The Package (1989)

Experienced Green Beret sergeant Johnny Gallagher is escorting a prisoner, Airborne Ranger Thomas Boyette, back to the US, but Boyette escapes and Gallagher must risk life and limb to catch him.

Director:

Andrew Davis

Writer:

John Bishop

Stars:

Gene Hackman, Joanna Cassidy, Tommy Lee Jones

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Gene Hackman	...	Sgt. Johnny Gallagher
Joanna Cassidy	...	Eileen Gallagher
Tommy Lee Jones	...	Thomas Boyette
John Heard	...	Col. Glen Whitacre
Dennis Franz	...	Lt. Milan Delich
Pam Grier	...	Ruth Butler
Kevin Crowley	...	Walter Henke
Ron Dean	...	Karl Richards
Nathan Davis	...	Soviet Press Secretary
Chelcie Ross	...	Gen. Hopkins
Joe Greco	...	Gen. Carlson
Ike Pappas	...	Himself
Marco St. John	...	Marth
Reni Santoni	...	Chicago Police Lieutenant
Michael Skewes	...	MP

Storyline

Johnny Gallagher, a sergeant, is sent from Germany with a prisoner. The prisoner escapes from the men's room at National Airport and Hackman begins his search for his man. Enlisting the help of his ex-wife and various old friends, he finds that the prisoner is part of a plot by senior military personnel on both sides to kill a very high-ranking world figure in order to sabotage arms control talks.

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Plot Keywords:

sergeant | prisoner | escape | disarmament | airport | 

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Taglines:

Gene Hackman is up against Tommy Lee Jones. Let the best man win!

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Genres:

Action | Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 August 1989 (USA)

Also Known As:

A la caza del lobo rojo

Filming Locations:

14907 Woodlawn Ave, Dolton, Illinois, USA

Box Office

Gross:

$10,647,219 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Orion Pictures Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

108 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color (Astrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The "christmas present" Walter Henke gets, the rifle - which is identical to Boyette's assassin weapon, of course - is indeed Austrian as Henke says, it's a Steyr AUG Bullpup 5.56mm universal rifle, manufactured by Steyr Mannlicher.

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Goofs

Towards the end of the film, the Russian/US leaders appear at an event at the University of Chicago. The University is correctly identified by the reporter, as is the fact that E. Fermi achieved the first self-sustaining reaction at the University. However, the reporter states that the leaders are meeting at the exact spot of this achievement, but the ceremony is clearly taking place in front of Lorado Taft's "Fountain of Time." Fermi's experiments took place under the old Stagg field, which was located two blocks north of the "Fountain" monument used in the film. The Regenstein Library now stands on the location on the sit of the self-sustaining reaction.

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Quotes

Soviet Colonel: [speaking in Russian] What's now?
Col. Glen Whitacre: [driver pulls over and stops car] Why are we stopping, Sergeant?
MP: Sorry sir, just checking the map.
[produces pistol and shoots both passengers dead]

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Connections

Referenced in Intimate Portrait: Pam Grier (1999)

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Soundtracks

"God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen"
By Corelli / Jacobs Music

User Reviews

The conspiracy

Andrew Davis shows with "The Package" his affinity to this type of thriller which was better realized in "The Fugitive", but as films of this genre go, it makes satisfying entertainment. As written by John Bishop, the film will not bore anyone, although the plot is at times so convoluted it loses our credibility.

"The Package" takes us from Berlin to Chicago. It involves corrupt officers within the higher ups in the armed forces who don't want to see any type of peace between the two super powers at the center of the story, the United States and the Soviet Union.

This film came out as the Berlin wall was falling. Of course, the Mr. Bishop couldn't have foreseen the future, but after watching the movie, it makes us think this could well have occurred because of the parties involved. The film also points into the subversive groups operating within our country which is an added confusion to the plot.

Gene Hackman is tremendously appealing as Johnny Gallagher, the man who is responsible for solving the puzzle. Tommy Lee Jones, is the paid assassin Thomas Boyette who, in true thriller fashion appears to be one step ahead of everyone else. Joanna Cassidy makes a good contribution as Eileen Gallagher. John Heard is an intense military man who wants to get rid of whoever comes in his path. Dennis Franz is seen as the kind Chicago detective that realizes the immensity of what is being planned.

"The Package" is a good entertainment under Andrew Davis' direction who gets solid performances from the talented team assembled for the movie.