In the Line of Fire (1993)
February 18, 2024 6:07 PM - Subscribe
Secret Service agent Frank Horrigan couldn't save Kennedy, but he's determined not to let a clever assassin take out this president.
A Secret Service agent is taunted by calls from a would-be killer who has detailed information about the agent - including the fact that he failed to save President John F. Kennedy from assassination. The caller is revealed as an ex-CIA assassin, and the agent, who is investigating a threat to the current president, is determined not to let history repeat itself.
Carrie Rickey: Naturally Horrigan's favorite haunt is that shrine to another assassinated president, the Lincoln Memorial, where he woos his Secret Service colleague Lilly Raines (Rene Russo). Horrigan, whose longest previous relationships have been with his Miles Davis CDs and Jack Daniels bottles, pursues Lilly with the same diligence he brings to his pursuit of Leary, but to more comic effect. A scene in which Horrigan and Lilly almost bed - shedding their concealed handcuffs and firearms with dispatch - is worthy of The Naked Gun. In the Line of Fire deftly weaves comedy with suspense, action with passion.
And so what if Frank Horrigan refers to himself as a dinosaur? He's the one Tyrannosaurus Rex of the summer of '93 who will never become extinct.
Marjorie Baumgarten: Thirty years later, it's still something of a mystery to Horrigan himself, though it's become the defining moment of his life. Despite all his training in preparation for that moment, when it actually came to pass, Horrigan could not believe that he was witnessing someone actually shooting the president. And with that naked truth now a part of his psyche, something within Frank died. Redemption only becomes a possibility 30 years later when an assassin's ready to try it again and involves Horrigan, whom he regards as a worthy opponent, in his demented cat-and-mouse game. The assassin's identity and whereabouts are revealed in gradual increments and the chase comprises the grist of the movie. Malkovich makes for a squirrelly villain with his constant appearance changes, psychopathology in extremis, and coy telephone calls to Horrigan in which he alternately goads, humiliates, intrigues and infuriates the agent. Despite Malkovich's chillingly deranged portrait of a rogue psychopath, the part may be a tad overwritten with his culminating phone calls articulating too much expository detail about the parallels between himself and Horrigan and leaving too little for audiences to conclude for themselves.
Elena Morgan: While Eastwood is certainly the lead of In the Line of Fire, it’s Malkovich who steals every scene he’s in. Booth is an incredibly cunning man and knows exactly what buttons to press to make Frank go off his game. The phone conversations between Booth and Frank are the epitome of cat and mouse as they each try to learn things from one another, though Booth always seems to be one step ahead. Malkovich give a performance that’s cool and calculating one moment, and then full of fury the next. As Frank digs deeper into who Booth is or was, he starts to become an almost tragic character.
In the Line of Fire is a smart thriller. While there are a few chase sequences and scuffles, it’s how Frank and the other Secret Service agents work through the limited information they have to catch a potential killer that’s so gripping. The score, the editing, and the cinematography all work together to rack up the tension as Booth gets closer to his goal of killing the President, and Frank gets pushed closer to the edge.
In the Line of Fire is a tense thriller with gripping performances. It’s only shortcoming is the romance between Frank and fellow Secret Service agent Lilly Raines (Rene Russo) which feels awkward, rushed and just unnecessary.
Trailer
A Secret Service agent is taunted by calls from a would-be killer who has detailed information about the agent - including the fact that he failed to save President John F. Kennedy from assassination. The caller is revealed as an ex-CIA assassin, and the agent, who is investigating a threat to the current president, is determined not to let history repeat itself.
Carrie Rickey: Naturally Horrigan's favorite haunt is that shrine to another assassinated president, the Lincoln Memorial, where he woos his Secret Service colleague Lilly Raines (Rene Russo). Horrigan, whose longest previous relationships have been with his Miles Davis CDs and Jack Daniels bottles, pursues Lilly with the same diligence he brings to his pursuit of Leary, but to more comic effect. A scene in which Horrigan and Lilly almost bed - shedding their concealed handcuffs and firearms with dispatch - is worthy of The Naked Gun. In the Line of Fire deftly weaves comedy with suspense, action with passion.
And so what if Frank Horrigan refers to himself as a dinosaur? He's the one Tyrannosaurus Rex of the summer of '93 who will never become extinct.
