In the Line of Fire

Starring:Clint Eastwood, John Malkovich, Rene Russo, Dylan McDermott, Gary Cole, Fred Dalton Thompson, John Mahoney, Gregory Alan Williams, Jim Curley, Sally Hughes, Clyde Kusatsu, Steve Hytner, Tobin Bell, Bob Schott, Juan A. Riojas, Elsa Raven, Arthur Senzy, Patrika Darbo, Mary Van Arsdel, Ryan Cutrona
Director: Wolfgang Petersen
Studio: Sony Pictures
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com essential video

This smart, tautly directed thriller from Wolfgang Petersen is about the cat-and-mouse games between a Secret Service agent named Horrigan (Clint Eastwood) and the brilliant, psychopathic assassin (John Malkovich) who's itching to get the President in his cross hairs. The back-story--Horrigan is haunted by his inability to prevent John Kennedy's assassination (Eastwood is computer-generated into archival footage)--is more than a little hokey, but the plotting itself is smartly, even ingeniously, constructed. Petersen manages a viselike grip on the tension and Eastwood even gets to deliver an ever-more-timely lecture on the diminished nature of the office of President. Eastwood's as gruff and as infuriating to the by-the-book Powers That Be as ever, and Malkovich oozes delightful menace. Renee Russo capably costars as a colleague with whom Horrigan gets friendly. --David Kronke

Customer Reviews:

A Star Combination.......2007-05-24

Eastwood plays Horrigan a veteran secret service agent, who is trying to stop an ex-cia hitman from killing the President.
John Malkovich plays the assassin and steals the film from Eastwood (and believe me Eastwood is very good).

There are a number of brilliant scenes where Eastwood and Malkovich talk over the phone, playing games of cat and mouse with each other. Credit for these must go to the screenplay by Jeff Maguire, but Wolfgang Peterson's direction is very good as well.
This film will grab you from the first scene to the last and certainly holds up well for repeated viewings. Very entertaining indeed!

Good movie with excellent acting.......2007-01-13

Clint Eastwood and John Malkovich are at their very bests in this spell-binding and original thriller. Eastwood, in a role not far removed from his "Dirty Harry", plays a veteran U.S. Secret Service Agent who is constantly haunted by his failure to prevent the assassination of Present Kennedy 30 years ago. However, Eastwood gets a shot at redemption when a mysterious stranger sets his sights on assassinating the current president. John Malkovich is terrific as the killer: a master of deception who thrives on mind-games and doing more psychological than physical harm to our hero. Plenty of twists and surprises, superb acting and a great script makes In The Line of Fire a fine chapter in the legendary career of Clint Eastwood.

What if you had a second chance?.......2006-12-01

Without hesitation, this film has been one the best achieved ones of the decade; not only because the formidable directorial accuracy (the best film of Petersen after his masterpiece Das Boot) ; there also other highlights such the towering performance of Eastwood as the agent who failed to protect JFK thirty years ago and the breathtaking acting of John Malkovich as the killer, the script is sharp and incisive and explores the undermined conscious filled of a strong sense of missed responsibility at the moment to avoid the inevitable murder in 1963. So in this brilliant thriller we assist once to a cat and mouse game in which one of them will have to fail in order to redeem himself or fail again.

Tense, absorbing and well made thriller.

Sort of "Ho-hum".... I was expecting more........2006-11-20

This movie certainly had some strong actors and actresses in it and that with an interesting storyline landed it on my viewing list.

Overall, I was somewhat disappointed with this film. I figured there would be a little more real suspense or "thrill" but it never materialized and instead just followed many of the usual plot events. The biggest failure was the completely unneccessary cheesey romance between Eastwood and Russo. It was contrived, lame, and almost laughable. I had to rub my eyes to make sure I wasnt having a nightmare!

John Malkovich does a great job as the wackjob and is totally convincing in this role. Unfortunately the script didnt do him enough justice and even his character did some staple moves. Clint Eastwood was great as always but he did play his usual self. No problem here though, Clint was solid.

The film just fizzled as it went along and it started to get tiresome towards the very end. The climax was rather anti-climactic except for the shooting scene which was kind of cool although I saw it coming a mile away. There was not as much suspense as I was hoping for and the "thrill" was mostly missing.

What else can I say, watch it and make your own decision but overall I was not that impressed and the film let me down a bit after such glowing reviews.

