Target (1985)

When American Donna Lloyd is kidnapped during a trip to Europe, her son Chris and her husband Walter start searching for her.

Director:

Arthur Penn

Writers:

Howard Berk, Don Petersen

Stars:

Gene Hackman, Matt Dillon, Gayle Hunnicutt

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Gene Hackman	...	Walter Lloyd / Duncan (Duke) Potter
Matt Dillon	...	Chris Lloyd / Derek Potter
Gayle Hunnicutt	...	Donna Lloyd
Randy Moore	...	Tour Director
Ilona Grübel	...	Carla (as Ilona Grubel)
Tomas Hnevsa	...	Henke
Jean-Pol Dubois	...	Glasses
Robert Ground	...	Marine Sergeant
Véronique Guillaud	...	Secretary American Consulate
Charlotte Bailey	...	Receptionist
James Selby	...	Ross
Ray Fry	...	Mason
Josef Sommer	...	Taber
Jacques Mignot	...	Madison Hotel Clerk
Robert Liensol	...	Cafe Vendor

Storyline

Chris Lloyd does NOT get along with his father Walter. Walter is too careful, cautious, and boring to Chris, and never tries anything new, and Chris had to live by the same standards when he was growing up. But when his mother is kidnapped while in Europe, to Chris's confusion, Walter suddenly turns into a man of action. Just who is his father anyway.

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Plot Keywords:

assassination attempt | europe | telephone booth | man wearing glasses | bus | 

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Taglines:

It began with his mother's kidnapping and ended in murder. [UK Video]

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English French German

Release Date:

8 November 1985 (USA)

Also Known As:

Target - Entführt in Paris

Filming Locations:

Berlin, Germany

Box Office

Budget:

$13,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$2,670,522, 10 November 1985, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$9,023,199, 31 December 1985

Company Credits

Production Co:

CBS Entertainment Production, CBS Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

117 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

One of three movies starring both Gene Hackman and Josef Sommer. The others are: The Chamber (1996) and Reds (1981), though they don't share scenes in the latter.

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Goofs

When Chris leaves the US embassy in Berlin, he takes a mercedes cab. He does not change cabs but the used cars change several times and one of them has even French registration plates.

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Quotes

Chris Lloyd: Look, I don't know who you were in the old days but don't you think I should do the driving now?
Walter Lloyd: Just don't worry, okay? I think I can handle.
Chris Lloyd: Alright. Here we go to Hamburg at 20 miles an hour.

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Connections

Featured in Arthur Penn (1995)

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Soundtracks

That Old Black Magic
Lyrics by Johnny Mercer
Music by Harold Arlen
Sung by Billy Daniels

User Reviews

Misses the bullseye

The concentration on character and family values in Arthur Penn's spy thriller ought to make it a better, more intelligent movie, but somehow it doesn't work. Gene Hackman is an ex-CIA spy who's been "in from the cold" for 15 years. But now his wife has been kidnapped in Paris, and he has to get back into top gear in order to retrieve her. He also has to tell the truth about his past to his 18 year old son (Matt Dillon), who hitherto has thought his dad as much a man of action as Mr Magoo. There are all the contrivances we expect in this genre of film - repeated attempts on Hackman's life; car chases; femmes fatales; CIA agents who might be working for the other side; etc, etc. But little tension is developed, and first the recriminations and then the bonding between Hackman and Dillon simply slow the action down. I found the climax a tad ludicrous, but by that time didn't care much.