Missing(stylized asmissing.) is a 1982 Americanbiographicalthrillerdramafilm directed byCosta-Gavrasfrom a screenplay written by Gavras andDonald E. Stewart,adapted from the bookThe Execution of Charles Horman: An American Sacrifice(1978) byThomas Hauser(later republished under the titleMissingin 1982), based on the disappearance of American journalistCharles Horman,in the aftermath of the United States-backedChilean coup of 1973,which deposed the democratically electedsocialistPresidentSalvador Allende.[2]
| Missing | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Costa-Gavras |
| Screenplay by | Costa-Gavras Donald E. Stewart |
| Based on | The Execution of Charles Horman: An American Sacrifice 1978 book byThomas Hauser |
| Produced by | Edward Lewis Mildred Lewis |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Ricardo Aronovich |
| Edited by | Françoise Bonnot |
| Music by | Vangelis |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Universal Pictures |
Release date |
|
Running time | 122 minutes |
| Country | United States[1] |
| Languages | English Spanish |
| Budget | $9.5 million[2] |
| Box office | $16 million (US)[3][4] |
The film starsJack Lemmon,Sissy Spacek,Melanie Mayron,John Shea,Janice RuleandCharles Cioffi.Set largely during the days and weeks following Horman's disappearance, it examines the relationship between Horman's wifeBethand his fatherEdmundand their subsequent quest to find Horman.
Missingwas theatrically released on February 12, 1982 to critical acclaim. The film premiered at the1982 Cannes Film Festivalwhere it was jointly awarded thePalme d'Or(along with the Turkish filmYol), while Lemmon won theBest Actor prize.It received four nominations at the55th Academy Awards;Best Picture,Best Actor(for Lemmon),Best Actress(for Spacek) and wonBest Adapted Screenplay.The film created significant controversy in Chile and was banned duringAugusto Pinochet's dictatorship; neither Chile nor Pinochet is mentioned by name, although the Chilean cities of Viña del Mar and Santiago are.[5]
Plot
editEd Horman, a conservative businessman from New York, arrives in Chile to search for his son Charlie, a journalist who disappeared during the recentmilitary coup.Ed meets his daughter-in-law, Beth, with whom he has a strained relationship, and they argue over politics. Ed blames his son and daughter-in-law's radical political views for Charlie's disappearance, while Beth blames the American government. Ed leverages his connections to meet with various government officials to uncover the truth about his son's vanishing.
As he investigates, Ed discovers that the American embassy is not as helpful as he expected and suspects them of concealing information about Charlie. One U.S. diplomat is polite and friendly but consistently lies to him; a high-ranking American military attaché is blunt and tells Ed that whatever happened to Charlie was his own fault, stating, "You play with fire, you get burned." Together, he and Beth learn that the U.S. had many interests in the country that were enhanced by the coup and its aftermath, and that many military officials aided Pinochet in the coup. As Ed becomes disillusioned with the American government, he comes to respect the work Beth and Charlie were doing, and he and Beth reconcile. When they receive proof that Charlie was murdered by thejuntaand that the U.S. allowed it to happen, he tells the embassy officials, "I just thank God we live in a country where we can still put people like you in jail!"
The film concludes with a postscript stating that, after Ed's return to the United States, he received Charlie's body seven months later, making an autopsy impossible, and that a subsequent lawsuit against the U.S. government was dismissed. It also adds that theState Departmentdenies its involvement in the Pinochet coup, a position maintained to the present day.
Cast
edit- Sissy SpacekasBeth Horman
- Jack LemmonasEdmund "Ed" Horman
- Melanie Mayronas Terry Simon
- John SheaasCharles "Charlie" Horman
- Charles Cioffias Capt. Ray Tower, United States Navy
- David Clennonas Consul Phil Putnam
- Richard Ventureas U.S. Ambassador
- Jerry Hardinas Colonel Sean Patrick
- Richard Bradfordas Andrew Babcock
- Joe RegalbutoasFrank Teruggi
- Keith Szarabajkaas David Holloway
- John Doolittle as David McGeary
- Janice Ruleas Kate Newman
- Ward Costelloas Congressman
- Hansford Roweas Senator
- Tina Romeroas Maria
- Richard Whiting as Statesman
- Jaime Garzaas young man at stadium
Production
editThe film was shot in Mexico[6]with a budget of $9.5 million fromUniversal Studios,marking Costa-Gavras' most expensive production.[2]
Soundtrack
editThe score is by the GreekelectroniccomposerVangelis.The movie's piano theme has been used extensively in commercials, but an official release of the film's soundtrack has not yet occurred. The main theme appeared first on Vangelis' 1989 albumThemes.A 45rpm single of the title track backed with "Eric's Theme" fromChariots of Firewas released by Polydor in 1989.[7]The main theme is also available on the Festival de Cannes (60th Anniversary) compilation of famous soundtracks. A bootleg release of the soundtrack exists. A sung version with lyrics by Tim Rice has been recorded byElaine PaigeandNana Mouskouri.