John Malkovich is Great........2006-09-09

Movies about presidential assassinations (whether fictional or non-fictional) are usually lame. They follow the same formula and they always end the same. I guess, technically, "In the Line of Fire" is nothing new for this kind of movie but it's got an exciting plot, awesome acting, and well basically...Despite the familar formula, it's a damn good movie. Clint Eastwood plays a Secret Service agent named Frank Horrigan, who is still haunted by the fact that he could've saved Kennedy from being assassinated had he reacted quicker. Since this incident, Frank has been reduced to a drunken under-cover Secret Service agent who longs for something meaninful to happen. It does in the form of Mitch Leary (John Malkovich, in an Oscar nominated performance). After Frank follows up on a tip that Leary may be up to something, he recieves a phone call from Leary who tells him that he is going to assassinate the Presidents. It seems doors are re-opening for Frank. As Frank and Leary begin talking to each other over the phone, while Frank and the rest of the agents descend upon the case it becomes clear that Leary is no ordinary crazy assassin. Rene Russo co-stars as Lilly Raines, a female Secret Service agent and the love interest of Frank. Dylan McDermott also co-stars as Frank's partner Al. Anyway, the plot is good...It has its moments of predictability, but I actually must admit that Leary's decision at the end genuinely surprised me. Anyway, I don't watch many Eastwood movies (I've only seen some movies he's directed, Any Which Way You Can, Escape from Alcatraz, and that's about it); I think, in all, I've seen 5 movies he's acted in. But I can honestly say that this is, probably, one of his strongest performances. Malkovich is what made me want to see this movie, the man is an amazing actor folks. Every film I've seen him in, he fascinates the viewer. Here, the casting doesn't get much better for his role. I can't think of another actor who could play Leary as well as Malkovich. I'm not sure if it was Tommy Lee Jones (The Fugitive) or Martin Landau (Ed Wood) he lost the Oscar to, but this is a completely Oscar worthy performance here. Russo is good (she has the strong look of a career woman, but can be vulnerable to Franks "charm."), as is the rest of the cast.
But, Eastwood and Malkovich are the core of this film. Out of all the films I've seen by director Wolfgang Petersen (I've only seen The Perfect Storm and Poseidon), this is definitely his best.

GRADE: A

Average customer rating:

Entertaining Action
disappointing
On balance, not a bad movie.
(2.5 STARS) Mariel Hemingway Is a Secret Service Agent: Typical B Action Flick with a bit of Originality
UGH, ack, pt-ewy!

In Her Line of Fire
Starring: David Millbern , Mariel Hemingway , David Keith , Syd Jackson , and Jill Bennett
Director: Brian Trenchard-Smith
Manufacturer: Regent
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000JJRYDI
Release Date: 2007-01-16

Description

When the Vice President's plane goes down near a remote South American island and he is kidnapped by rebel forces, it is up to his female Secret Service agent and a press secretary to infiltrate the camp and save him.

Customer Reviews:

Entertaining Action.......2007-06-30

"In Her Line of Fire"

Entertaining Action

Amos Lassen and Cinema Pride

Can you imagine Rambo as a lesbian? Not an easy job to do but "In Her Line of Fire" tries hard. This could have been a really good film with a little better editing and a lot more polish. "Lesbianwise" there is something missing. There are a couple of kisses but not much more. "Actionwise" there is plenty--in fact, it is non-stop.
Mariel Hemingway plays the lead but age has not been kind to her--ten years ago she would have been great. She is tough and knows how to handle a gun. Her love interest, Jill Bennett is a brave woman and attractive to boot. The action which is continuous does not allow us to get to know the characters nor does it allow us to see any real romance between the two women. And the plot...the vice president of the U.S. is on a plane which is going down in a storm near an island where mercenaries and rebels have built their training camp. Hemingway is the official body guard of the veep and she is a tough cookie but we know that the Vice President travels with a bevy of secret service when he goes anywhere. As they struggle to get ashore, they are attacked by the militants on the island and the action begins. We never learn why the plane crashed but it obviously had to so we would have a movie.
Like Rambo, the heroine cannot be hurt and never misses a shot. But the main problem with the film is that the filmmaker had to decide whether or not to show a lesbian relationship and the focus of the film becomes lost because of this. Which is more important--the sexuality of the character or the story? Impact is lost and the film goes nowhere. So sexuality is shown but not a major issue of the movie but, on the other hand, the film gains mainstream acceptance (a sellout).
Since the film concentrates on plot, it is violent but that is all.
The members of the cast playing the militants are weak and this hurts the overall characterization. Visually, the movie seems to be made for TV. The key is to enjoy the action--there are guns blazing and chases, tough decisions and old-fashioned fighting action. There is a lot to entertain audiences and aside from the scene in the plane everything is adroitly done. What we end up with is a "B" movie with poor special effects.

disappointing.......2007-06-03

The acting is fantastic by Muriel. The rest of the cast is poor and the plot is ok... The only thing is I kept comparing it to Personal Best

On balance, not a bad movie........2007-04-02

Don't expect too much high quality anything with this film and you should enjoy the action.

Mariel Hemingway could still turn heads and interrupt conversations just by walking in the room and Jill Bennett would get more than her wanted fair share of female attention!

I reckon that it was the hope of the cast and crew that their audience would leave all sense of rationality and believability behind when they pushed the 'play' button on their DVD players. I wasn't expecting Academy Award performances and so found myself pleased with my purchase and a welcome addition to my 'collection'.

One question I found myself asking throughout the film... Why was Jill Bennett wearing a nice bright 'shoot-me-if-you-can' RED shirt when all the other characters were suitably attired in camouflage gear?!? Again, leave your sense of rationality behind.

(2.5 STARS) Mariel Hemingway Is a Secret Service Agent: Typical B Action Flick with a bit of Originality.......2007-03-24

"In Her Line of Fire" (also known as "Air Force Two") is benefited from the strong performances from the leads, especially Mariel Hemingway as touch and no-nonsense Secret Service agent who has to protect the Vice President of the United States (David Keith) from the mercenaries when their airplane went down. David Millburn is Armstrong, psycho leader of the military training camp.

The film's contrived story doesn't bother us much because actions start almost immediately after the plane crush. Not many people, even the guerrillas in the jungle, would shoot an unarmed person as the film depicts, but anyway the film is only trying to do what it is supposed to do.

