Catchfire (1990)

Directors:

Dennis Hopper
Alan Smithee

Writers (WGA):

Rachel Kronstadt Mann (story)
Rachel Kronstadt Mann (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

3 April 1990 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Drama | Romance | Thriller

Tagline:

When murder is your business, you'd better not fall in love with your work.

Plot:

An artist (Foster) witnesses a Mafia hit and calls the police. At the police station she realizes that the Mafia has a man in the force...

Plot Keywords:

Mafia | Hitman | Artist | Greek American | Older Man Younger Woman Relationship

Cast

Dennis Hopper	...	Milo
Jodie Foster	...	Anne Benton
Dean Stockwell	...	John Luponi
Vincent Price	...	Mr. Avoca
John Turturro	...	Pinella
Fred Ward	...	Pauling
Julie Adams	...	Martha
Tony Sirico	...	Greek (as G. Anthony Sirico)
Sy Richardson	...	Capt. Walker
Frank Gio	...	Frankie
Helena Kallianiotes	...	Grace Carelli
John Apicella	...	Man at refinery
Clifford Bartholomew	...	Fed #2
Kevin Bourland	...	Ad agency man
Carl David Burks	...	Ad agency man

Also Known As:

Backtrack (USA) (TV title (director's cut))
Catchfire (Australia)
Do It the Hard Way

Runtime:

180 min (original cut) | 116 min (director's cut) | 98 min (cut version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Iceland:16 | Norway:15 | Singapore:M18 | Sweden:15 | USA:R | West Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA

Company:

Mack-Taylor Productions

Trivia:

Vestron Pictures were unhappy with director Dennis Hopper's original 180 minute cut of the film that they re-edited it without his knowledge. Hopper was so enraged he sued the company but they had already gone bankrupt. He nevertheless insisted on the anonymous Alan Smithee credit.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: When the camera climbs the stairs in Anne's hideout in New Mexico, its shadow is visible on the wall to the left.

Quotes:

Milo: There's something going on here that I really don't understand, but I like it.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Who Is Alan Smithee? (2002) (TV)

Nice Try But no Cigar

Despite a marvelous cast and some pretty good ideas, pedestrian writing keeps this movie from being as good as its cast would have make one think it would be. Although Catchfire, or Backtrack as it is known in the U.S., clearly tries to be a black comedy it does not have quite enough humor in it to qualify. That said, though, this is a consistently interesting film that is filled with excellent performances. 7 out of 10.