True Lies (1994)

Harry Tasker is a secret agent for the United States Government. For years, he has kept his job from his wife, but is forced to reveal his identity and try to stop nuclear terrorists when he and his wife are kidnapped by the terrorists.

Director:

James Cameron

Writers:

Claude Zidi (screenplay), Simon Michaël (screenplay),

Stars:

Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jamie Lee Curtis, Tom Arnold

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 6 wins & 14 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Arnold Schwarzenegger	...	Harry Tasker
Jamie Lee Curtis	...	Helen Tasker
Tom Arnold	...	Albert Gibson
Bill Paxton	...	Simon
Tia Carrere	...	Juno Skinner
Art Malik	...	Salim Abu Aziz
Eliza Dushku	...	Dana Tasker
Grant Heslov	...	Faisil
Charlton Heston	...	Spencer Trilby
Marshall Manesh	...	Jamal Khaled
James Allen	...	Colonel
Dieter Rauter	...	Boathouse Guard (as Deiter Rauter)
Jane Morris	...	Janice
Katsy Chappell	...	Allison
Crystina Wyler	...	Charlene

Storyline

Harry Tasker leads a double life. At work he is a government agent with a license to do just about anything, while at home he pretends to be a dull computer salesman. He is on the trail of stolen nuclear weapons that are in the hands of fanatic terrorists when something more important comes up. Harry finds his wife is seeing another man because she needs some adventure in her life. Harry decides to give it to her, juggling pursuit of terrorists on one hand and an adventure for his wife on the other while showing he can Tango all at once.

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Plot Keywords:

terrorist | agent | secret | used car salesman | secret agent | 

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Taglines:

When he said I do, he never said what he did.

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Genres:

Action | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for a lot of action/violence and some language

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook

Country:

USA

Language:

English French Arabic German

Release Date:

15 July 1994 (USA)

Also Known As:

Mentiras verdaderas

Filming Locations:

Santa Clarita, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$115,000,000 (estimated)

Gross:

£10,923,140 (UK) (9 September 1994)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, Lightstorm Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

141 min

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) Dolby Digital (35 mm prints) DTS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Arnold Schwarzenegger signed on to make the film before he made Last Action Hero. The reason for the delay was that James Cameron was busy writing Strange Days for his ex-wife, Kathryn Bigelow.

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Goofs

In real life the SS-22 designation was given to two missiles: a conventional anti-ship cruise missile and a theater ranged single warhead nuclear missile, neither of which is an intercontinental ballistic missile with multiple warheads as stated by Harry. Also no MIRV-carrying missile, which are strategic weapons, ever had a yield as low as 30 kilotons on the warheads since that is considered a low yield tactical weapon.

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Quotes

Harry: [holding Simon at the edge of an aquaduct] Son of a bitch, Did you think you can elude us forever, Carlos, huh?
Simon: Hey, you got the wrong guy! My name's Simon! Just let me go. There's no need to kill me. I haven't seen your...
[Harry and Gib remove their masks]
Simon: face. No, no, no I didn't see it, I didn't see it!
[realizes that it is Harry]
Simon: Oh, it's you! Hey, you still interested in that 'Vette at all?
Gib: Hey, Carlos? Game's over. Your career as an international terrorist is well documented.
Simon: No...
Gib: -Oh, ...
[...]

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Crazy Credits

In the middle of the credits, Gib (who's waiting outside in the stereotypical spy van as Harry's having fun inside the party) says, "You know what? I'm sick of being in the van. You guys can be in the van next time. I've been in the van for fifteen years, Harry."

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Connections

Referenced in Late Night with Conan O'Brien: 5th Anniversary Special (1998)

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Soundtracks

"The Blue Danube"
Written by Johann Strauß
Performed by the Philadelphia Orchestra
Eugene Ormandy, Conductor
Courtesy of RCA Victor, Red Seal
A Division of BMG Classics

User Reviews

This is how an action movie should be like!

Biggest problem with most action movies is that they take themselves way too serious. "True Lies" is mainly fun and entertaining and on top of that, the action is top class!

Finally a movie of which I can say: "Budget well spend!" The action really jumps off the screen but it never feels overdone or forced, which is thanks to action-director veteran James Cameron. He should stick to directing action movies like this, the Terminator movies and "Aliens". Please no more movies like "Titanic"! (not that it was a VERY bad movie) Stick to were your talent lies.

The movie can be described as an American James Bond, meaning that everything is bigger and I'm not just talking about Arnie's chest. Just like the James Bond movies, it doesn't take itself seriously without making itself ridiculous.

Many people seem to have problems with the whole "wife side track, story-line" I guess I'm one of the few that doesn't mind it at all and actually find it an extra addition to the story.

The movie has everything a good action movie need: A believable action hero, explosions, chases, gun fights, a stereotype villain and a high entertainment value.

I wish more action movies like this would be made.

10/10

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