The actions of the film are not bad, just OK with several familiar set-pieces. At first sight the actions of the film look like those made in the 80s, like Stallone's "Cobra" or Schwartzenegger's "Commando," but they are done with much less ammunition or humor here. Moreover, explosions are substituted by special effects, which most action film fans would find disappointing.

The film's strength is Mariel Hemingway's strong acting. Her relation with a surviving journalist played by Jill Bennett is among the most interesting aspects of the film because of the suggested lesbian theme, but the film does not seem to develop the intriguing subplot much. (Or I may have missed the point.) Anyway, otherwise this is a typical B action film with a standard action plot that is made for action film fans.

"In Her Line of Fire" is not a terrible film as you might believe, thanks to the presence of Mariel Hemingway and her character. Still it is also true that she is the only reason I give three stars which this film itself may not deserve.

UGH, ack, pt-ewy!.......2007-03-11

Murial Hemingway is the only thing worth 5 minutes of your time on this one.

In the Line of Fire: An Interactive Guide to Handling Tough Questions

Average customer rating:

Short, but you get the main points
Outstanding!
Great footage to learn how to field those tough questions: get it ALONG with the book
Wisdom - From a Master
DVD Illustrates Sharp Insights Into How to Handle the Harshest Grilling

In the Line of Fire: An Interactive Guide to Handling Tough Questions
Starring: Jerry Weissman
Manufacturer: Video Arts
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000A13B96
Release Date: 2005-08-05

Description

Featuring clips of major political debates, press conferences and media interviews...including the 2004 Presidential debates with President George W. Bush and Senator John Kerry.

Sooner or later, every human being on the face of this planet will be confronted with tough questions.

How will you handle them?

In the Line of Fire: An Interactive Guide to Handling Tough Questions, is a companion to the book, In the Line of Fire: How to Handle Tough Questions ... When it Counts, published by Pearson Prentice Hall. This DVD contains illustrative video clips of tough Q&A sessions in the public arena and the lessons you can learn from them.

We've programmed the DVD so that you can watch it straight through or visit ... and revisit... the lessons chapter-by-chapter. To enhance the lessons, we'll be interactive: at several points in the DVD, we'll ask you a question, then pause and ask you to press the pause button on your DVD player or computer and think about the question. You'll get the answer when you press play again.

To focus on the video examples, we've condensed some of the lessons, but you can find all of them in the book, and in greater detail. For best results use the book and the DVD together, but either one will help you stand tall in the line of fire.

Challenging Questions

Why do people in business ask challenging questions? Because they are mean-spirited? Perhaps. Because they want to test your mettle? Perhaps. More likely it is because when you are presenting your case, which is just the case in almost every decisive communication in business...as well as in all walks of life...you are asking your opposite party or parties, your target audience, to change. Most human beings are resistant to change, and so they kick the tires. You are the tires.

Customer Reviews:

Short, but you get the main points.......2006-10-30

Short enought to watch it, learn the key points.
You will need the book however, to see more examples and better understanding.
Perfect complementary to the book ( without book not as useful).

Outstanding!.......2005-12-21

Public speaking is considered one of the most threatening situations you can face in your job. Answering follow-up questions can be even more terrifying. Author Jerry Weissman, an experienced presentation coach, has written a short book to teach presenters specifically how to field tough, even hostile, questions without losing control. This companion DVD provides visual material, e.g. from the presidential debate or public Q&A sessions. Weissman dissects the professionals' answers to show how their responses succeeded or failed, and introduces his own straightforward response technique. To increase the learning effect, the DVD goes interactive so that you can actually practice while you learn. With this training, even the most timid presenter should gain some confidence. We think whoever might end up in a situation where he faces tough questions, will find this helpful.

Great footage to learn how to field those tough questions: get it ALONG with the book.......2005-09-14

I recently finished reading the companion book for this DVD. I must say they truly complement each other. Since the topic they deal with is that of handling tough questions, it is VERY important to be able to see the masters at it, along with those who make mistakes, in action. This is where this DVD does an incredible job: it presents the viewer with the footage for all the examples presented in the book, as they took place and with Mr. Weissman interjecting as the different speakers do their thing, pointing out the details and things you should be on the lookout for.

Is the DVD interactive? It's fairly linear, except for the moments you are asked to stop and consider what is about to happen (what response you think the speaker gave). So I guess you could say it is interactive to a certain extent. However, the real value of the DVD lies in the footage, more than anything else. It's not a substitute to the book, which it obviously quotes and refers to. Don't think this is like the audiovisual equivalent to the book, and try to view the DVD to skip the reading: if you do this, you will miss much. The two complement each other wonderfully. My recommendation is: get both and enjoy their combined power.

Wisdom - From a Master.......2005-09-13

Nearly everyone has found oneself in this situation. Standing in front of an audience, you are blindsided with a question you dread. Even worse, the question is one you have not anticipated.

Whether you are an interviewee, sales person, executive, teacher, student, employee or politician, you are judged on how you handle the situation.

Jerry Weissman, a corporate presentations coach, in this DVD provides the reader with the skills and techniques required to handle these confrontations. A companion to the book of the same name, he shows compelling video studies from Presidential debates, corporate road shows and even a television situation comedy Weissman guides the reader in how to control the exchange.