Release
editMissingwas released in theaters on February 12, 1982, in limited theaters and was released widely on March 12, 1982, in 733 theaters. It ranked at #3 at the box office, grossing $2.3 million. In its first week, it grossed $5.5 million. In its second weekend, it landed at #5, making $1.8 million. For its second week, it made $2.3 million. After 49 days and 7 weeks in theaters, the film made between $14[3]and $16[4]million in the US.
The film was released on both VHS and Laserdisc, in 1982 and 1987, by MCA Videocassette, MCA Videodisc, and MCA Home Video respectively. The VHS version was pulled from the market due to the lawsuit filed against director Costa-Gavras.Universal Home Videore-releasedMissingon DVD in 2004, following the dismissal of the lawsuit. A special edition DVD was released byThe Criterion Collectionin October 2008.
Lawsuit
editIn 1983, a year after the film's theatrical release, both the film (then in the home video market) andThomas Hauser's bookThe Execution of Charles Hormanwere removed from the United States market following a lawsuit filed against Costa-Gavras andUniversal Pictures's (then) parent companyMCAby former ambassadorNathaniel Davisand two others for libel.[8]A lawsuit against Hauser himself was dismissed because thestatute of limitationshad expired. Davis and his associates lost their lawsuit, after which the film was re-released by Universal in 2006.[9]
Reception
editReviews
edit
Roger Ebertgave the film three stars, writing that while the film was being cited for courage in criticism of the U.S. government, the criticism was clouded by its direction,[5]but the best scenes were where Lemmon and Spacek's character were bogged down by the embassy's "niceties" in their search:
By the timeMissingbegins its crucial last half-hour, a strange thing has happened. We care about this dead American, and his wife and father, almost despite the movie. The performances of Spacek and Lemmon carry us along through the movie's undisciplined stylistic displays.[5]
Vincent Canby,writing forThe New York Times,positively reviewed the film's message andRicardo Aronovich's cinematography.[6]
The American filmmakerWes AndersonlistedMissingas one of his favorite films.[10]
In his2015 Movie Guide,Leonard Maltin awardedMissingthree and a half stars, highlighting Lemmon's acting and crediting Costa-Gavras as a skilled director.[11]The film has a 94% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 32 reviews with the consensus: "Thanks in large part to strong performances from Sissy Spacek and Jack Lemmon,Missingis both a gripping character exploration and an effective political thriller. "[12]
Accolades
editMissingwon thePalme d'Or(Golden Palm) at the1982 Cannes Film Festival,while Lemmon was awardedBest Actorfor his performance.[13]
See also
edit- Forced disappearance
- 1973 Chilean coup d'état
- Operation Condor(also known as Plan Condor)
References
edit- ^"Estudios Churubusco".British Film Institute.Archived fromthe originalon August 11, 2016.RetrievedMarch 22,2021.
- ^abcWolf, William (February 1, 1982). "Costa-Gavras Goes to Hollywood".New York.p. 44.
- ^ab"Missing (1982)".Box Office Mojo.RetrievedMay 2,2016.
- ^abBox Office Information forMissing.The Numbers. Retrieved March 27, 2013.
- ^abcEbert, Roger (January 1, 1982)."Missing (1982)".RogerEbert.com.Chicago Sun-Times.RetrievedMarch 16,2017.
- ^abCanby, Vincent (February 12, 1982)."'MISSING' BY COSTA-GAVRAS ".The New York Times.RetrievedJune 17,2017.
- ^"Vangelis – Missing".Discogs.
- ^"Davis v. Costa-Gavras, 580 F. Supp. 1082 | Casetext Search + Citator".
- ^Taylor, Stuart Jr. (January 11, 1983)."Libel Suit is Filed Against 'Missing'".The New York Times.
- ^Zack Sharf (July 16, 2021)."Wes Anderson's Favorite Movies: 35 Films the Auteur Wants You to See".IndieWire.Penske Business Media, LLC.RetrievedSeptember 24,2021.
- ^Maltin, Leonard (2014).Leonard Maltin's 2015 Movie Guide.Penguin.ISBN978-0698183612.
- ^"Missing (1982)".Rotten Tomatoes.RetrievedJune 17,2017.
- ^ab"Festival de Cannes: Missing".festival-cannes.com.RetrievedJune 12,2009.
- ^"THE 55TH ACADEMY AWARDS".Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. October 5, 2014.RetrievedJune 17,2017.
- ^"Film in 1983".British Academy of Film and Television Arts.RetrievedJune 17,2017.
- ^"Missing".Hollywood Foreign Press Association.RetrievedJune 17,2017.
- ^"AWARD: FILM OF THE YEAR".London Film Critics' Circle. April 12, 2010.RetrievedJune 17,2017.
- ^"1982 Award Winners".National Board of Review.RetrievedJune 16,2017.
Further reading
edit- Hauser, Thomas (1978).The Execution of Charles Horman: An American Sacrifice.New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich.ISBN0-151-29456-9.
- Hauser, Thomas (1982).Missing: A New Film by Costa-Gavras.New York: AVON.ISBN0-380-49098-6.
External links
edit
- MissingatIMDb
- Missingat theTCM Movie Database
- MissingatLetterboxd
- MissingatRotten Tomatoes
- Missing:“Who Would Care About Us If We Disappeared?”An essay by Michael Wood at theCriterion Collection.
