The Kidnapping of the President (1980)

A South American quasi-revolutionary/guerilla/terrorist and a misled, admiring girl compatriot manage to kidnap the U.S. President during a diplomatic visit to Toronto. With a nondescript ... See full summary »

Director:

George Mendeluk

Writers:

Richard Murphy, Charles Templeton (novel)

Stars:

William Shatner, Hal Holbrook, Van Johnson

2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
William Shatner	...	Jerry O'Connor
Hal Holbrook	...	President Adam Scott
Van Johnson	...	Vice President Ethan Richards
Ava Gardner	...	Beth Richards
Miguel Fernandes	...	Roberto Assanti
Cindy Girling	...	Linda Steiner
Elizabeth Shepherd	...	Joan Scott
Michael J. Reynolds	...	MacKenzie
Gary Reineke	...	Deitrich
Maury Chaykin	...	Harvey Cannon
Murray Westgate	...	Archie Standler
Ken Anderson	...	Willis
Sully Boyar	...	FBI Chief
Patrick Brymer	...	Jesus Freak
Jackie Burroughs	...	Woman Agent

Storyline

A South American quasi-revolutionary/guerilla/terrorist and a misled, admiring girl compatriot manage to kidnap the U.S. President during a diplomatic visit to Toronto. With a nondescript armored truck, crudely yet somehow elaborately rigged with high explosives (and the President trapped inside), the two terrorists keep the Secret Service at bay until in the end, Assanti is killed and Shatner has to find a way into the truck anyway.

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Plot Keywords:

truck | secret service | terrorist | explosive | u.s. president | 

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Taglines:

A Gripping Cat & Mouse Chiller

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Genres:

Thriller | Action | Drama

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Certificate:

R

Details

Official Sites:

Crown International Pictures

Country:

Canada USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 August 1980 (USA)

Also Known As:

Rare Cult Cinema

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

CAD 3,500,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Presidential Films, Sefel Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

114 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This movie was made and released about five years after its source novel of the same name by Charles Templeton was first published in 1975. The novel's original title was "The Hostage". The film is the first and only ever theatrical feature based on a story by author Charles Templeton.

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Goofs

When the president is first handcuffed and taken hostage, chaos erupts and the people playing crowd extras can clearly be seen laughing and smiling as they are crashing through the barricades.

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Connections

Featured in Terror on Tape (1983)

User Reviews

An explosive action film!

This is a great flick. Full of explosive action, it's the kind of flick you never heard of, you watch it, and you wish you had heard of it sooner. Shatner is ultra cool as he plays the head of the FBI. There are plenty of great explosions, tons of action and a pretty tense storyline. The end is a bit predictable, but still leaves you cheering. Hal Holbrook plays perhaps the most believable president in film history. Most film presidents in this situation are either a wimp or a hothead jerk. Holbrook walks the line in between gracefully. Obviously the story revolves around a president getting kidnapped. The Kidnapping itself is a bit implausible. Worst of all Shatner wimps out and basically hands the President over to the thugs. But do not worry, he more than makes up for it later when he tosses around a kidnapper and the 'F word' all in the same scene. Ya gotta love the guy.