Using his techniques, the reader learns to avoid evasive, contentious and defensive responses to these difficult questions.

While neither the book nor the video provides the "right answers" to these difficult questions, they arm the reader with an arsenal of skills required to manage adversity and remain in control.

DVD Illustrates Sharp Insights Into How to Handle the Harshest Grilling.......2005-09-06

When it comes to the art of the response and the nuances of body language, author Jerry Weissman knows what he's talking about. Having just read his briskly informative book of the same name, I can tell you that the DVD version is an even more compelling reason to listen to his invaluable tenets on public speaking. Fortunately, as this is mostly a talking-head presentation with video excerpts, Weissman himself is a fine presenter, though it would have been interesting to include actual role playing to see how he would field difficult questions.

Whereas the book is more a transcript of legendary confrontation moments, mostly from televised debates, the DVD includes many of the actual excerpts discussed in the book. This allows the author to analyze the defining moments with greater clarity, even going as far as using slow motion and freeze framing to get his points across. This is well illustrated by the question raised by a woman at one of the 1992 Presidential debates about how the national recession affected each candidate personally. Weissman vividly shows how the senior Bush's fumbling response irreparably damaged his campaign, how Perot's curt reply did nothing for his and how Clinton's masterful empathy seized a defining moment and thereafter boosted his rating dramatically.

Even more effective is the way Weissman breaks down Colin Powell's mastery of "key words" in fielding questions from foreign journalists on American imperialism at the start of the Iraqi War. Watch as Powell dexterously dodges incriminating questions by using Roman columns introduced by the questioners as buffers and bringing the inquiries back to the comfort zone of his response. In the DVD versus the book, the author wisely focuses less on the parallels with martial arts (which could have introduced some potentially silly imagery) and more on the Q&A cycle - open the floor, recognize the questioner, yield the floor, retake the floor and provide the answer.

A true master of the cycle comes across in Norman Schwarzkopf's handling of difficult questions regarding Desert Storm maneuvers. Upfront he manages the expectation of how many questions he would answer and then does not allow follow-on questions. His answers become shorter and shorter until he abruptly concludes, which Weissman recognizes as a special exception given his exalted military standing.

It's great to see many classic moments such as the topspins provided by Lloyd Bentsen to Dan Quayle's self-serving comparison to JFK ("Senator, I served with Jack Kennedy, I knew Jack Kennedy, Jack Kennedy was a friend of mine. Senator, you are no Jack Kennedy.") and Ronald Reagan in his volley to Henry Trewitt's expressed concern about his age ("I want you to know also I will not make age an issue of this campaign. I am not going to exploit for political purposes my opponent's youth and inexperience.")

Unfortunately, due likely to unsecured rights, Weismann was not able to show the classic Bob Newhart Show excerpt where the unprepared Dr. Hartley was grilled mercilessly by a sadistic talk show host in sheep's clothing. It seems pointless to describe it if the viewer has never seen it. The same can be said for the Kennedy-Nixon debates of which we are only shown a still.

The DVD clocks in at just eighty minutes and is a fine summation of the book's most important points, though I can't help but think there is a lost opportunity to make this far more interactive than it is. Weissman does offer a few opportunities to hit the pause button to concoct our own responses to tough questions, but I wish there was a greater sense of participation. Regardless, the author provides a fine resource for those of us who become discombobulated when facing an inquisitive, often aggressive audience.

Average customer rating:

Oh, come on, it wasn't THAT bad.
Terrible
F+ ....click.
Probably the worst DVD ever produced
This is just.... bad

Line of Fire
Starring: Robert De Niro , Jennifer Warren , Jarred Mickey , Terrayne Crawford , and Martin J. Kelley
Director: John Shade , and John C. Broderick
Manufacturer: Beverly Wilshire
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00008G762
Release Date: 2002-08-13

Customer Reviews:

Oh, come on, it wasn't THAT bad........2007-04-21

The editor took an older film with DeNiro about a sad weekend amongst rich vacuous people, and added lots of footage to make it be about a guy getting out of prison and trying to find out how his brother (DeNiro) died after a weekend amongst rich vacuous people. It's quite clever how the old footage was used. The scene with DeNiro faking his death repeatedly is very charming. The guy who plays his ex-con brother is not a wonderful actor in this role, but he is tough and fun, doing a film noir imitation, more or less. The secret to wresting some enjoyment out of this film is to treat it as a low budget student film, as a curiosity. Then you will like it. There is a young whore with a heart of gold who drives the ex-con around and she is charming as well. I only got this as part of a boxed set of "50 Suspense Classics" many of which are worse than this. It's a freaky, bad b-movie with some scenes with DeNiro, and if you can deal with that you might find yourself enjoying this little film. I've seen far worse films and enjoyed them. I paid 20 dollars for 50 films with the boxed set, so I paid less than 40 cents for it and let me tell you it was TOTALLY worth more than 50 cents. Maybe even two bucks. Other interesting features: cool music; nice ending titles; a foxy tall blonde with sculpted calves. Probably a good one to see with other people.

Terrible.......2006-03-28

I saw it in the supermarket for $6, so I thought 'hey, it's got Deniro in it, so it can't be that bad'. It was that bad. It's old, unclear, and a terrible movie. Deniro is not even the main actor. Stupid plot, lousy acting, and a horrendeous ending. Don't waste your time and/or money!

