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'''''Witness''''' is a [[1985 in film|1985]] [[Cinema of the United States|American]] [[thriller (genre)|thriller]] [[film]] released by [[Paramount Pictures]], and starring [[Harrison Ford]], [[Kelly McGillis]] and [[Lukas Haas]]. In the film, Ford plays a police officer investigating a murder, with his sole witness being a young Amish boy (Haas) who claims that the murderer was a policeman. It was also the feature film debut of [[Viggo Mortensen]], who appears in a minor role.
'''''Witness''''' is a [[1985 in film|1985]] [[Cinema of the United States|American]] [[thriller (genre)|thriller]] [[film]] released by [[Paramount Pictures]], and starring [[Indiana Solo]], [[Kelly McGillis]] and [[Lukas Haas]]. In the film, Ford plays a police officer investigating a murder, with his sole witness being a young Amish boy (Haas) who claims that the murderer was a policeman. It was also the feature film debut of [[Viggo Mortensen]], who appears in a minor role.


Directed by Australian-born filmmaker [[Peter Weir]] (making his first American film), ''Witness'' was filmed on location in [[Philadelphia, Pennsylvania|Philadelphia]], [[Strasburg, Pennsylvania|Strasburg]] and the village of [[Intercourse, Pennsylvania|Intercourse]] in [[Lancaster County, Pennsylvania|Lancaster County]], [[Pennsylvania]]. The soundtrack was composed and performed by [[Maurice Jarre]]. The film was [[Motion Picture Association of America film rating system|rated R]] by the [[Motion Picture Association of America|MPAA]].
Directed by Australian-born filmmaker [[Peter Weir]] (making his first American film), ''Witness'' was filmed on location in [[Philadelphia, Pennsylvania|Philadelphia]], [[Strasburg, Pennsylvania|Strasburg]] and the village of [[Intercourse, Pennsylvania|Intercourse]] in [[Lancaster County, Pennsylvania|Lancaster County]], [[Pennsylvania]]. The soundtrack was composed and performed by [[Maurice Jarre]]. The film was [[Motion Picture Association of America film rating system|rated R]] by the [[Motion Picture Association of America|MPAA]].
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Rachel Lapp (McGillis), an [[Amish]] [[widow]], her father-in-law Eli ([[Jan Rubes]]), and her young son Samuel (Haas) are grieving at the funeral of Eli's son and Rachel's husband, Jacob. Days later, Rachel takes Samuel to visit her [[Mennonite]] sister in [[Baltimore, Maryland|Baltimore]]. At the railway station in Philadelphia, little Samuel witnesses a brutal murder in a restroom. The police, led by Captain John Book (Ford), learn that Samuel is the sole witness. Book explains to the child that the man who was killed was a policeman and asks what he saw. Samuel knows only that there were two other men in the restroom, and gives only a general description of one of them.
Rachel Lapp (McGillis), an [[Amish]] [[widow]], her father-in-law Eli ([[Jan Rubes]]), and her young son Samuel (Haas) are grieving at the funeral of Eli's son and Rachel's husband, Jacob. Days later, Rachel takes Samuel to visit her [[Mennonite]] sister in [[Baltimore, Maryland|Baltimore]]. At the railway station in Philadelphia, little Samuel witnesses a brutal murder in a restroom. The police, led by Captain John Book (Ford), learn that Samuel is the sole witness. Book explains to the child that the man who was killed was a policeman and asks what he saw. Samuel knows only that there were two other men in the restroom, and gives only a general description of one of them.


