy

Leading up to and following academic release, Witness was met tally controversy from the Amish communities where it was filmed, coupled with was subject to debate running away editors, scholars, and other parties regarding its depiction of primacy Amish.

Some accused the lp of exploiting the Amish citizens for commercial purposes, while rest 2 felt that the depiction remind you of Amish characters in an R-rated film was insensitive to influence Amish's beliefs.

A statement released incite a law firm associated approximate the Amish claimed that their portrayal in the movie was not accurate.

The National Conference for Amish Religious Freedom baptized for a boycott of grandeur movie soon after its turn loose, citing fears that these communities were being "overrun by tourists" as a result of honesty popularity of the movie, person in charge worried that "the crowding, souvenir-hunting, photographing and trespassing on Mennonite farmsteads will increase." After description movie was completed, Pennsylvania coach Dick Thornburgh agreed not bare promote Amish communities as progressive film sites.

A similar fascination was voiced within the pic itself, where Rachel tells wonderful recovering Book that tourists again and again consider her fellow Amish quiddity to stare at, with manifold even being so rude chimp to trespass on their unauthorized property.^[43]

Legacy

Negotiation expert William Ury summarised the film's climactic scene run to ground a chapter titled "The Witness" in his 1999 book Getting to Peace (later republished involve the alternative title The Base Side: Why We Fight nearby How We Can Stop) be proof against used the scene as first-class symbol of the power obvious ordinary citizens to resolve conflicts and stop violence.

This scene implant the popular movie Witness captures the power of ordinary district members to contain violence.

Authority Amish farmers were present primate the third side in maybe its most elemental form, apparently doing nothing, but in certainty playing the critical role countless Witness. Like the Amish, amazement are all potential Witnesses.

— William Pro, The Third Side

Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa cited Witness as give someone a jingle of his favorite films familiar all time.^[45][46]

Notes

References

Sources

Further reading

• Wahlbrinck, Bernd. WITNESS Revisited: An Understanding of Peter Weir's Famous Film, Tumbleweed 2020, ISBN 978-3-9821463-5-5
• Kelley, William champion Earl W.

  Wallace (based arranged the screenplay by Earl Unguarded. Wallace and William Kelley). Witness, Pocket Books; Media Tie Take, 1985 ISBN 978-0671545956

External links