F+ ....click........2005-04-11

I find it funny that everyone posting a review here feels betrayed and used, probably because they had to pay 9 or 10 dollars for this awful movie. I payed less than a buck at Wal-mart for this, so I knew it had to suck. And it did. But I found its crappiness so amusing that I like it for that sheer fact, especially since it was no skin off of my nose to see it. That doesn't do it for most people.

I'll admit, it was a dirty, dirty trick to make it look as if Deniro was the star of the movie when he's not. The level of false advertizing should be illegal. The synopsis doesn't even mention that the main character it's talking about is not DeNiro at all. I believe most everything about this movie was bad, though I still liked DeNiro whenever he was onscreen.

Reasons to buy this movie:
1. If you are amused by crappy filmmaking.

2. If you can find it for a dollar - no more. I suggest Wal-mart, though I hate giving them business.

3. There is this great sceen about 2 or 3 minutes where DeNiro is pretending to shoot people on the beach. He rolls around and acts silly. Its worth the dollar.

Reasons not to buy this movie:
1. If it's more than a dollar. That's how bad this movie is.

2. If you do not have a sense of humor and are serious about your filmwatching.

I've got nothing else.

Probably the worst DVD ever produced.......2004-04-03

Wow, where to start? Pretty much everything about this DVD is a lie. On the back the DVD says "Guaranteed Superior Quality" - HA! What a laugh! This DVD pretty much has the feel of a bootleg. The picture and sound are terrible. The picture is constantly shaking. There's no address to write to this Gemstone Entertainment. The DVD doesn't even list what the movie is rated or when it came out.

On the back of the DVD it says "Bonus Info: Biography / Filmography / Trivia / Scene Access / Interactive Menus" - LIES! LIES! LIES! LIES! LIES! There isn't even a scene selection! The menu screen is just blank and says "Play Movie".

Then, of course there is the extreme false advertising which tries to make it seem as if Robert De Niro is the main character who is plotting revenge for his brother's death when in fact De Niro plays the brother, who dies at the beginning of the movie!

The cover photo has a picture of De Niro that looks like it's from the late eighties or nineties when his footage was filmed in 1969! Doesn't this qualify as false advertising? You can't put a picture from a completely different movie on the cover of a DVD!!

Do NOT buy this DVD! No matter what you think. Even if you're a De Niro buff, like myself, it will just get you mad. This DVD is a disgrace. Gemstone Entertainment should be ashamed of themselves. In the meantime, I'm going to try and find an address for the company so I can write to them to find out exactly what this "Guaranteed Superior Quality" means.

Gemstone Entertainment = Cheap Lying Dirty Thieves

This is just.... bad.......2004-02-01

I am not one to waste my time by writing reviews here, but after watching "The Swap", I feel it is my duty as a fellow human being to warn you of how this movie will utterly suck the life-force out of you without mercy. By simply reading the reviews of others here, you can pretty much get an idea of what you will expect should you happen to make the decision of buying or renting it.

However, what I would like to touch on is of how disappointed I am in the desperate attempts on behalf of the distribution / marketing company to get fellow DeNiro fans out there to actually buy this movie....

1) "Never judge a book by its cover"... how true that is when it comes to this movie. They market the DVD cover with a somewhat recent 1990's portrait of DeNiro, when in fact, this film was obviously made in the mid-late 70's (yes, the movie was not even properly dated).
2) DVD features??... there were none, despite what the backcover claims. Simply an introduction screen with the large words "Play Movie" as your *only* option.
3) The movie synopsis is very, very misleading in wanting you to think that DeNiro is the main star, when in reality, his total screen time (initial scenes and flashbacks) total less than 10 or so minutes.

So, having said that... shame on you, Gemstone Entertainment. Shame on you for your desperate attempts to mislead individuals out of their money. With shady marketing practices such as this, I would not be surprised to see your company go down the drain someday soon.

The Clint Eastwood Collection (In the Line of Fire/Unforgiven/Bronco Billy/Dirty Harry/The Outlaw Josey Wales/The Beguiled)
Average customer rating:

6 Clint Films, 5 star selection...But...Not a Big Bargain

Among Eastwood's Best

why all the good movies were taken out?

MAKE MY DAY!

Poor selection to represent Eastwood

The Clint Eastwood Collection (In the Line of Fire/Unforgiven/Bronco Billy/Dirty Harry/The Outlaw Josey Wales/The Beguiled)
Starring: Clint Eastwood
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00004VVN5
Release Date: 2000-08-01

Amazon.com

As both an actor and a director, Clint Eastwood has had a string of unparalleled critical and commercial successes, from his trademark Westerns to the Dirty Harry action films. This set of six Eastwood films captures the actor as both cowboy and cop, from the 1970s to the '90s. Eastwood ventured into new territory with 1971's The Beguiled, a creepy and seductive thriller about an injured Civil War soldier who causes strife at an all-girls school. While there, he tempts an innocent girl (Elizabeth Hartman), and engages in an unnerving battle of the minds with the school headmistress (Geraldine Page, at her tortured best). The same year, Eastwood burst onto screens with Dirty Harry. This action blockbuster introduced the world to Harry Callahan while making waves with its aggressive violence and nonstop thrills. Eastwood himself helmed the vigilante Western The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976) as well as the comedy Bronco Billy (1980), which films show Eastwood at different ends of the cowboy spectrum: a vengeful family man seeking revenge and an amiable traveling showman who runs a Wild West extravaganza, respectively.