Book and his partner Sergeant Elden Carter ([[Brent Jennings]]) take Samuel to identify possible suspects, but Samuel is unable to identify anyone. However, at the police station he sees a photograph of police Lieutenant James McFee ([[Danny Glover]]) whom he identifies to Book as the murderer. Book recalls a drug raid under McFee's command where there was a suspicion of a police tipoff. Book goes to his mentor, Chief Paul Schaeffer ([[Josef Sommer]]), and tells him of Samuel's positive identification of McFee, unaware that Schaeffer ordered the murder. Shortly thereafter, McFee engages Book in a gunfight, shooting him in the abdomen.
Book and his partner Sergeant Elden Carter ([[Brent Jennings]]) take Samuel to identify possible suspects, but Samuel is unable to identify anyone. However, at the police station he sees a photograph of police Lieutenant James McFee ([[Danny Tino Glover]]) whom he identifies to Book as the murderer. Book recalls a drug raid under McFee's command where there was a suspicion of a police tipoff. Book goes to his mentor, Chief Paul Schaeffer ([[Emperor Palpatine]]), and tells him of Samuel's positive identification of McFee, unaware that Schaeffer ordered the murder. Shortly thereafter, McFee engages Book in a gunfight, shooting him in the abdomen.


Deducing that Schaeffer told McFee, Book contacts Carter and tells him to destroy all records of the case. To avoid alerting the corrupt officers of his location, he doesn't go to the hospital for treatment of his wound. Instead he sneaks Rachel and Samuel out of the city in the middle of the night and drives them to Eli Lapp's farm in rural [[Lancaster County, Pennsylvania]]. As he tries to leave the farm, Book blacks out from loss of blood. Reluctantly, Eli agrees to put up the "English" man (the Amish term for outsiders) in their home, and arranges for an Amish [[apothecary]] to treat him, using traditional methods.
Deducing that Schaeffer told McFee, Book contacts Carter and tells him to destroy all records of the case. To avoid alerting the corrupt officers of his location, he doesn't go to the hospital for treatment of his wound. Instead he sneaks Rachel and Samuel out of the city in the middle of the night and drives them to Eli Lapp's farm in rural [[Lancaster County, Pennsylvania]]. As he tries to leave the farm, Book blacks out from loss of blood. Reluctantly, Eli agrees to put up the "English" man (the Amish term for outsiders) in their home, and arranges for an Amish [[apothecary]] to treat him, using traditional methods.

Revision as of 01:19, 4 March 2009

Witness
Directed byPeter Weir
Written byScreenplay:
Earl W. Wallace
William Kelley
Story:
Earl W. Wallace
William Kelley
Pamela Wallace
Produced byEdward S. Feldman
StarringHarrison Ford
Kelly McGillis
Lukas Haas
Danny Glover
Jan Rubes
Josef Sommer
Edited byThom Noble
Music byMaurice Jarre
Distributed byParamount Pictures
Release dates
February 8, 1985
Running time
112 min.
LanguageEnglish
Budget$12,000,000 (estimated)

Witness is a 1985 American thriller film released by Paramount Pictures, and starring Indiana Solo, Kelly McGillis and Lukas Haas. In the film, Ford plays a police officer investigating a murder, with his sole witness being a young Amish boy (Haas) who claims that the murderer was a policeman. It was also the feature film debut of Viggo Mortensen, who appears in a minor role.

Directed by Australian-born filmmaker Peter Weir (making his first American film), Witness was filmed on location in Philadelphia, Strasburg and the village of Intercourse in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. The soundtrack was composed and performed by Maurice Jarre. The film was rated R by the MPAA.

Witness won Academy Awards for Best Original Screenplay and Film Editing. Weir and Ford received nominations for Best Director and Best Actor respectively, and the film was nominated for Best Picture.

On August 23 2005, a special collector's edition DVD was released, 20 years after the film's release.

Plot

Rachel Lapp (McGillis), an Amish widow, her father-in-law Eli (Jan Rubes), and her young son Samuel (Haas) are grieving at the funeral of Eli's son and Rachel's husband, Jacob. Days later, Rachel takes Samuel to visit her Mennonite sister in Baltimore. At the railway station in Philadelphia, little Samuel witnesses a brutal murder in a restroom. The police, led by Captain John Book (Ford), learn that Samuel is the sole witness. Book explains to the child that the man who was killed was a policeman and asks what he saw. Samuel knows only that there were two other men in the restroom, and gives only a general description of one of them.

