Hero (1992)

A not-so-nice man rescues passengers from a crashed airliner, only to see someone else take credit.

Director:

Stephen Frears

Writers:

Laura Ziskin (story), Alvin Sargent (story)

Stars:

Dustin Hoffman, Geena Davis, Andy Garcia

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Dustin Hoffman	...	Bernie LaPlante
Geena Davis	...	Gale Gayley
Andy Garcia	...	John Bubber
Joan Cusack	...	Evelyn
Kevin J. O'Connor	...	Chucky
Maury Chaykin	...	Winston
Stephen Tobolowsky	...	Wallace
Christian Clemenson	...	Conklin
Tom Arnold	...	Chick
Warren Berlinger	...	Judge Goines
Cady Huffman	...	Flight Attendant Leslie
Susie Cusack	...	Donna O'Day
James Madio	...	Joey
Richard Riehle	...	Robinson
Daniel Baldwin	...	Fireman Denton (as Daniel Leroy Baldwin)

Storyline

Bernie LaPlante is having a rough time. He's divorced, his ex-wife hates him, and has custody of their son. The cops are setting a trap for him, then to top it all, he loses a shoe while rescuing passengers of a plane crash. Being a thief who is down on his luck, he takes advantage of the rescue, but then someone else claims credit for it.

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Plot Keywords:

unlikely hero | reluctant hero | stealing credit | firefighter | bartender | 

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Taglines:

One selfless act of courage can really mess up your whole day.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for uses of strong language

Did You Know?

Trivia

The idea for the film was born when producer Laura Ziskin and story co-writer Alvin Sargent were watching the 1988 presidential primaries. They became intrigued by television's power to instantly create identity and reputation with a single act or image. When Ziskin later saw television news reports of a plane crash, in which people were rescued by "a man who came out of nowhere", she gave the scenario a comic spin: "What if a truly wonderful act were performed by a person who's actually pretty crummy, a lowlife, a criminal, a Bernie LaPlante?" Director Stephen Frears added: "The press are treated as a fact of contemporary life--powerful, pervasive, and often highly amusing in their feverish pursuit of a story."

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Goofs

When Bernie and John are driving in stop and go traffic the car they are in doesn't move. All the cars around it inch up and move in reverse through the entire conversation.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Judge Goines: Mr. foreman, have you arrived at a verdict?

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Crazy Credits

Special thanks to the people of Piru and Filmore, California; the people of Cook County, Illinois.

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Connections

Remade as The Prank (1999)

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Soundtracks

The Marine's Hymn
(©1919) (uncredited)
Music based on a melody by Jacques Offenbach from his opera "Genevieve de Brabant" (1859)
Played by a band outside the children's hospital

User Reviews

interesting premise, well executed

This was one of my favorite movies. Its basic message is that no one is either 100% good or 100% sleazy, as Hoffman and Garcia's characters show. Hoffman plays a two-bit thief who rescues a bunch of people from a downed airplane (including news reporter Geena Davis), and Garcia, a seemingly noble Vietnam vet, winds up taking credit for it.

Basically, the movie shows the dangers of our need for a hero and the media's glorifying of such a need. I liked this movie a lot.

*** out of ****

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

2 October 1992 (USA)

Also Known As:

Hero and a Half

Filming Locations:

California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$42,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$5,210,875, 4 October 1992

Gross USA:

$19,507,345

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$19,507,345

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

119 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1