With his Oscar-winning film Unforgiven, Eastwood showed himself as the master of the revisionist Western, crafting a morally complex tale of Western justice that turns the notion of good guys and bad guys on its head. And he proved he still had star status with the thriller In the Line of Fire, playing an aging FBI agent who takes on a cunning psycho (John Malkovich) determined to assassinate the president. While this selection doesn't feature any Sergio Leone Westerns or Eastwood's later acclaimed dramas, it remains a great snapshot of a long and illustrious career. --Mark Englehart

Description

This collection of six DVDs includes The Beguiled, Bronco Billy, Dirty Harry, In the Line of Fire, The Outlaw Josey Wales, and Unforgiven.

Customer Reviews:

6 Clint Films, 5 star selection...But...Not a Big Bargain.......2005-05-29

Spanning 23 years of Eastwood's brilliant career as both an actor and director, this 6 film set is a fabulous representation of his work. If you are a big Eastwood fan though, you probably have most of these films in your collection by now. Even if you don't, I did the Math on the current prices of the individual fims, and there is no break for buying them in this set. Prices change though, so you should check it out if you are considering this at a much later date then this review. So if you don't own any of these already, or are thinking about this set as a gift, you may want to check the prices of the outside sellers, you would only have to pay the shipping fee for once.

Here is a recap of the films, and by the way, I own all of these, and each one has been given excellent treatment in the transfers, even the one's from the 70's look and sound great.
Please note that "Unforgiven" is the single disc edition(there is also a 2 disc edition available).

"In The Line Of Fire"
If he had moved a fraction of a second sooner he may have saved his beloved president Kennedy. But at what cost to him? He is Frank Horrigan(Eastwood), an aging Secret Service Agent, trained to do whatever it takes to protect the President of the United States. Now he has a chance to redeem himself in his own eyes.

A psychotic, but very clever, would be presidental assassin is on the loose. He calls himself Booth(Malkovich). He taunts Horrigan about the day Kennedy was shot. Lets him know that he intends to assassinate the president,even if it means dieing himself, and taking Frank with him.

Frank does everything he can to track down this killer and save the president. Most of the other agents feel Frank is too old to keep up the pace of the Presidental Campaign trail,but he feels he must persue this case.A deadly cat and mouse game ensues, and we are kept on the edge of our seats throughout the movie,waiting to see what Booth's next move will be, and if Horrigan will be a part of it. It's thrilling and chilling.
Eastwood as always gives a brilliant performance as the aging agent,and Malkovich is outstanding as the mysterious, chilling assassin. Also contributing greatly to the film are Rene Russo, as the field agent Horrigan takes a shine to and Dylan McDermott as his young partner, and we all know by now that it is not healthy to be Clint's partner in any film! Directed by the great Wolfgang Petersen( Das Boot, Air Force One), and scored by Ennio Morricone, you wont want to miss this thrill ride.

"Unforgiven"
This may well be the greatest of Clint Eastwood's works. It recieved four Academy Awards including Best Picture(1992) and Best Director.

The story revolves around a group of prostitutes living in the little western town of Big Whiskey. They are appalled that the town Sherriff does little in the way of punishing a customer that has cut up the face of one of the girls. They put up their own reward to any man who kills the offender(and his partner). Word of the crime(albeit exaggerated)and the reward spreads through the west and brings to town an array of killers.The tension grows throught the film as the Sherriff and his men brutalize these predators. Clint is magnificent as an ex-killer, turned pig farmer, who's character builds back up to one bad hombre. The story is filled with characters who are sinners and saints(mostly sinners), and will grab you with performances by Gene Hackman Morgan Freeman and Ricahrd Harris.

"Bronco Billy"

Watching this wonderful film you will come to realize that this was a labor of love for Clint Eastwood, who directs as well as stars. He had something to say and said it with this story.It is many things. It is entertaining, amusing, inspiring and poignant. The message is clear. You can do what you want to do, be what you want to be.

Eastwood gathers all the usual suspects together and casts them as a group a misfits who all have a special role as part of "Bronco's Billy's Wild West Show", a modern day attempt to bring the wild west back into the hearts of all the "young partners out there". Of course Eastwood is "Bronco Billy", the rootin tootin sharpshooter who runs the show. His problem (besides never having any money to pay the crew) is holding on to a good assistant. Enter one Miss Antoinette Lilly(Sondra Locke). A snobby, wealthy heiress that has just been deserted by her new husband, in the middle of nowhere and she is presumed dead. She reluctantly becomes Bronco Billy's new assistant and learns the hard way, that there is more to life than money.

It a great story and an inspiring one also.It makes you want to follow your dreams. Most of the actors are recognizably some of Clint's favorites, often working together and they do this well. The cast includes Geoffrey Lewis,Bill McKinney, Sam Bottoms, Scatman Crothers and William Prince. It has a great soundtrack and score, with music by Steve Dorff. Also watch for a cameo performance by Merle Haggard as our bar room buddies brawl in the neighborhood saloon.

