A CIA operative takes justice in his own hands, as his girlfriend is brutally murdered by terrorists. He carefully designs a plan to hunt down the terrorists, after the crime, and executes them one by one.
Director:
Writers:
Awards:
- 10 nominations.
- See more »
Photos and Videos
Cast verified as complete
| John Savage | ... |
Charles Heller
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| Christopher Plummer | ... |
Professor Lakos
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| Marthe Keller | ... |
Elisabeth
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| Arthur Hill | ... |
Brewer
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| Nicholas Campbell | ... |
Schraeger
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| George Coe | ... |
Rutledge
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| John Marley | ... |
Molton
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| Jan Rubes | ... |
Kaplan
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| Ed Lauter | ... |
Anderson
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| Miguel Fernandes | ... |
Botaro
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| Jan Tríska | ... |
Rodzenko
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| Graham Jarvis | ... |
Porter
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| Jacques Godin | ... |
Argus
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| Chapelle Jaffe | ... |
Gretchen
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| Lynne Griffin | ... |
Sarah
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Vladimír Valenta | ... |
Uncle Ludwig
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| Vlasta Vrana | ... |
Guide
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Neil Dainard | ... |
Slater
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| Lee Broker | ... |
Sharp-Eyed Man
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Tedde Moore | ... |
Newscaster
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| Maruska Stankova | ... |
Eva Lakos
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Iréna Mayeska | ... |
Woman Clerk
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| George Buza | ... |
Terrorist #4
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| George R. Robertson | ... |
U.S. Consul
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| John Kerr | ... |
CIA Security Guard
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Guy Sanvido | ... |
News Vendor
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| Robert Beatty | ... |
Ambassador Neville
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| Walther Reyer | ... |
Chancellor
(as Walter Reyer)
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Peter Wolsdorff | ... |
General Felder
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Henry Gomez | ... |
Master Sergeant
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Erin Noble | ... |
Waitress
(as Erin Flannery)
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| Lisa Schrage | ... |
Teenage Girl #1
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Susan Young | ... |
Teenage Girl #2
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Anthony Kramreither | ... |
TV Director
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Paul Reymont | ... |
TV Technician
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Aubrey Taylor | ... |
Doorman
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Roman Chabursky | ... |
Busboy
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Bob Lem | ... |
Nakamura
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Fred Culik | ... |
Martin
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Peter Langley | ... |
Demolitions Expert
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Harry Hornisch | ... |
Watcher
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Helmut Gräf | ... |
Taxi Driver
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Vladimir Bondarenko | ... |
Czech Detective
(as Wally Bondarenko)
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Zdenek Gruner | ... |
Czech Officer
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Directed by
| Charles Jarrott | ... | (directed by) |
Written by
| Robert Littell | ... | (based on the novel "The Amateur" by) |
| Robert Littell | ... | (screenplay by) and |
| Diana Maddox | ... | (screenplay by) |
Produced by
| Garth H. Drabinsky | ... | producer (produced by) |
| Mario Kassar | ... | executive producer |
| Joel B. Michaels | ... | producer (produced by) |
| Andrew G. Vajna | ... | executive producer (as Andrew Vajna) |
Music by
| Kenneth Wannberg | ... | (as Ken Wannberg) |
Cinematography by
| John Coquillon | ||
Editing by
| Stephan Fanfara | ||
Editorial Department
