The Devil's Own (1997)

A police officer uncovers the real identity of his house-guest, an I.R.A. terrorist in hiding.

Director:

Alan J. Pakula

Writers:

Kevin Jarre (story), David Aaron Cohen (screenplay)

Stars:

Harrison Ford, Brad Pitt, Margaret Colin

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Harrison Ford	...	Tom O'Meara
Brad Pitt	...	Rory Devaney
Margaret Colin	...	Sheila O'Meara
Rubén Blades	...	Edwin Diaz (as Ruben Blades)
Treat Williams	...	Billy Burke
George Hearn	...	Peter Fitzsimmons
Mitchell Ryan	...	Chief Jim Kelly
Natascha McElhone	...	Megan Doherty
Paul Ronan	...	Sean Phelan
Simon Jones	...	Harry Sloan
Julia Stiles	...	Bridget O'Meara
Ashley Acarino	...	Morgan O'Meara (as Ashley Carin)
Kelly Singer	...	Annie O'Meara
David O'Hara	...	Martin MacDuff
David Wilmot	...	Dessie

Storyline

A thriller about an IRA gunman who draws an American family into the crossfire of terrorism. Frankie McGuire is one of the IRA's deadliest assassins. But when he is sent to the U.S. to buy weapons, Frankie is housed with the family of Tom O'Meara, a New York cop who knows nothing about Frankie's real identity. Their surprising friendship, and Tom's growing suspicions, force Frankie to choose between the promise of peace or a lifetime of murder.

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Plot Keywords:

columbia tristar | columbia tristar home video | terrorist | murder | police officer | 

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Taglines:

One man trapped by destiny, and another bound by duty. They're about to discover what they're willing to fight, and to die for.

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Genres:

Action | Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong brutal violence, and for language

Did You Know?

Trivia

Alan J. Pakula was tapped to direct because he was the only person acceptable to both Harrison Ford and Brad Pitt. It turned out to be the final film Pakula finished before his death.

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Goofs

The ring of keys that Frankie removes from the car's ignition does not have a handcuff key on it, and the two cops would not be able to pursue him in their car because the car is trapped in traffic, so there would be no point in Frankie's taking the keys with him, and he could not use them to open the handcuffs, as he later does on the train.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Frankie's Mother: How was your day?
Frankie's Father: It was a bit cold.

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Connections

References Red River (1948)

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Soundtracks

Hay Que Poner El Alma
Written by Omar Alfanno
Performed by 'Victor Manuelle'
Courtesy of Sony Discos, Inc.

User Reviews

Watch it for Pitt and Ford.

Starring big stars Harrison Ford and Brad Pitt The Devil's Own is a strange film- While The Devil's Own doesn't do a spectacular job of fulfilling the promise of its cast or its complex politics-and-guns premise, it is nevertheless reasonably well-paced. The less intently you watch this movie, the greater the chance that you'll be pleased by it. Unfortunately, if you're paying attention, it won't take long to notice that very little of the last act holds together. That sort of high-tension, mind-numbing climax makes it difficult for me to retain more than token enthusiasm for the production as a whole. Pitt and Ford do credible jobs as Frankie and Tom. Despite his character's brutal, bloody past, Pitt manages to capture our sympathy, in large part because, aside from the killings, Frankie seems like a likable sort of guy. Ford, in a role that's a far cry from the cocky Han Solo, recalls Jack Ryan, the protagonist of Patriot Games and Clear and Present Danger -- a hero whose armor is just a little too shiny.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 March 1997 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Devil's Own

Filming Locations:

Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$90,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$14,274,503, 30 March 1997

Gross USA:

$42,868,348

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$140,807,547

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

111 min

Sound Mix:

SDDS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1