The Lost Son (1999)

Xavier Lombard is a world-weary private eye in London, in exile from his native Paris; his best friend is Nathalie, a high-class call girl. He gets a call from an old friend from the Paris ... See full summary »

Director:

Chris Menges

Writers:

Eric Leclere, Margaret Leclere,

Stars:

Daniel Auteuil, Nastassja Kinski, Katrin Cartlidge

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Daniel Auteuil	...	Xavier Lombard
Nastassja Kinski	...	Deborah Spitz
Katrin Cartlidge	...	Emily
Marianne Denicourt	...	Nathalie
Ciarán Hinds	...	Carlos
Billie Whitelaw	...	Mrs. Spitz
Cyril Shaps	...	Mr. Spitz
Bruce Greenwood	...	Friedman
Jamie Harris	...	Hopper
Hemal Pandya	...	Shiva
Billy Smyth	...	Boy No 6
Cal Macaninch	...	Martin
Mark Benton	...	Giant
Michael Liebmann	...	Peter
Joe White	...	Barman

Storyline

Xavier Lombard is a world-weary private eye in London, in exile from his native Paris; his best friend is Nathalie, a high-class call girl. He gets a call from an old friend from the Paris police department, now a businessman whose brother-in-law is missing. The missing man's parents hire Xavier over their daughter's objections, and quickly he finds himself in the realm of children's sexual slavery. He guesses that the lost son is dead and shifts his focus to finding and breaking this lucrative business of child trafficking. He involves a reluctant Nathalie to hunt "the Austrian," the shadowy head of the business. Violence erupts quickly, and Xavier soon has little more to lose.

---

Plot Keywords:

exile | call girl | child pornography | mexico | corrupt cop | 

---

Taglines:

Innocence isn't lost. It's taken

---

Genres:

Crime | Drama | Romance | Thriller

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for scenes involving sexual exploitation of children, strong violence, language and some nudity

Details

Official Sites:

UIP

Country:

France UK USA

Language:

English French

Release Date:

21 April 1999 (France)

Also Known As:

Az elveszett fiú

Filming Locations:

Felixstowe, Suffolk, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Arts Council of England, Canal+, Channel Four Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

102 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

Lombard picks up a Walther PPK pistol with the magazine removed. He cycles the slide and then inserts the magazine. Although it appears he was charging the weapon, all he has done is ensure the gun is not loaded (there may be rounds in the mag, but there is no round in the chamber).

---

Connections

References Peeping Tom (1960)

---

Soundtracks

"Requiem"
Composed by Gabriel Fauré

User Reviews

Excellent detective story with an unpleasant subject matter

Daniel Auteil is perfectly cast for this role as a sleazy detective trying to escape a tragic past. Sure there are some cliche elements in the story but hey, isn't that why we come to see this sort of movie? The subject matter is grim and I was left wondering about the still-gorgeous Natassia Kinski's role in the story. I felt her character never really went anywhere. The twist at the end was really fairly predictable but nevertheless at its best this movie reminded me of Chinatown.