Point of No Return (1993)

A government fakes the death of a criminal to turn this young woman into a killer on its service.

Director:

John Badham

Writers:

Luc Besson (film La Femme Nikita), Robert Getchell (screenplay)

Stars:

Bridget Fonda, Gabriel Byrne, Dermot Mulroney

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Bridget Fonda	...	Maggie
Gabriel Byrne	...	Bob
Dermot Mulroney	...	J.P.
Miguel Ferrer	...	Kaufman
Anne Bancroft	...	Amanda
Olivia d'Abo	...	Angela
Richard Romanus	...	Fahd Bahktiar
Harvey Keitel	...	Victor the Cleaner
Lorraine Toussaint	...	Beth
Geoffrey Lewis	...	Drugstore Owner
Mic Rodgers	...	Cop
Michael Rapaport	...	Big Stan
Ray Oriel	...	Burt
Spike McClure	...	Johnny D
Lieux Dressler	...	Johnny's Mom

Storyline

Drug addict Maggie Hayward's consistent violence, even in police custody, ends in the execution chamber. However, top secret U.S. government Agent "Bob" arranges a staged death, so Maggie can be elaborately trained as a killer. She gets a new cover identity as saleswoman Claudia Anne Doran. She also finds a housemate, building super J.P., a broad-minded, gentle photographer. The two fall in love, and that complicates her government assignments. His influence extends to breeding in her a conscience that supplants her violent tendencies, and desire to continue work for the agency.

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Plot Keywords:

remake of french film | female assassin | hitwoman | pantyhose | woman murders a man | 

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Taglines:

The Government gave her a choice. Death. Or life as an assassin. Now, there's no turning back.

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Genres:

Action | Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong violence, and for language and sexuality

Did You Know?

Trivia

(At around one hour and twenty-four minutes) The black and white film Claudia (Maggie) is watching is Deception (1946) with Bette Davis and Claude Rains.

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Goofs

When Maggie opens the box for the first time in the restaurant her pistol, Hammerli 280, is unloaded while Bob says "Its loaded". There is only one clip in the box. In the next cut there are two clips in the box and the pistol is in fact loaded.

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Quotes

Bob: [picks up Maggie's album of Nina Simone] Can I take this?
J.P.: Yeah... sure.
J.P.: [pause] You like Nina?
Bob: [after a while] Yeah. I love her.
J.P.: [pause] We'll miss her?
Bob: [gazes at the picture of Maggie on the wall] Yeah. We'll miss her.

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Alternate Versions

Although rated "not under 18" Warner Bros cut a few seconds from the German rental video release to lower violence. One missing scene takes place during the kitchen-shootout in the restaurant. We don't see a cook being hit by 2 bullets.

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Connections

Referenced in The Simpsons: Springfield Up (2007)

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Soundtracks

Happy Birthday to You
Written by Patty S. Hill and Mildred J. Hill

User Reviews

Good viewing

The English version of the French movie La Femme Nikita. I think it is quite well done, and I enjoyed it.

A druggie girl kills a cop and is sentenced to death. She is given the "opportunity" to live, if she does what they say, and becomes an assassin. To the rest of the world she died.

She is determined, and she doesn't play well with others, but if she doesn't start playing their game, she really will be in her grave.. I'm not giving away any more.

But I would recommend it, it's worth seeing. Especially if you like Bridget Fonda, who kicks arse in this movie.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English French

Release Date:

19 March 1993 (USA)

Also Known As:

Girl No. 5

Filming Locations:

523 Ocean Front Walk, Venice, California, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$7,160,389, 21 March 1993

Gross USA:

$30,038,362

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$30,038,362

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros., Art Linson Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

109 min 104 min (TV) 101 min (TV)

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1