"Dirty Harry"
In 1971 Clint Eastwood made a big move and switched genres from Westerns to make this unique cop story. And what a story! "Dirty Harry" soon became a household name along with all the famous lines that came from this first in the series. "Do you feel lucky? Well do ya Punk?" "This is a .44 magnum, the most powerful handgun in the world. It'll blow your head clean off."
I Love that stuff,(can't ya just hear Clint saying that), and the taunting look he gives the recievers off these lines.

Inspector Harry Callahan, a loner, widowed due to a drunk driver,has no qualms about sidestepping the law to apprehend a criminal.He's frustrated and fed up with murderers and rapists getting away because of some pesky problem like reading Miranda Rights! He does it his way. Audiences cheered this at the time, and he became an icon for cop movies yet to come.

Okay so in this first of the Dirty Harry series, Harry is after a demented sniper.Scorpio(Andrew Robinson), as he calls himself, shoots his victims from the roof tops in San Francisco, (Based on the real life Zodiac Killer that was loose at the time), and has kidnapped and buried alive a 14 year old girl.Harry must deliver his ransom demand to this psycho before he kills again or lets the girl die.Harry is forced to go by the book, but alas things go wrong in the legal department and Harry decides it time to play it his way. He goes after this madman with a vengeance.

The Outlaw Josey Wales"
Josey Wales is another of Clint's Eastwood's bigger than life Western characters that you won't soon forget.Josey though, is not like the others that preceeded him. It becomes apparent throughout this film, that this tough loner, on the run from murderers, has a heart the size of Texas.(And of course in this one we DO know his name!).
Eastwood also does an artful job of directing this tale, that has everthing from action to romance, and even a little comedy.

The end of the civil war is nearing. The northern soldiers though, won't let up. The "Red Legs" as some of these notorious war criminals are called are still pillaging,and plundering the homesteads in the territory and...killing the families.Wales is a victim of these brutal attacks, his house burned to the ground and his wife and son viciously attacked and murdered. He joins up with a group of others who are out to avenge their families and they become a notorious group. When they are offered a deal at the end of the war, they all turn themselves in..all but one...Josey Wales!

Ride with Josey(everyone else does) across the beautiful western vistas, as he takes on the "Red Legs" that are after him, saves a family from "Commancheros", makes friends with the Indians, and wears his heart on his sleeve as along the way he seems to attract a group of outcasts, including a dog, that he just can't leave behind.

Clint surrounds himself with the most marvelous cast, including Sondra Locke, Bill McKinney, John Vernon and Chief Dan George who provides many of the lighter moments in this action packed western.

"The Beguiled"
Think of Eastwood, and you think of his cool, tough characters.Harry Callahan, Josey Wales, and The Man With No Name, are the first we envision. Cpl. John McBurney is probably not at the top of that list. Yet, this is a film in which Clint really shines, and one that will hold you from start to finish with it's superb Direction by Don Siegal("Dirty Harry"/"Two Mules For Sister Sara").

The rest of the cast is also outstanding in this psychological drama set in the south during the civil war. Cpl. McBurney(Eastwood) is an injured Union soldier, discovered and nursed back to health by the residents of an all girls school.The first impulse of the Head Mistress, Miss Farnsworth(Geraldine Page) was to turn him over to the Confederate Army, but Mr. McBee, as they have so affectionately come to call him, has charmed nearly all the members of the household from Miss Farnsworth, to the 12 year old Amy(played brillantly by Pamelyn Ferdin),leading each to believe that they are the one he loves. As each disovers the truth, they begin some mind games of their own. Has Clint finally met his match in this tale of jealousy and revenge. Find out in this very different film for Clint...no guns or badges to get him through this one.

The cast includes Elizabeth Hartman, Jo Ann Harris and Melody Thomas(Scott). The film is not one his better known blockbusters, but a must have for any respectable Eastwood collection, and I'm glad they included it in this set.

6 Films, Action, Romance, Thrills and Chills, a little comedy and CLINT! What more can a person ask for?..maybe a better price for buying them in bulk? 5 stars for the selection and DVD quality, 4 stars for the package deal...Laurie

Among Eastwood's Best.......2002-08-13

I can't quite decipher the complaints about this set. Some of Eastwood's greatest movies are collected here, or at least some of his most interesting. "In the Line of Fire" and "Dirty Harry" are considered classics of their kind. "Bronco Billy" is an oddity, sure, but one of Eastwood's most unusal, and sweetest, films. "The Beguiled" is a fascinating Gothic mood piece, almost a Tennessee Williams exercise about sexual repression and jealousy, set in a most unlikely time and place. "Unforgiven" is one of a tiny handful of truly great American films released during the past 15 years, and perhaps the most potent examination of violence since "The Wild Bunch." And "The Outlaw - Josey Wales" may just be Eastwood's best film. It's got an epic sweep, wonderful characters, terrific performances, and shows an almost incredible grasp of the camera for a man who, at the time (1976) had only directed a couple of movies.

why all the good movies were taken out?.......2001-10-19

I like Clint Eastwood both as an actor and as a director. Collection presented in this box set only touches his real genius. This is a great way to make you buy the movies that you really don't want to own. I'm more of his western part fan and I would prefer to see more such movies put in (accutally it does exists as a separate set). But if you are die hard Clint fan you would have to buy the unwanted movies anyhow so it's all good. Good set, nicely done with many options. Before you buy it just make sure that you really like all the movies.

