Firefox (1982)

A pilot is sent into the Soviet Union on a mission to steal a prototype jet fighter that can be partially controlled by a neuralink

Director:

Clint Eastwood

Writers:

Alex Lasker (screenplay), Wendell Wellman (screenplay)

Stars:

Clint Eastwood, Freddie Jones, David Huffman

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Clint Eastwood	...	Mitchell Gant
Freddie Jones	...	Kenneth Aubrey
David Huffman	...	Captain Buckholz
Warren Clarke	...	Pavel Upenskoy
Ronald Lacey	...	Semelovsky
Kenneth Colley	...	Colonel Kontarsky
Klaus Löwitsch	...	General Vladimirov (as Klaus Lowitsch)
Nigel Hawthorne	...	Pyotr Baranovich
Stefan Schnabel	...	First Secretary
Thomas Hill	...	General Brown
Clive Merrison	...	Major Lanyev
Kai Wulff	...	Lt. Colonel Voskov
Dimitra Arliss	...	Natalia
Austin Willis	...	Walters
Michael Currie	...	Captain Seerbacker

Storyline

The Soviets have developed a revolutionary new jet fighter, called "Firefox". Naturally, the British are worried that the jet will be used as a first-strike weapon, as rumours say that the jet is indetectable on radar. They send ex-Vietnam War pilot Mitchell Gant on a covert mission into the Soviet Union to steal Firefox.

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Plot Keywords:

soviet union | jet fighter | refueling | fighter plane | russia | 

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Taglines:

...the most devastating killing machine ever built... his job... steal it!

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Thriller

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Russian

Release Date:

18 June 1982 (USA)

Also Known As:

Firefox - Volpe di fuoco

Filming Locations:

March AFB, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$18,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$8,152,948 (USA) (18 June 1982)

Gross:

$46,700,000 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Malpaso Company, The

Technical Specs

Runtime:

136 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby (35 mm prints) 70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Two actors in this film, John Ratzenberger and Kenneth Colley both appeared in Star Wars - The Empire Strikes back which came out two years earlier. In this film Ratzenberger played a junior officer on a US submarine in the Arctic hiding from the Soviets while in Empire Strikes Back he played a junior officer on the ice planet Hoth hiding from the Empire. Kenneth Colley played a Soviet colonel in the "command center" looking for the heroes while in Empire Strikes Back he plays Admiral Piett, a high-ranking Imperial officer. He would also reprise this role a year later in Return of the Jedi.

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Goofs

When the Russian Hind helicopters fly over Mother 1 (US sub in the Pole). The close up of the Russian cockpit is actually the airframe of Blue Thunder, not a Hind.

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Quotes

Buckholz: Major, you will be flying the most sophisticated warplane on the face of this earth.

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Crazy Credits

There are no opening credits after the title has been shown. This has since become a trademark of all Eastwood-directed films.

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Connections

Referenced in Pastor Mike Online: Casting Down Imaginations (2014)

User Reviews

Something different for Eastwood

Firefox isn't your usual Eastwood film, he's almost branching out into Star Wars territory here with this Sci-Fi heavy Cold War Spy thriller. The effects like every 80's film have dated badly but for a movie made in 1982 they are rather good. Eastwood directs himself in what is a pretty average performance by his own high standards. The majority of the cast is made up by British character actors. Warren Clarke is really good but Freddie Jones and Nigel Hawthorne are pretty hammy. Also Raiders of the Lost Ark fans can spot Ronald Lacey playing Semelovsky a Jewish scientist. The first half of the film is a spy thriller and can be pretty nail biting at times as Clint gets his papers checked at regular intervals. Also he's suffering from the same post Vietnam War disorder that John Rambo had in First Blood and that really adds to the tension. The second half is more like Star Wars and is really great stuff. So better ice up at a cold one and enjoy Firefox for what it is, Cold War entertainment at it's best.