Calling witness a crime thriller is technically accurate, but it does this layered and dramatically compelling movie a disservice. The blockbuster movie witness, starring harrison ford, has brought the plainliving, privacyseeking amish into the spotlight and piqued an interest in their ultraconservative ways. All of philly has a witness story to tell, as you told. Three years after blade runner, harrison ford is at his best, while kelly more. Witness 99 movie clip right of way 1985 hd youtube. This harrison ford film includes glimpses into another culture the life of the amish, a fantastic barnraising scene where the whole local amish community come together to build their new barn in one day and very good casting. Harrison ford was born on july th 1942 in chicago, illinois. As samuel lukas haas wanders the police station, he finds a picture of the murderer. Captain john book harrison ford is the policeman assigned to the case. Top corn why witness remains one of the best hollywood film from the eighties star harrison ford and director peter weir are on top form in this culture clash romantic thriller. Tourists from as far as australia visited the krantz farm in strasburg, where a tough.
Retrace harrison fords footsteps on witness tours of lancaster county, pa. John book harrison ford takes care of a creep who bullies the amish. Harrison ford stars as john book, the police detective investigating the murder. John hostetler bears witness to amish culture and calls. Later, rachel and samuel travel by train to visit rachels sister, which takes them into philadelphia. In peter weirs thriller witness, samuel lukas haas, a young amish boy, witnesses a murder in the restroom of a philadelphia bus station. On the farm, he slowly assimilates despite his urban grit and forges a romantic bond. It has rich characters and was the major turning point for ford in transitioning from an action adventurer into a bonafide leading man. Harrison ford has never given a better performance in a movie. When a young amish boy is sole witness to a murder, policeman john book goes into hiding in amish country to protect him until the trial. Samuel sees the murder through a gap in the door, and escapes the killers detection by standing on the toilet seat inside the stall.
All of philly has a witness story to tell, as you told us. Harrison ford and kelly mcgillis as detective john book and rachel lapp, respectively, in a scene from witness. After witnessing a brutal murder, young amish boy samuel lukas haas and his mother rachel kelly mcgillis seek protection from police officer john book harrison ford. John hostetler bears witness to amish culture and calls the. The best movie quotes, movie lines and film phrases by movie quotes. Why witness remains one of the best hollywood film from. As good as some of those titles are, the director never again achieved the mix of humanity and nature in conflict that he captures in this movie. Harrison ford born july, 1942 is an american actor, aviator, and environmental activist.
Ford made his film debut in 1966 and spent most of the first ten years of his career in small supporting roles in both films and television before rising to stardom for his portrayal of the iconic and heroic character han solo in the epic space opera films star. Witness is one of those films that you can revisit and enjoy afresh each time you see it. Oct 07, 2011 in peter weirs thriller witness, samuel lukas haas, a young amish boy, witnesses a murder in the restroom of a philadelphia bus station. Witness, harrison ford, kelly mcgillis, danny glover, viggo mortensen. Witness had many good supporting actorsactresses making it an exceptional movie. Kelly mcgillis, the young actress who plays the amish widow, has a kind of luminous simplicity about her. Witness is not a perfect film, but it established ford as an actor with range and weir as a director who could produce more than little dramas set in australia. Harrison ford is one of hollywoods leading men, with an acting career that has spanned more than 50 years and included iconic roles such as indiana jones and han solo. One thing i really like is that the producers were able to use harrison ford s ability as a carpenter in the barn raising scenes.
My favourite peter weir film, witness is something special. For harrison ford, freed from the shackles of han solo although still bound to indiana jones, this was an. If harrison ford had listened to the advice of studio heads early in his career, he would have remained a carpenter and never gone on to star in some of hollywoods biggest films and become one of the industrys most bankable stars. One thing i really like is that the producers were able to use harrison fords ability as a carpenter in the barn raising scenes. All harrison ford movies ranked by tomatometer movie and tv. Wallace screenplaystory william kelley screenplaystory pamela wallace story best film editing.
Unless you had tremedous recall of all the bit roles in american grafitti or the conversation, the first time the world at large set their eyes on harrison ford was in the little indie that could. The krantz farm where witness was filmed was saved and preserved by this trust fund. We know she returns his affections because she dances with him in a barn, lets him see her topless while shes taking a sponge bath. He gained worldwide fame for his starring role as han solo in the original star wars trilogy and would reprise the role decades later in the sequel trilogy. The end result is an action packed struggle of life and death, interwoven with a sensitive undercurrent of caring and forbidden love. Witness is beautifully filmed on location in philadelphia and lancaster county with excellent direction by peter weir and haunting music by maurice jarre. The movie witness introduced the amish and lancaster county to the wider world in 1985. Witness 1985 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Harrison ford crushes your romantic dreams about witness. Take a look back at harrison fords movie career in photos. In peter weirs thriller witness, samuel lukas haas, a young. When we asked all of philadelphia to watch witness this weekend for week 2 of our one movie, one philadelphia initiative, we expected that some of you would have fond memories of the 1985 harrison ford philly noir thriller. Witness the 1985 drama movie featuring harrison ford and kelly mcgillis at the award winning 80s movies rewind.
