Missing (1982)

When an idealistic American writer disappears during the Chilean coup d'état in September 1973, his wife and father try to find him.

Director:

Costa-Gavras

Writers:

Costa-Gavras (screenplay), Donald E. Stewart (screenplay) (as Donald Stewart)

Stars:

Jack Lemmon, Sissy Spacek, Melanie Mayron

Won 1 Oscar. Another 11 wins & 21 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jack Lemmon	...	Ed Horman
Sissy Spacek	...	Beth Horman
Melanie Mayron	...	Terry Simon
John Shea	...	Charles Horman
Charles Cioffi	...	Captain Ray Tower
David Clennon	...	Consul Phil Putnam
Richard Venture	...	U.S. Ambassador
Jerry Hardin	...	Colonel Sean Patrick
Richard Bradford	...	Andrew Babcock
Joe Regalbuto	...	Frank Teruggi
Keith Szarabajka	...	David Holloway
John Doolittle	...	Dave McGeary
Janice Rule	...	Kate Newman
Ward Costello	...	Congressman
Hansford Rowe	...	Senator

Storyline

In September1973, in Chile, the American journalist Charles Horman arrives in Valparaiso with his friend Terry Simon to meet his wife Beth and bring her back to New York with him. However, they are surprised by the military coup d'état sponsored by the US Government to replace President Salvador Allende and Charles is arrested by the military force. His father Ed Horman, a conservative businessman from New York, arrives in Chile to seek out his missing son with Beth. He goes to the American Consulate to meet the Consul that promises the best efforts to find Charles while the skeptical Beth does not trust on the word of the American authorities. The nationalism and confidence of Ed in his government changes when he finds the truth about what happened with his beloved son.

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Plot Keywords:

american | military | coup | chile | missing | 

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Taglines:

Charlie Horman thought that being an American would guarantee his safety. His family believed that being Americans would guarantee them the truth. They were all wrong.

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | History | Mystery | Thriller

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Certificate:

PG

Did You Know?

Trivia

According to Hal Erickson at Allmovie, "in spite of (or perhaps because of) condemnation from certain high-ranking officials in the Reagan administration, the film went on to win an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay".

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Goofs

When the consular guide picks up Ed and Beth at the Christian Science Reading Room for their tour of the hospitals, it is pouring rain. They use umbrellas before getting into the car, but as they drive off the driver's window is rolled halfway down and he isn't getting wet.

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Quotes

Silvio: Believe us, sir. Your son is not what they told you.
Ed Horman: How do you know that, Silvio?
Silvio: He's a nice guy. He's sincere. A hard worker. But he's a political neophyte. He's terrified of violence.

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Connections

Referenced in Fiza (2000)

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Soundtracks

My Whole World Is Falling Down
(1963)
Written by Bill Anderson (uncredited) and Jerry Crutchfield (uncredited)
Performed by Brenda Lee
Courtesy of MCA Records, Inc.

User Reviews

Another side of Jack Lemmon.

Simply,Costa-Gavras's American movies (this one,Betrayed(1987) and "music box" (1990))are better than his French works(compartiments tueurs(1965),Z(1969),l'aveu(1970),etc).Whatever you may think of "Z",the art of Costa -Gavras is efficient but a bit cold and deprived of emotion.This is a perfect dissection of a political assassination,complete with investigation and suspense.But the characters are reduced to stereotypes,particularly when they are played by overrated Yves Montand.

In his American works,while continuing his militant way,Costa-Gavras puts men and women made of flesh and blood on the screen:Jack Lemmon,who made us laugh so many times in Billy Wilder's masterpieces("some like it hot" "kiss me stupid" "the apartment",the highly underrated "Avanti"),shines in his dramatic part;his portrayal of an all-American man,proud of his country,who cannot really understand the evolution of the new generations but who knows that he's got only one son,whom he might never see again,is mind-boggling:his tired and sad face,always seeming on the verge of tears ,mainly in the second half of the movie which contains two classic scenes:

-The first one takes place in the stadium,where the prisoners are gathered;he's given a mike ,but a lump comes to his throat and he hands it to Sissi Spacek -who plays (with talent) the missing son's wife -;In the giant stadium,no echoes ,even when Lemmon,in a desperate call,asks his son to come home.

-The second one takes place in some kind of morgue,where dead bodies pile up.The wife and the father really go to hell,in this almost unbearable scene.

The Putsch (Costa-Gavras takes the American intervention for granted whereas there's nothing that proves it)takes a back seat to the desperate couple's plight.

Costa-Gavras has not completely forsaken France though:the book Spacek and Shea are reading is none other than Saint-Exupery's "le petit prince".

Details

Country:

USA Mexico

Language:

English Spanish French

Release Date:

12 March 1982 (USA)

Also Known As:

Missing

Filming Locations:

Gran Hotel de la Ciudad de Mexico, Calle 16 de Septiembre Zocale, Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico

Box Office

Budget:

$9,500,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$14,000,000

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$14,000,000

Company Credits

Production Co:

PolyGram Filmed Entertainment, Universal Pictures, Estudios Churubusco Azteca S.A.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

122 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (magnetic tape PYRAL)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1