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Touch and Die

  • TV Movie
  • 19921992
  • RR
  • 3h
IMDb RATING
5.2/10
97
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Touch and Die (1992)
  • Thriller
Frank Magenta works as a journalist in Rome for a big American newspaper. Assigned to gather information on the background of Scanzano, the presidential candidate of Italian origin, he quick... Read allFrank Magenta works as a journalist in Rome for a big American newspaper. Assigned to gather information on the background of Scanzano, the presidential candidate of Italian origin, he quickly finds out that this politician is a man of unquestionable integrity. There are no scand... Read allFrank Magenta works as a journalist in Rome for a big American newspaper. Assigned to gather information on the background of Scanzano, the presidential candidate of Italian origin, he quickly finds out that this politician is a man of unquestionable integrity. There are no scandals or affairs which can endanger his candidacy. Frank decides to give up his investigatio... Read all
IMDb RATING
5.2/10
97
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Piernico Solinas
  • Writers
    • John Howlett
    • Piernico Solinas
  • Stars
    • Martin Sheen
    • Véronique Jannot
    • David Birney
Top credits
  • Director
    • Piernico Solinas
  • Writers
    • John Howlett
    • Piernico Solinas
  • Stars
    • Martin Sheen
    • Véronique Jannot
    • David Birney
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 1User review
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Photos

    Touch and Die (1992)
    Touch and Die (1992)
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    Top cast

    Edit
    Martin Sheen
    Martin Sheen
    • Frankas Frank
    Véronique Jannot
    Véronique Jannot
    • Catherineas Catherine
    David Birney
    David Birney
    • Scanzanoas Scanzano
    Renée Estevez
    Renée Estevez
    • Emmaas Emma
    Luca Venantini
    Luca Venantini
    • Carloas Carlo
    Paolo Bonacelli
    Paolo Bonacelli
    • Morellias Morelli
    Jacques Perrin
    Jacques Perrin
    • Steubenas Steuben
    Horst Buchholz
    Horst Buchholz
    • Limeyas Limey
    Franco Nero
    Franco Nero
    • Aquanias Aquani
    Rebecca Pauly
    • Susanas Susan
    Kent Broadhurst
    Kent Broadhurst
    • Davisas Davis
    Gérard Touratier
    • Jacquesas Jacques
    Riccardo Parisio Perrotti
    • Under-Secretaryas Under-Secretary
    Bradley Cole
    Bradley Cole
    • Harrisonas Harrison
    Christoph Moosbrugger
    • Alecas Alec
    Jean-Yves Gautier
    Jean-Yves Gautier
    • Pierreas Pierre
    Maurizio Fardo
    • Barabisaas Barabisa
    Bertie Cortez
    • Newspaper Deskmanas Newspaper Deskman
    • Director
      • Piernico Solinas
    • Writers
      • John Howlett
      • Piernico Solinas
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit
    Frank Magenta works as a journalist in Rome for a big American newspaper. Assigned to gather information on the background of Scanzano, the presidential candidate of Italian origin, he quickly finds out that this politician is a man of unquestionable integrity. There are no scandals or affairs which can endanger his candidacy. Frank decides to give up his investigations, much to the delight of his 18-year-old daughter; Emma believes that her father will have more time for her. With young journalist Carlo, Frank accidentally comes across two puzzling murders. He discovers that both victims had worked as scientists in nuclear power plants from which considerable amounts of highly dangerous enriched plutonium have disappeared. When a third body is found in Rome, however, Frank decides to get to the bottom of things. He therefore pays a visit to one of the dead black sailor's colleagues, who is in hospital in the intensive care unit. But Frank is obviously not the only one who takes an interest in the case. He has just found out that the sailor is dying because he was exposed to an overdose of radioactivity when he witnesses an attempt to kill the man. In the ensuing gunfight, a policeman is shot. Now Roman superintendent Morelli takes charge of the case. Morelli, however, is the one Frank has seen in hospital... Frank is arrested on suspicion of murder. He confides in superintendent Aquani, who also has his doubts about Morelli. He warns Frank not to interfere with his investigations. But it would take more than a warning to stop Frank, once he has sensed a scoop. The trail leads Frank to a small port where he finds a rusty, inconspicuous freighter loaded with the stolen plutonium. Frank tries to convince Aquani that he has stumbled on a gang of plutonium smugglers. But before the Italian authorities have a chance to stop the freighter, it is already in international waters heading for a small African country--at least that is what Frank has found out. Frank asks Carlo to find out about the owner of the ship and flies to Africa. In the meantime the freighter loaded with the highly dangerous cargo has docked. Together with Limey, an old friend who has been living in Africa for a long time, Frank observes how the deadly cargo is unloaded from the freighter and put onto a truck. Frank drives the truck to a safe hideaway. In the meantime, Carlo has found out that the ship is owned by a Swiss arms dealer called Steuben who also works with terrorist organizations. In Africa Frank meets an attractive woman. Catherine turns out to be a scientist contracted for Euratom in Brussels. But she does not believe Frank's story; she takes it for journalistic speculation inspired by the wish for a sensational scoop. Two things arouse her suspicion, too. Steuben has flown to Africa in the meantime. On a beach in Lutresh he holds a kind of auction. The Participants: representatives of many different countries. But what is he trying to sell, the plutonium? Frank's hands are the ultimate proof. While having a closer look at the freighter's cargo, Frank's hands were slightly contaminated. Frank flies back to Rome to track down Steuben, only to walk into a trap. He is charged with rape. Superintendent Aquani has not been idle in the meantime. He can now prove that Morelli is indeed involved in the plutonium smuggling. By arresting Frank he wanted to prevent the journalist from uncovering more and more details. The girl Frank is said to have raped cannot identify him. She turns out to be one of Morelli's marionettes. Aquani is now able to arrest his corrupt colleague. Frank visits Steuben in Paris and tells him that he has found out about his wheelings and dealings. Steuben commits suicide. In his office, Frank discovers a suitcase stuffed with 500,000 dollars and a ticket to New York. He flies to New York, pretends to be Steuben's agent and hands over the suitcase. Never leaving the case out of sight, he observes how the money is delivered to the campaign headquarters of the presidential candidate Scanzano. Frank joins Catherine, who has come to New York in order to report their discoveries to the nuclear lobby of the UN. But before Frank can warn Catherine about the killers of the plutonium mafia, she is murdered. The UNC henchmen don't even shrink from assaulting Frank's family. But Carlo, who has followed Frank to New York, courageously steps in. Suzann and Emma survive the murder attempt. After Frank gets his family to safety, he manages to meet with Scanzano and realizes that the politician is an honorable man who is completely oblivious to the way his campaign is being financed. Scanzano, however, has no choice but to resign. Frank's daughter Emma now hopes that her father will have more time for his family. But Frank already has another explosive story: somewhere in Africa is an abandoned truck with a dangerous load. —Anonymous
    • plutonium
    • africa
    • journalist
    • nuclear
    • scientist
    • 20 more
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    • Genre
      • Thriller
    • Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)
      • Rated R for violence.
    • Parents guide
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    Did you know