In peter weirs thriller witness, samuel lukas haas, a young amish boy, witnesses a. Why witness remains one of the best hollywood film from the eighties. Starring harrison ford, a young viggo mortensen, kelly mcgillis and lukas haas. The screenplay was written by william kelley, pamela wallace and earl w. In peter weirs witness, harrison ford falls for a modest, beautiful amish woman kelly mcgillis who clearly returns his affections. Witness 89 movie clip rachels choice 1985 hd youtube. Play movie in hd download movie in hd a sheltered amish child is the sole witness of a brutal murder in a restroom at a philadelphia train station, and he must be protected. Harrison ford, josef sommer, kelly mcgillis, lukas haas. Harrison ford is one of my favorite actors, he was young in witness, but still a good actor. Dec 11, 2016 starring harrison ford, a young viggo mortensen, kelly mcgillis and lukas haas. This harrison ford film includes glimpses into another culture the life of. Trailer for peter weirs film starring harrison ford,kelly mcgillis,josef sommer, lukas haas,jan rubes,alexander godunov,brent jennings. On saturday, experience the lancaster county farm where.
Feb 17, 2020 harrison ford is one of hollywoods leading men, with an acting career that has spanned more than 50 years and included iconic roles such as indiana jones and han solo. A history of the episcopal church 17821985 read full ebook. Harrison ford is an american actor who has had a long and varied career in the entertainment industry across six different decades. With harrison ford, kelly mcgillis, lukas haas, josef sommer. Although it was mercilessly mocked in the farrelly brothers movie kingpin, its to the ultimate.
Harrison ford is sensational as book, the cop who turns headon into the nonviolent world of the pennsylvania amish community. Harrison ford was very taken with the amish and the beautiful scenery in which witness was filmed. I rarely watch a movie more than once, but i have watched witness several times. Officer john book harrison ford becomes the protector, but when the bad guys decide to target him as well, he decides that the best place to hide out is the childs family farm. Witness peter weir, harrison ford, kelly mcgillis, alexander. Harrison ford is sensational as book, the cop who runs headon into the nonviolent world of a. When a young amish boy is sole witness to a murder, policeman john book goes into hiding in amish country to. While visiting philadelphia, a young amish boy become a witness to a murder, and the killers want to find a way to silence him, permanently. One covers the victims head with a coat while the second draws a switchblade and cuts the victims throat. Retrace harrison fords footsteps on witness tours of. Witness is a 1985 american neonoir crime thriller film directed by peter weir and starring harrison ford, kelly mcgillis, and lukas haas.
It begins as a thriller about a young amish murder witness and the police detective assigned to protect. Jan rubes, danny glover, josef sommer, alexander godunov, patti lupone, and viggo mortensen appear in supporting roles. Why witness remains one of the best hollywood film from the. In 1984, an amish community attends the funeral of jacob lapp, who leaves behind his wife rachel and eightyearold son samuel. We know she returns his affections because she dances with him in a barn, lets him see her topless while shes taking a sponge bath, and engages in a steamy makeout session with him in the middle of a pennsylvania field.
The assignment falls to a taciturn detective who goes undercover in a pennsylvania dutch community. Harrison ford first 12 years of making movies were filled with many uncredited parts and small quickly forgotten speaking parts. Its a love story, a fishoutofwater tale, and an examination of clashing cultures in a modern world. Ford is a supporter and contributor to the lancaster farmland trust, which helps save and preserve precious family farmlands.
Harrison must have felt very comfortable filming this scene, since he was a carpenter before. All actors harrison ford, kelly mcgillis, josef sommer, lukas haas, jan rubes, alexander godunov, danny glover. Harrison ford plays the tough big city detective who gets assigned to the. Harrison ford stars as john book, the police detective. With no previous acting reference points for most audiences, ford was han solo, the glumly debonair and seductive space rogue who gave a dash. Witness year 1985 genre crime drama romance thriller type movies idmb rating 7. When book uncovers evidence of police corruption involving narcotics lieutenant james mcfee danny glover, book must take rachel and samuel, and flee to the amish countryside where rachel grew up.
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