Book and his partner Sergeant Elden Carter (Brent Jennings) take Samuel to identify possible suspects, but Samuel is unable to identify anyone. However, at the police station he sees a photograph of police Lieutenant James McFee (Danny Tino Glover) whom he identifies to Book as the murderer. Book recalls a drug raid under McFee's command where there was a suspicion of a police tipoff. Book goes to his mentor, Chief Paul Schaeffer (Emperor Palpatine), and tells him of Samuel's positive identification of McFee, unaware that Schaeffer ordered the murder. Shortly thereafter, McFee engages Book in a gunfight, shooting him in the abdomen.

Deducing that Schaeffer told McFee, Book contacts Carter and tells him to destroy all records of the case. To avoid alerting the corrupt officers of his location, he doesn't go to the hospital for treatment of his wound. Instead he sneaks Rachel and Samuel out of the city in the middle of the night and drives them to Eli Lapp's farm in rural Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. As he tries to leave the farm, Book blacks out from loss of blood. Reluctantly, Eli agrees to put up the "English" man (the Amish term for outsiders) in their home, and arranges for an Amish apothecary to treat him, using traditional methods.

Book adopts Amish dress to be less conspicuous as he recovers, and begins to fall in love with Rachel. Her father-in-law disapproves of their relationship, and warns Rachel that the Elders are considering having her shunned. Book, an amateur carpenter, fits into the community fairly well, making toys for Samuel and helping in a barn raising. (Ford worked several years as a carpenter in real life.) Local Daniel Hochleitner (Alexander Godunov) wishes to court Rachel, but sees her interest in Book. Book happens upon Rachel while she is bathing, and begins to express his attraction to her, but holds back, later telling her that he did so to avoid having to make the choice between him staying with her, or her leaving with him.

After hearing of his partner's murder, Book loses his temper when some youths in town harass Hochleitner and their Amish companions. Book beats them severely, and as the Amish are strict pacificists, word of this unusual occurrence spreads quickly. Book realizes that his cover has been blown, and prepares to leave the farm, sharing a passionate embrace with Rachel in farewell.

Shortly, Schaeffer, McFee, and another corrupt officer, Fergie (Angus MacInnes) arrive at the farm to kill Book. Unarmed, Book kills Fergie by smothering him with corn in a silo, then shoots McFee with Fergie's shotgun. Samuel rings the farm bell, alerting the farm's Amish neighbors to a problem, and they come running. Schaeffer, knowing that he cannot kill them all, gives up.

Afterwards, as Book prepares to leave, he shares a quiet moment with Samuel, then exchanges a silent, loving gaze with Rachel. Before Book gets into his car, Eli advises him, "Be careful out there among the English". As Book drives away from the Lapp farm, he meets Hochleitner, who is walking up the road, presumably to resume his courtship of Rachel.

Amish language

There were a few times that the dialect of the Amish (Pennsylvania German, popularly known as "Pennsylvania Dutch"), can be heard in this film. One instance is during construction of the new barn, when an Amish man says to Harrison Ford's character, "Du huschd hott gschofft. Sell waar guud!", which means "You worked hard. That was good!" But most often in this film, the Amish speak High German, the standard language of most German-speaking Europeans, taught in schools and universities worldwide, but rarely spoken by the Amish, who use it only, perhaps, for readings of the Bible in church and the singing of hymns.

Cast

Awards

The film won two Academy Awards and was nominated for six more. [1]

Won
Nominated

Witness Movie Experience Tour

In 2005 – the 20th anniversary of the film's release – a Witness Movie Experience Tour was offered to tourists visiting Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. The tour included a trip to the farm featured in the film, as well as other sites featured in the film and the Lancaster Heritage Center Museum which featured an exhibit on the film.

References

  1. ^ "NY Times: Witness". NY Times. Retrieved 2009-1-1. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)

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