As we're in Oscar Season, let's look at a Film that was underrepresented at the Oscars 40 years ago.
This is Witness, a 1985 Drama from Peter Weir. The Film stars Harrison Ford, who got his first and only Oscar nomination for Best Actor.
Seriously, that's the only time.
The Plot involves a young, Amish boy who is the only witness to the killing of a Cop. When the crime turns out to be part of a bigger Plot, Ford has to keep the boy in hiding.
The Film was up for 8 Oscars in 1986, losing most of their potential statues to the combo of Out of Africa and Kiss of the Spider Woman.
As the Film with the Best Screenplay and Editing of 1985, does it hold up?
To find out, read on...
An Amish Woman- Rachel- is mourning the loss of her Husband.
She has to adjust to a new life without him.
To help her recovery, she goes with her son Samuel to visit her Sister.
At the Train Station, the kid goes into the bathroom.
While he's there, a man (later revealed to be a Cop) is killed by two men.
The kid is the only witness to this crime and Ford (as John Book) tries to get him to ID the man.
Checking out the people whose pictures they have on file doesn't work.
However, the kid sees a picture of a Lieutenant (Danny Glover) and IDs him.
Ford goes up the chain as high as he can, explaining that it likely has to do with some drugs recovered by Vice under Glover's supervision.
He hopes that he can get the help he need to go after someone in the Department.
The next day, Glover shoots at him in a Car Park, proving that the Boss is in on it too.
He covers his tracks until he can approach the case in a new way.
He drives the two of them back home, but he passes out from a wound he got from Glover.
They take him in- because why wouldn't you?- and he recovers amongst the Community as an outsider.
He also starts to fall for Rachel, getting into a soft conflict with Eli (the Elder) and Daniel, who clearly has a thing for the woman.
He finds out that things back home are not getting better, as his partner died 'in the line of duty.'
He also can't help but really fall for Rachel, coming across her one night and barely resisting his natural urge to go to her.
How did he not get the Oscar again?!?
Things take a turn for Act 3 as Ford- stressed out already- strikes a jerk who was actively trying to provoke the Amish when they came to Town.
He feels bad (sort of) and this gets the attention of the local Cop (working with the bad guy) to help them find Ford.
And yes, that is Viggo Mortensen.
The three bad guys come to Town (in a shot that proves that this should have won Best Cinematography) and Ford is not ready for it.
He manages to take out one guy with a ton of corn in the silo and Glover with a shotgun.
The corrupt Captain is finally guilted when he's surrouned by the community of Witnesses and surrenders.
In the aftermath, Ford knows that he can't stay, passing by Daniel on his way to see Rachel.
The End.
A strong Film that really holds up after 4 Decades- no questions.
A Critic praises a Peter Weir Film- shocking!
This one is not talked about nearly as mcuh as Weir's other Films, be it Dead Poets Society (the one I own on Laserdisc) or The Truman Show.
This was at the time when we started to get the so-called Buddy Cop Films, so it is interesting to see a Film that seems to set this up with Ford's Partner...and
Focusing equally on Ford trying to fit in and how it is effecting Rachel's Character is a good one. This is her Story too, after all.
So many tender moments, subtle things and even the lack of a big speech at the end between the two is what you get when you trust Weir on this.
If you haven't seen Witness, do it. If you have seen it, watch it again. It's great.
Plus, you get to see a sort-of Star Wars reunion in 1985 as Harrison Ford shares a brief moment with James Earl Jones...'s Father.
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| He shares more screen time with Vader's Dad than the voice of Vader! |
Next up, a return to James Bond. This time, it is another Classic involving Scaramanga and his golden gun! Stay tuned...
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