MAKE MY DAY!.......2000-09-01

Clint Eastwood has a wide range of acting capability. IN this collection which includes: The Beguiled, Bronco Billy, Dirty Harry, In the Line of Fire, The Outlaw Josey Wales, and Unforgiven many of those abilities are represented. To answer comments below, I see Hang Ém High and many other of Clint's westerns on TBS - - they love them too. But this collection has ones that are not commonly seen: The Beguiled - - is a wonderful eerie western. Bronco Billy - - Clint with a sense of humor and circus entertainment. Dirty Harry - - the odes of a 44. magnum. In the Line of Fire -- great flick with John Malcavich playing a presidential assasin and Eastwood a special agent guarding the president. UNFORGIVEN - - a retired gunslinger is called upon to target two men who slashed a woman. It's not comedy but great story: Gene Hackman plays a proud sherrif. Great cast! Terrific collection.

Poor selection to represent Eastwood.......2000-08-18

This selection of 6 DVDs, The Beguiled, Bronco Billy, Dirty Harry, In the Line of Fire, The Outlaw Josey Wales, and Unforgiven, is a poor sampling of his work. Hang'm High would've better represented his earlier work. Bronco Billy is one of his worst films! Any Which Way But Loose would've been a far superior choice. The others are good works, but I will avoid this collection in preference of buying my favorite individual titles.

Average customer rating:

A Star Combination
Good movie with excellent acting
What if you had a second chance?
Sort of "Ho-hum".... I was expecting more.
John Malkovich is Great.

In the Line of Fire
Starring: Clint Eastwood , John Malkovich , Rene Russo , Dylan McDermott , and Gary Cole
Director: Wolfgang Petersen
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

Thrillers | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

Blackmail, Murder & Mayhem | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

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ASIN: 6304458304
Release Date: 1997-04-30

Amazon.com essential video

Between his directorial duties on A Perfect World and The Bridges of Madison County, Clint Eastwood starred in this pulse-racing 1993 thriller. In the Line of Fire was directed by Wolfgang Petersen, the brilliant director of the World War II U-boat masterpiece Das Boot. Eastwood gives one of his best performances as Secret Service agent Frank Horrigan, who still feels responsible for the death of JFK 30 years earlier. Horrigan gets a shot at redemption when challenged by a psychotic but highly intelligent assassin (John Malkovich) who intends to kill the current U.S. president. Tension builds as this intellectual cat-and-mouse game reaches its climactic confrontation, but not before we've seen the killer at work, covering his trail with ruthless precision. Tightly scripted by Jeff Maguire, the film cuts Malkovich loose as one of the most memorable screen villains of the 1990s, and costars Rene Russo as Eastwood's sharp Secret Service colleague and romantic partner. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

A Star Combination.......2007-05-24

Good movie with excellent acting.......2007-01-13

What if you had a second chance?.......2006-12-01

Sort of "Ho-hum".... I was expecting more........2006-11-20

John Malkovich is Great........2006-09-09

Investigative Reports - In The Line Of Fire

Average customer rating:

Investigative Reports - In The Line Of Fire

Manufacturer: A&E Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000FKP14A
Release Date: 2006-05-02

Description

A fascinating and frightening study of "Close Protection Experts", highly trained bodyguards who protect the lives of world leaders. Features the human ring of firepower surrounding Israeli Prime Minister Barak; the U.S. Secret Service, which guards the President; and "Force 17", former terrorists who safeguard Yasser Arafat.

Average customer rating:

Awesome!!!
great movies, good DVD's, well priced boxset

In the Line of Fire
Starring: Tobin Bell , Robert Alan Beuth , Eric Bruskotter , Richard G. Camphuis , and Carl Ciarfalio
Director: Wolfgang Petersen
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 6304458339
Release Date: 1997-04-30

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

Awesome!!!.......2006-09-06

Review Clarification: This review is based on my viewing of this movie in the theater, and on Laser Disc. I have not viewed the DVD (any version).

This is my favorite Clint Eastwood movie of all time, better than all the Dirty Harry, Spaghetti Western, and Sci-Fi/Space movies.

I first viewed this movie in the theater, and I was completely blown away. I am disappointed that John Malkovich has chosen not to be in more mainstream movies, because I immediately wanted to see everything he was in, after watching this movie. (I immediately rented "Being John Malkovich" when it became available, and was quite disappointed when he was not the protagonist.) John plays a brilliant Psycho in this movie, and plays it very well. In fact, I actually changed my image of him after this movie. If I were to see him on the street, this is the only memory I would have of him.

I recommend this movie highly. One of my favorites.

MC White said: Check it out!!!

great movies, good DVD's, well priced boxset.......2000-08-12

Line of fire alone is worth buying this box for. Eastwood s great in just about all his movies and this is no exception.

Amazon.com essential video

Customer Reviews:

A Star Combination.......2007-05-24

Good movie with excellent acting.......2007-01-13

What if you had a second chance?.......2006-12-01

Sort of "Ho-hum".... I was expecting more........2006-11-20

John Malkovich is Great........2006-09-09

Average customer rating:

A Star Combination
Good movie with excellent acting
What if you had a second chance?
Sort of "Ho-hum".... I was expecting more.
John Malkovich is Great.

In the Line of Fire [Region 2]
Starring: Clint Eastwood , John Malkovich , Rene Russo , Dylan McDermott , and Gary Cole
Director: Wolfgang Petersen
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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