Frantic is an oddity on Harrison Ford’s filmography. Whilst he is best known as Indiana Jones, Han Solo and Jack Ryan alongside his reliably good action thrillers, there was a period in the 80’s when he was something of a dramatic actor with range and critics were noting him. There was a hat trick of dramatic outings with Witness (for which he received his only Academy Award Nomination to date,) Mosquito Coast (for which he should have been nominated again) and culminating in Frantic.
Frantic is directed by Roman Polanski and having worked with Peter Weir on his previous two films Ford was in good hands, however, there is a problem with Frantic and it pains me to reveal it. Ford is miscast in the lead and whilst I love the film I do think there is a better choice within.
Ford plays Dr Richard Kimble, a Doctor whose wife is murdered by a one arm… wait, that’s The Fugitive. In Frantic Ford plays Dr Richard Walker, a Doctor whose wife is kidnapped in Paris when a mistake made at the airport leads to her mysterious abduction. Betty Buckley is the beloved wife and Ford is frantic to get her back. Assisting Ford in his culturally inept foray is Emmanuelle Seigner, a somewhat streetwise youth who had a hand in the Airport faux pas.
As mentioned, Ford is known as the agile Nazi fighting adventurer Indiana Jones and therefore is a fit bod. Dr Richard Walker struggles to run up a couple of staircases in a parking garage… despite having Indiana Jones’ fit bod. Ford is honestly too fit for the role. Re-watching the film again, the late David Huddleston appears in a short, but fun role as another Doctor friend of Fords’. Had the roles been reversed and it was Huddleston devling into the underworld of Paris, Frantic would have been utterly engrossing and a proper fish out of water tale. In saying that, Ford still gives a terrific performance playing against type and keeps most of the film engaging.
If you can look past the casting of Ford you will find a clever little thriller with some grabbing moments. The frustration Ford exudes as he attempts to enlist the help of the American consulate. A remarkably clever dance sequence that summarises the themes of the film as Ford’s older character can’t get to grips with the younger worldly character played by Seigner, however, despite their differences, they still manage to work it out. There are several moments that help depict Walker’s genuinely lost character lose his footing and fall into the Parisian underworld.
Paris is gorgeously decrepit in the film, a look that I have a lot of nostalgia for with cobbled street, cafés and darkened nightclubs. I become transfixed by the French cars as I loved them when I was a kid, the classic Citroens, Renaults and Peugeots dotted around the street and Ford taking control of the Peugeot 604. It’s a beautiful yet lightly scary world that Polanski invites use into and keeps the screen brimming with life, decadence and grime. Ennio Morricone provides a stunning soundtrack that’s infuses modern pop with classic French tones that feel low-key and downtrodden for a major starring movie with Harrison Ford.
Emmanuelle Seigner needs every bit of applause for the film as she is simply marvellous. A stunningly beautiful actress whose face can change in an instant from innocence to scorn to warmth. As the audience I wanted to rip her out of the story, take care of her and keep her from the downward trajectory she is heading. A moment occurs during a rooftop sequence when she almost falls and her eye’s a looked onto Ford’s as he scrambles to help her, she eyes questioning if Ford is going to save her as so many have let her go in her past, Polanski keeps on her and plays it out with Seigner front and centre.
Frantic is rarely mentioned when Ford’s film history is talked about and it’s probably due to the fairly awkward casting. Polanski keeps the film very engrossing and always lively. I hope that one day the longer version of the film with the original ending sees an audience.
For a major movie release in 1988 with Harrison Ford one would expect there to have been a much larger advertising campaign. There really only seems to be one poster that was used outside of Japan. Inside Japan there were two others. In saying that, the main poster for Frantic has always been a favourite of mind and I have the original quad cinema poster in my collection.
Frantic had a wild release on Video and DVD, I picked both up over the years and the DVD prices are low. More recently the Frantic can be found on Blu Ray, but generally in a dual combo with Presumed Innocent. There is another combo that adds The Fugitive and then a further package adding 42 and Firewall.
When it comes to extras on the discs, there is nothing. I am not aware of any extras having been released for Frantic over the years on a disc. Given Polanski’s position in the US, I don’t imagine we will get much either.
