La Femme Nikita (1990)
"Nikita" (original title)

Convicted felon Nikita, instead of going to jail, is given a new identity and trained, stylishly, as a top secret spy/assassin.

Director:

Luc Besson

Writer:

Luc Besson

Stars:

Anne Parillaud, Marc Duret, Patrick Fontana

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 5 wins & 12 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Anne Parillaud	...	Nikita
Marc Duret	...	Rico
Patrick Fontana	...	Coyotte
Alain Lathière	...	Zap
Laura Chéron	...	La punk
Jacques Boudet	...	Le pharmacien
Helene Aligier	...	La pharmacienne
Pierre-Alain de Garrigues	...	Flic pharmacie
Patrick Pérez	...	Flic pharmacie (as Patrick Perez)
Bruno Randon	...	Flic pharmacie
Vincent Skimenti	...	Flic pharmacie
Roland Blanche	...	Flic interrogatoire
Joseph Teruel	...	Stagiaire flic
Jacques Disses	...	Avocat
Stéphane Fey	...	Président tribunal (as Stephane Fey)

Storyline

Nikita est très jeune, elle a vingt ans, mais elle a emprunté une mauvaise voie. Pendant un hold-up avec sa bande, elle tue un policier et est condamnée à la prison à vie. Les services secrets, par contre, lui offrent une voie de sortie : devenir un agent spécial, prêt à tout, à leur service. Nikita accepte et commence ainsi un apprentissage très dur qui concerne non seulement les différents modes de tuer, de prendre la fuite ou de faire face à des situations imprévues, mais aussi la manière de se comporter en femme qui a de la classe, capable de se conduire avec aisance dans tous les milieux. Sous la conduite de Bob, Nikita arrive à freiner son caractère rebelle et à surmonter la terrible épreuve finale. Elle semble être devenue une personne différente et tombe amoureuse. Mais faut-il faire confiance aux services secrets ?

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Plot Keywords:

murder | kill | gun | one word title | venice italy | 

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Taglines:

A new kind of lethal weapon

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Genres:

Action | Drama | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

France Italy

Language:

French Italian

Release Date:

April 1991 (USA)

Also Known As:

La Femme Nikita

Filming Locations:

Old Seita factory, Paris 12, Paris, France

Box Office

Budget:

FRF 50,000,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$5,017,971 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Gaumont, Les Films du Loup, Cecchi Gori Group Tiger Cinematografica

Technical Specs

Runtime:

118 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The first scene Nikita appears in was the first scene Anne Parillaud shot. Despite having only one line Luc Besson had Parillaud deliver nearly a hundred takes. Parillaud later found out that he used the second take in the movie.

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Goofs

While firing the weapon in the kitchen, Nikita clearly finishes the clip (the slide locks open), but in the next shot the slide is forward again. Also the number of rounds she fires with the second clip (before she checks and finds it empty) is less than the number of rounds she fires with the first clip. It is unlikely that Bob (or anyone else) would give her less than a full clip of bullets.

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Quotes

Marco: Time to clean up.

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Connections

Referenced in Appleseed Saga: Ex Machina (2007)

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Soundtracks

"LA PETITE MUSIQUE DE NUIT"
Music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (as MOZART)
Performed by Scottish Chamber Orchestra
Conducted by Raymond Leppard
Courtesy of Erato

User Reviews

French thriller finely directed by Luc Besson about a violent junkie who becomes undercover assassin

Exciting and stirring movie that is remade in American style by John Badham (1993) . A gang of armed drug-addicts break into a shop to try and steal drugs to fuel their habit and then takes place a bloody tour of force . However, the police arrive too fast and all addicts but one are killed .The hardened criminal (Anne Parillaud , role subsequently played by Bridget Fonda) , a punk-junkie sociopath acts with consistence violence, even in police custody and is given a life sentence .But after being drugged by her captors she wakes up to find that she has been spared in order to train her as a government assassin . However, top-secret agency official (a Svengali alike ,Tcheky Karyo , character interpreted in the American version by Gabriel Byrne))arranges a stage , so she can be elaborately trained as phantom killer and subdued into obedience. After a dramatic transformation, she is allowed to leave and start a new life for herself .On her eventual release she turns into a sophisticated girl thanks to an old lady (Jeanne Moreau , role also acted by Anne Bancroft) . As a cover, she gets a new identity . And with a wonderful house-mate, a broad-minded, gentle boyfriend (Jean Hugues Anglade , posteriorly performed by Dermot Mulroney) . The two fall in love, but that complicates jobs. His good influence extends to breeding her a conscience that puts love over business, alas unlike agency. However, she begins to discover that there is more to life than she previously thought and soon begins to wish she could escape from her obligation. But the government aren't so easy to evade .

This exciting noir-thriller is packed with thrills , tension , suspense and lots of noisy action .From the start to the ending the action pace is fast moving, provides fast and furious entertainment with spectacular scenes. Displays nonstop action and is extremely entertaining and thrilling . Some scenes are brutal and with a load of violence. Still it's a good movie, I think furthermore the incredible chemistry between Parillaud and Karyo ,the plot was moving and intense , it makes you want to know what happens after . Anne Parillaud is pretty good as the heroine who turns in violent tendencies to patriotic use , both as the anti-social rebel of the early scenes and the sophisticated, seductive young lady of the later ones . It benefits enormously from a memorably assured performances from veteran as Jeanne Moreau , Jean Reno , Philippe Leroy and Jean Bouise whom is dedicated the movie . Atmospheric musical score by Eric Serra , though with excessive use of synthesizer . Colorful cinematography by Thierry Arbogast and perfectly remastered . The motion picture is lavishly produced and well directed by Luc Besson with his ordinary visual pyrotechnics . He often casts Jean Reno and music always by Eric Serra. Besson is the greatest producer and director from France with hits as ¨Leon¨ , ¨Joan of Arc¨ , ¨The fifth element¨ , the ¨Taxi¨ series , ¨Big blue¨ , ¨Arthur and the Minimois¨ , of course ¨Nikita¨ and many others .