Marjorie Baumgarten: Thirty years later, it's still something of a mystery to Horrigan himself, though it's become the defining moment of his life. Despite all his training in preparation for that moment, when it actually came to pass, Horrigan could not believe that he was witnessing someone actually shooting the president. And with that naked truth now a part of his psyche, something within Frank died. Redemption only becomes a possibility 30 years later when an assassin's ready to try it again and involves Horrigan, whom he regards as a worthy opponent, in his demented cat-and-mouse game. The assassin's identity and whereabouts are revealed in gradual increments and the chase comprises the grist of the movie. Malkovich makes for a squirrelly villain with his constant appearance changes, psychopathology in extremis, and coy telephone calls to Horrigan in which he alternately goads, humiliates, intrigues and infuriates the agent. Despite Malkovich's chillingly deranged portrait of a rogue psychopath, the part may be a tad overwritten with his culminating phone calls articulating too much expository detail about the parallels between himself and Horrigan and leaving too little for audiences to conclude for themselves.
Elena Morgan: While Eastwood is certainly the lead of In the Line of Fire, it’s Malkovich who steals every scene he’s in. Booth is an incredibly cunning man and knows exactly what buttons to press to make Frank go off his game. The phone conversations between Booth and Frank are the epitome of cat and mouse as they each try to learn things from one another, though Booth always seems to be one step ahead. Malkovich give a performance that’s cool and calculating one moment, and then full of fury the next. As Frank digs deeper into who Booth is or was, he starts to become an almost tragic character.
In the Line of Fire is a smart thriller. While there are a few chase sequences and scuffles, it’s how Frank and the other Secret Service agents work through the limited information they have to catch a potential killer that’s so gripping. The score, the editing, and the cinematography all work together to rack up the tension as Booth gets closer to his goal of killing the President, and Frank gets pushed closer to the edge.
In the Line of Fire is a tense thriller with gripping performances. It’s only shortcoming is the romance between Frank and fellow Secret Service agent Lilly Raines (Rene Russo) which feels awkward, rushed and just unnecessary.
Trailer
Watched this recently in a hotel room and agree with your assessment.
posted by mrphancy at 8:20 PM on February 18
posted by mrphancy at 8:20 PM on February 18
For a lot of reasons he feels old compared to her
I'd say the main one is he was 33 in 1963 and she was 9.
Also holy shit is that trailer hilariible.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 10:32 PM on February 18 [1 favorite]
I'd say the main one is he was 33 in 1963 and she was 9.
Also holy shit is that trailer hilariible.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 10:32 PM on February 18 [1 favorite]
Wha huh? They are only 12 years apart (1942 vs. 1954).
posted by Saxon Kane at 11:54 PM on February 18
posted by Saxon Kane at 11:54 PM on February 18
ItLoF has one one of my favorite sequences in all the movies: after Booth takes his shot, the Secret Service running the President out of the hotel. Very dramatic. Very real.
posted by Stuka at 9:16 AM on February 19
posted by Stuka at 9:16 AM on February 19
Oh shit, I was thinking of Harrison Ford, not Eastwood. Sorry!
posted by Saxon Kane at 10:08 AM on February 19
posted by Saxon Kane at 10:08 AM on February 19
I'd say the main one is he was 33 in 1963 and she was 9.
It was the only way he could be sure she wasn't on the Kennedy job.
posted by biffa at 10:13 AM on February 19
It was the only way he could be sure she wasn't on the Kennedy job.
posted by biffa at 10:13 AM on February 19
Funny, I immediately assumed this was Harrison Ford, too - he’s just been in so many president-protecting movies. (I am including ones where he is protecting himself to round out the numbers)
posted by Jon Mitchell at 11:40 AM on February 19
posted by Jon Mitchell at 11:40 AM on February 19
I'm in this one! Can you actually see me? Nope. Am I credited? Absolutely not.
But for that rally scene in Denver, they used footage from a Bill Clinton rally and composited it together with footage of the presidential candidate from the film. Somewhere in that one massive aerial shot, there's a much younger me taking in the speech that happened that day.
posted by Mr. Bad Example at 12:12 PM on February 19 [4 favorites]
But for that rally scene in Denver, they used footage from a Bill Clinton rally and composited it together with footage of the presidential candidate from the film. Somewhere in that one massive aerial shot, there's a much younger me taking in the speech that happened that day.
posted by Mr. Bad Example at 12:12 PM on February 19 [4 favorites]
Another vote for it being a solid film. The age gap is notably large, although I do love the "taking off weapons" part of the not-quite-a-sex-scene.
posted by rmd1023 at 1:47 PM on February 22
posted by rmd1023 at 1:47 PM on February 22
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posted by Carillon at 6:10 PM on February 18