The Falcon and the Snowman (1985)

User Rating:

6.6/10   

Director:

John Schlesinger

Writers:

Robert Lindsey (book)
Steven Zaillian (writer)

Release Date:

25 January 1985 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

They came from the best of families...They became the two most dangerous political criminals in the world. [Australia Video]

Plot:

The true story of a disillusioned military contractor employee and his drug pusher childhood friend who became walk-in spies for the Soviet Union.

Plot Keywords:

Spy | Walk In Spy | Childhood Friend | Drugs | Heroin

Cast

Timothy Hutton	...	Christopher Boyce
Sean Penn	...	Daulton Lee
Pat Hingle	...	Mr. Charlie Boyce
Joyce Van Patten	...	Mrs. Boyce
Rob Reed	...	Boyce Child
Rob Newell	...	Boyce Child
Karen West	...	Boyce Child
Art Camacho	...	Boyce Child
Annie Kozuch	...	Boyce Child
Richard Dysart	...	Dr. Lee
Priscilla Pointer	...	Mrs. Lee
Chris Makepeace	...	David Lee
Dorian Harewood	...	Gene
Mady Kaplan	...	Laurie
Macon McCalman	...	Larry Rogers

Runtime:

132 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Canada:R (Ontario) | Iceland:12 | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | France:U | Norway:15 (re-rating) | Norway:16 (original rating) | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Hemdale Film

Trivia:

Christopher Boyce was released on parole in March 2003. Andrew Daulton Lee was paroled in 1998.

Goofs:

Factual errors: The buttons of a cipher lock pressed by Boyce make DTMF (telephone touch-tone) sounds, but in reality they only click when pressed.

Quotes:

Christopher Boyce: I know a thing or two about predatory behavior, and what once was a legitimate intelligence agency is now being used on weaker governments.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Celebrity (1998)

Soundtrack:

CHINA GROVE

The secret lives of the former altar boys

John Schelesinger's career as a film director was extraordinary. We had watched this film when it first came out, but wanted to see it again when it showed on cable recently. The film has a faded look, as one watches it today, but still, it is interesting because of the intense performances of the two principals.

If you haven't seen it, please don't read any further.

Chris and Daulton were two childhood friends that came from upper middle class backgrounds. Chris went to enter a seminary to be a priest, but gives up. Daulton became a small time drug user and trafficker. The two lives seem to run parallel as the pair become involved in an illegal activity that will prove their short sightedness. In fact, it shows how both young men miscalculate in their attempt to fool the CIA and the Soviet Union. These two, in a way, were so naive in thinking they could pull something that bigger, and better equipped people couldn't even imagine could be done.

Chris' motivation is legitimate, as he feels outraged in discovering the underhanded role of the agency for which he works in dealing with other nations, in this case Australia, something he finds by sheer coincidence. When he involves Daulton, we know the whole thing is doomed because no one into drugs, as he is, will ever amount to anything. In fact, Chris and Daulton had no conception of the scope of what they are trying to do, or its consequences.

Timothy Hutton was at this period of his career, an actor that was going places. He had proved he had talent with his work in other films, so it was a natural choice for Mr. Schlesinger to select him, a choice that pays off well. Sean Penn, also was a young actor who showed an intensity, like one hadn't seen before. In fact, at times, Mr. Penn, reminded us of a young Robert Mitchum in the making. Both actors' contribution to the film is incredible. One can't think who could have played this duo but them.

"The Falcon and the Snowman", while not up to the par with other great John Schlesinger's movies, is an interesting look to our not too distant past.