Clear and Present Danger (1994)

CIA Analyst Jack Ryan is drawn into an illegal war fought by the US government against a Colombian drug cartel.

Director:

Phillip Noyce

Writers:

Tom Clancy (novel), Donald E. Stewart (screenplay) (as Donald Stewart)

Stars:

Harrison Ford, Willem Dafoe, Anne Archer

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 3 wins & 7 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Harrison Ford	...	Jack Ryan
Willem Dafoe	...	Clark
Anne Archer	...	Cathy Ryan
Joaquim de Almeida	...	Felix Cortez
Henry Czerny	...	Robert Ritter
Harris Yulin	...	James Cutter
Donald Moffat	...	President Bennett
Miguel Sandoval	...	Ernesto Escobedo
Benjamin Bratt	...	Captain Ramirez
Raymond Cruz	...	Chavez
Dean Jones	...	Judge Moore
Thora Birch	...	Sally Ryan
Ann Magnuson	...	Moira Wolfson
Hope Lange	...	Senator Mayo
Tom Tammi	...	Emile Jacobs

Storyline

Jack Ryan is back and this time the bad guys are in his own government. When Admiral James Greer becomes sick with cancer, Ryan is appointed acting CIA Deputy Director of Intelligence. Almost before he can draw a breath in his new position, one of the president's closest friends and his family are murdered in their sleep by what appears to by drug cartels. Ryan is called in to investigate, but unknown to him the CIA has already sent a secret field operative to lead an illegal paramilitary force in Colombia against cartels. Things get even more complicated when his team is set up and he loses an agent in the field and a friend of his wife's, who was the murdered agent's secretary, is murdered that same day. Ryan must then risk not only his career, but his life to expose the truth behind the mystery.

---

Plot Keywords:

jack ryan character | good versus evil | cia | drugs | colombia | 

---

Taglines:

Truth needs a soldier.

---

Genres:

Action | Crime | Drama | Thriller

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for some intense action/violence and language

Details

Country:

USA Mexico

Language:

English

Release Date:

3 August 1994 (USA)

Also Known As:

Clear and Present Danger

Filming Locations:

Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico

Box Office

Budget:

$62,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$20,348,017, 7 August 1994, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$122,187,717

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$215,887,717

Company Credits

Production Co:

Mace Neufeld Productions, Paramount Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

141 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital DTS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

During the scene in the Ryan family's kitchen, there are callbacks to the previous two Jack Ryan movies: first, Sally tells her baby brother there's no time to make his requested waffles, and instead offers him "toast... or toast," mirroring a similar conversation almost word for word in Patriot Games (1992), when Sally asks her dad for pancakes, but Jack instead offers her "toast... or toast." Moments later, Jack's son is playing with a toy submarine, complaining that it won't float, spurring Jack to explain that subs operate underwater - a nod to The Hunt For Red October (1990), in which Jack (then played by Alec Baldwin) helps track down a Soviet submarine carrying Russian defectors.

---

Goofs

When Jack Ryan is printing the Reciprocity files he finds he needs paper for the printer. When he opens the printer tray there is already paper in the tray and he then loads more and closes the tray, but fails to do so properly. In this position the printer would fail to print.

---

Quotes

James Cutter: Are you suggesting a course of action, sir?
The President: The course of action I'd suggest is a course of action I can't suggest.

---

Connections

Referenced in Bits and Pieces: Bringing Death to Life (2003)

---

Soundtracks

Breaking News #2 Theme
by Herb Avery
Courtesy of CNN

User Reviews

Fully Entertaining

I don't know of anybody who doesn't like this movie, Clear and Present Danger. There was a funny cartoon I once read called Clear and Present Dangerfield which showed Rodney Dangerfield saying "I get no respect from these terrorists!" Very funny. The movie has some cheesy moments and some patriotic moments John Wayne would be proud of. The book and movie are different but the book, like most of Tom Clancy's books are so long that it's not possible to make it into an alike movie. So therefore the movie is focused on the parts with Jack Ryan and the other characters are hardly in it. Henry Czerny comes across as the top supporting actor in it and earned some roles from his solid underrated performance. Donald Moffat plays a two-faced president better than any actor who would have otherwise played him as a straight up mean dictator. Like in the book, the President has no name, he simply goes by the name the President of the United States of America. Philip Noyce does his job well at directing this picture. And of course this is one of Harrison Ford's last great roles since he did a Tom Hanks and has been desperate for an Oscar ever since. Overall, it's a great movie for anyone to enjoy.