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    • Trivia
      Adrian Lester is highly embarrassed by his association with this project.

    User reviews1

    Review
    Top review
    6/10
    Touch of Death
    ***SPOILERS*** Long originally 180 minutes long and boring political drama involving the smuggling of weapons grade petroleum to foreign governments mostly in Latin America. That's being done through the Rome office of the presidential campaign manager of Italian/American John Scanzano who's a shoo-in to win he 1992 US Presidential Elections. It's Scanzaon's good friend US foreign reporter for the Western Morning News Frank Magenta who uncovers this use of his campaign to smuggle the plutonium in return for as much as a 100 million dollars in campaign contribution! That soon sets off red flags all over the both the European and African, where the petroleum originates from, continents!

    Magenta with the help of nuclear physicist Catherine Lungwua of the EAC, European Atomic Commission, soon helps uncovers this devious plan using the South African freighter the "Black Mumba" to smuggle the petroleum into Italy and then ship it the the countries,in South America, who's governments bought it in the black market. The only drawback in all this is that a number of those working in this smuggling operation have to be killed with their arms, that were contaminated with radiation, chopped off in order not to draw attention to what going on!

    the movie get a bit confusing with Magenta getting involved with a combination US Presidential Campaign and plutonium smuggling ring and almost ending up dying from radiation poisoning in the process. Martin Sheen as reporter Frank Magenta is at age 50 in excellent physical shape in what looks like him doing his own stunts which is a lot better then what the dialog what the movies screenplay gives him to work with .

    ****SPOILERS**** Despite his small roll in the film David Birney as US Presidential Candidate Frank Scanzano steals the show as a politician who when it's discovered what those under him have been doing to get him elected does the right thing, something almost unknown in American as well as European politics, in going before the public and telling the truth in how manipulated he was by those who he trusted and letting all the chips fall where they may. Even though "Death Touch" is only a movie and not too believable at that Scaznzano's honest actions could very well teach those politicians both running and trying to stay in elected office a thing or two in how to behave and not panic by doing the wrong thing when the walls start to cave in on them which like in John Scanzano's case was not of their or his own doing.
    helpful•2
    0
    • sol1218
    • Aug 10, 2011

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • August 27, 1992 (France)
    • Countries of origin
      • Italy
      • United States
      • France
      • Germany
      • United Kingdom
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Högt spel i Rom
    • Filming locations
      • Africa
    • Production companies
      • ITC
      • Rai 2
      • Société Française de Production (SFP)
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • Runtime
      3 hours
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Stereo
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

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