| Richard Halsey | ... | supervising editor |
| Bruce Lange | ... | assistant film editor |
| Marta Nielsen | ... | second assistant film editor |
Production Design by
| Trevor Williams | ||
Art Direction by
| Richard Wilcox | ||
Set Decoration by
| Rondi Johnson | ||
| Steve Shewchuk | ||
Costume Design by
| Suzanne Grace | ||
Makeup Department
| Ken Brooke | ... | makeup artist |
| Margarete Ehringer | ... | hair stylist assistant: Vienna / makeup assistant: Vienna |
| Patricia Green | ... | assistant makeup artist |
| James Keeler | ... | hair stylist |
| Albert Paradis | ... | assistant hair stylist |
Production Management
| Andreas Debowski | ... | assistant production manager: Vienna |
| Otto Boris Dworak | ... | production manager |
| Hannah Hempstead | ... | production supervisor: Vienna |
| Marilyn Stonehouse | ... | production manager |
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
| Jon Anderson | ... | first assistant director |
| Gusti Brunjes-Goldschwendt | ... | assistant director: Vienna (as Gusti Brunjes) |
| Richard Halsey | ... | second unit director |
| Otta Hanus | ... | second assistant director |
| Robert Wertheimer | ... | third assistant director (as Bob Wertheimer) |
Art Department
| Guenter Bartlik | ... | scenic artist |
| John 'Frenchie' Berger | ... | property master (as John Berger) |
| Reinhard Binder | ... | prop assistant: Vienna |
| Richard Harrison | ... | draughtsman |
| Willi Holst | ... | head painter |
| Jiri Juda | ... | property buyer: Vienna |
| Denis Kirkham | ... | assistant set decorator |
| Herwig Libowitzky | ... | art director: Vienna |
| Ron MacMillan | ... | construction supervisor |
| John 'Butch' Rose | ... | assistant property master (as John C. Rose) |
Sound Department
| Dennis Drummond | ... | sound effects editor |
| Wayne Griffin | ... | sound effects editor |
| Austin Grimaldi | ... | re-recording mixer |
| Joe Grimaldi | ... | re-recording mixer |
| Herb Heritage | ... | boom operator (as Herbert Heritage) |
| Michael O'Farrell | ... | sound effects editor |
| Dino Pigat | ... | re-recording mixer |
| Michael Rea | ... | assistant sound effects editor |
| Peter Shewchuk | ... | sound mixer |
| John Szoges | ... | assistant sound effects editor |
| Andy Malcolm | ... | foley artist (uncredited) |
| Don White | ... | foley recording mixer (uncredited) |
Special Effects by
| Michael Clifford | ... | special effects |
| Leland 'Bud' Fisher | ... | special effects |
| Gene Grigg | ... | special effects |
Stunts
| Robert Hannah | ... | stunt coordinator |
Camera and Electrical Department
| Robert Crone | ... | steadicam operator |
| John Davidson | ... | grip |
| James Devis | ... | camera operator: second unit |
| Tony Eldridge | ... | best boy |
| Norbert Erben | ... | electrician: Vienna |
| Ron Gillham | ... | key grip |
| Glen Goodchild | ... | best boy grip |
| Wayne Goodchild | ... | grip |
| Waldemar Haidinger | ... | electrician: Vienna |
| Peter Holba | ... | grip: Vienna |
| Chris Holmes | ... | gaffer |
| Sam Hughes | ... | electrician |
| Erich Kristufek | ... | gaffer: Vienna |
| Walter Lobarzewski | ... | electrician: Vienna |
| David A. Makin | ... | second assistant camera (as David Makin) |
| Richard G. Mason | ... | underwater camera operator |
| Anton Pfneisl | ... | electrician: Vienna |
| Herb Reischl Sr. | ... | generator operator |
| Eduard Richter | ... | grip: Vienna |
| Mike Rutter | ... | camera operator: second unit (as Michael Rutter) |
| Thom Ryan | ... | first assistant camera |
| Robert Saad | ... | underwater camera operator |
| John Spurrell | ... | electrician |
| Shin Sugino | ... | still photographer |
| Jimmy Turrell | ... | camera operator |
| Adolf Wazin | ... | generator operator |
Casting Department
| Jane Feinberg | ... | casting: USA |
| Mike Fenton | ... | casting: USA |
Costume and Wardrobe Department
| Lena Ilgisonis | ... | wardrobe assistant: Vienna |
| Aleida MacDonald | ... | wardrobe mistress |
| Nadia Ongaro | ... | wardrobe assistant |
Location Management
| Michael Brownstone | ... | location manager |
| Stuart Neumann | ... | location manager: Washington D.C. |
Music Department
| Leonard A. Engel | ... | music mixer supervisor (as Len Engel) |
| National Philharmonic Orchestra | ... | performer |
| Eric Tomlinson | ... | music recordist |
| Kenneth Wannberg | ... | conductor (as Ken Wannberg) |
| Albert Woodbury | ... | orchestrator |
Script and Continuity Department
| Connie Josefs | ... | script researcher |
| Sandra Marley | ... | script supervisor (as Sandra Ulosevich Marley) |
Transportation Department
| Bill Jackson | ... | transportation coordinator |
Additional Crew
| James Carruthers | ... | craft service |
| Victoria Eves | ... | production secretary: Washington D.C. |
