The Bourne Identity (TV 1988)

A 1988 television adaptation of Robert Ludlum's thriller. An injured, unconscious man (Richard Chamberlain) washes ashore in a small French town. As he recovers, it becomes quite clear, someone is trying to kill him. Jaclyn Smith co-stars.

Director:

Roger Young

Writers:

Robert Ludlum (novel), Carol Sobieski (teleplay)

Stars:

Richard Chamberlain, Jaclyn Smith, Anthony Quayle

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Richard Chamberlain	...	Jason Bourne
Jaclyn Smith	...	Marie St. Jacques
Anthony Quayle	...	Gen. François Villiers
Donald Moffat	...	David Abbott
Yorgo Voyagis	...	Carlos
Peter Vaughan	...	Fritz Koenig
Denholm Elliott	...	Dr. Geoffrey Washburn
Michael Habeck	...	The Fat Man
Wolf Kahler	...	Gold Glasses
Philip Madoc	...	D'Armacourt (1988)
Bill Wallis	...	Chernak
Franziskus Abgottspon	...	Zurich cabbie #2 (as Franciscus Abgottspon)
Frederick Bartman	...	Man in bank lobby
John Carlin	...	Stossel (1988)
George Lane Cooper	...	Gigantic Man

Storyline

An unconscious man is washed ashore on the beach of a small French village during a heavy storm. A retired doctor takes care of the unconscious stranger. When the mysterious man recovers, he can't remember a thing...he does not know his name, he does not know where his flashback memories come from, and he does not know why the access code for an anonymous Swiss bank account is implanted in his thigh. As he seeks his own identity, things quickly become dangerous. There are attempts to kill him, he is well known in first class hotels across Europe, and worst of all, there are strange similarities between his memories and reported actions of the notorious terrorist, Carlos the Jackal.

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Plot Keywords:

bank account | flashback | spy | alcoholic | showdown | 

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Taglines:

Basada en el bestseller del espionaje Robert Ludlam. [Spain]

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

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Certificate:

Unrated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English French German

Release Date:

8 May 1988 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Bourne rejtély

Filming Locations:

Eiffel Tower, Avenue Gustave Eiffel, 75007 Paris, Paris, France

Company Credits

Production Co:

Alan Shayne Productions, Warner Bros. Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

185 min

Sound Mix:

Mono Stereo (remix for video release)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Abbott (Donald Moffat) says that Interpol had been trying to catch Carlos for 20 years. In fact, the real Carlos was born in 1949, and did not become a terrorist until 1970, at age 21, when he joined the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). Therefor, if Interpol had been trying to catch him for 20 years in 1987 (when the movie was in production), they would have been trying to catch him before he was known to the world. In actuality, he was not known until his first successful bombing, in France, 1975, just 12 years prior to production.

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Goofs

In Zürich at the river, Bourne fires a silenced pistol, yet you hear normal gunshots.

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Quotes

Jason Bourne: Why here, Geoff, when you're as good as you are?
Geoffrey Washburn: They said I was drunk. They said I killed two patients on the operating table because I was drunk. I could've got away with one but not two. They said they saw a pattern emerging.

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Connections

Referenced in Resident Evil (2002)

User Reviews

Another Ludlum Thriller

Filmed in Europe, the story is based on a classic Robert Ludlum novel. This made for TV movie is better than the average TV fare. Originally a two part mini-series, it tends to have some periods where it drags with too much interplay between the stars but it still contains the usual amount of Ludlum action, suspense and his keen senss of scenery. Richard Chamberlain and Jaclyn Smith are supported by a fine European cast which includes Anthony Quayle and Denholm Elliott. Well worth your time. A collectors movie.