| Lynda Friendly | ... | unit publicist |
| Isabelle Groote | ... | production assistant: Vienna |
| Gerda Haller | ... | production secretary: Vienna |
| Angela Heald | ... | production secretary |
| Joanne Jackson | ... | production accountant |
| Margo Ley | ... | assistant to director |
| Margaret Livingston | ... | executive assistant to producers |
| Suzanne Lore | ... | production coordinator |
| Lyn Lucibello | ... | production accountant |
| Carl Lawrence Ludwig | ... | production assistant: Vienna |
| Patracian McCarthy | ... | assistant to producers |
| Heather McIntosh | ... | production controller |
| Tom Pinteric | ... | production assistant |
| Douy Swofford | ... | title designer |
| Lorraine Valentine | ... | production accountant |
| Rich Watts | ... | production assistant |
| Alan Zweig | ... | production assistant |
Production Companies
Distributors
- 20th Century Fox Argentina (1982) (Argentina) (theatrical)
- 20th Century Fox (1982) (West Germany) (theatrical)
- 20th Century Fox (1981) (United Kingdom) (theatrical)
- Europa Film (1982) (Sweden) (theatrical)
- Fox Columbia Film Distributors (1982) (Australia) (theatrical)
- Fox Films (1982) (Finland) (theatrical)
- Pan-Canadian Film Distributors (1981) (Canada) (theatrical)
- Triangelfilm (1981) (Norway) (theatrical)
- Twentieth Century Fox (1981) (United States) (theatrical)
- Twentieth Century Fox (1982) (Japan) (theatrical)
- 20th Century Fox Video (1982) (United States) (VHS)
- Abril Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
- Alliance Vidéo (1985) (France) (VHS)
- Anchor Bay Entertainment (2005) (United States) (DVD)
- CBS Electronics (1985) (Greece) (VHS)
- CBS/Fox Home Video (1984) (Australia) (VHS)
- CBS/Fox (1987) (Argentina) (VHS)
- CBS/Fox (West Germany) (VHS)
- Cineplex-Odeon Home Video (1985) (Canada) (VHS)
- Interglobal Home Video (Canada) (VHS)
- Interglobal Home Video (Canada) (VHS)
- Oy Europa Vision AB (1988) (Finland) (VHS)
- Pan-Canadian Video Presentations (1982) (Canada) (VHS)
- Shochiku CBS/Fox Video (SCF) (Japan) (VHS)
Special Effects
Other Companies
- Anvil-Abbey Road Studios, London (music recorded at)
- Deluxe (release prints)
- Film Extra Services (background extras)
- Film Opticals (opticals)
- Intercontinental Hotel (hotel accommodations: Vienna)
- Kodak Canada (Eastman Color by)
- Lynn Goldsmith (prop stills)
- Medallion-PFA Film & Video (color by)
- Movie Magic (title opticals)
- Panavision (lenses and Panaflex Camera by)
- Technicolor London (color by)
- The Male Shop (wardrobe provided by)
- William F. White International (lighting equipment)
Storyline
| Plot Summary |
A researcher for the CIA who convinces his superiors to send him to the eastern bloc in order to avenge the murder of his wife by enemy agents discovers a web of deception underneath his wife's death.
Written by Keith Loh |
| Plot Keywords | |
| Taglines | The first 11 minutes will absolutely shock you. The last 11 minutes will rivet you to your seat. See more » |
| Genres | |
| Parents Guide | View content advisory » |
| Certification |
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Additional Details
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Box Office
| Budget | CAD10,600,000 (estimated) |
Did You Know?
| Trivia | Some movie posters for this film featured a long text preamble that read: "At 29, Charles Heller was a mathematician without equal. At the CIA, he was a computer expert without peer. But when terrorists murdered the most important woman in his life, he became an assassin without experience. To avenge her death, the CIA trained him, briefed him, armed him, and then...they abandoned him. The first 11 minutes will absolutely shock you. The last 11 minutes will rivet you to your seat. The Amateur". See more » |
| Movie Connections | Featured in Quest for Fire/Union City/The Amateur/Evil Under the Sun (1982). See more » |
| Crazy Credits | On the American prints the 20th Century Fox logo plays without the fanfare. See more » |
| Quotes |
Kaplan:
I lost my first wife, my first family. Two beautiful little girls. In the war, in the camps. I thought for a long time the loss would kill me but, I survived. Charles Heller: How? Kaplan: By creating a ritual to keep me alive. To survive the death of people close to you, you need a ritual. A ritual for revenge is what I made. I thought about it and planned it every waking moment. When I got out I spent three years tracking down the doctor who sent them to the camps. Charles Heller: Did you find him? Kaplan: I found him, yes. Charles Heller: What did... what did you do? Kaplan: I created one last ritual. With these hands I strangled him. Charles Heller: It didn't bring them back from the dead. Kaplan: No, it brought me back from the dead! See more » |