A Disclosure
I have a great reverence for the 2004 film Man on Fire. It was a drama filled with heartbreak, redemption, and above all revenge. A solid piece of entertainment that managed to transcend from just being an action movie and instead exist as a movie with action while also showcasing a brand new kinetic/hyper style that Tony Scott would be known for in his body of work after this film.
Now with that in mind, I have always had an inkling to give the 1987 adaption of the novel, the novel entitled Man on Fire by A.J. Quinnell, a watch but there was always a sense of dread whenever it would cross my path for, as mentioned before, the reverence/appreciation/love for the 2004 film was far too strong to give it a solid watch. So what's the difference now? Poliziotteschi films.
A Brief History Lesson
The next question to be asked is; What the hell is a Poliziotteschi film?
Basically they are Italian crime films but the manner of how they came to existence is an interesting one and I have time to ramble about a little nugget of film history. When it came to mainstream Italian cinema, the bulletproof plan at this time of the mid 50’s to late 80’s was to essentially follow the trends of what was popular and make as many similar films that can be marketed within that trend. Obviously there is the artsy fartsy stuff such as the cinema of Fellini and the Neo-Realism stuff but for the nitty gritty mainstream cinema, it was just following the trends.
Before this particular genre, there was the Spaghetti Western. A genre that came to widespread attention internationally for certain films and was a far more lucrative market for most of them. The only reason why the Spaghetti Western came to such prominence was for the fact that market for the big Sword and Sandal epics (Peplum films) was gone by the time of the mid 60’s. A genre that only came to be after following the lead of such big American hits such as El Cid and Ben Hur.
The one that hit big and set the trend for many to follow was Sergio Leone’s debut film;Fistful of Dollars (1964). A unofficial remake of the Akira Kurosawa film Yojimbo which was in fact an unauthorized adaptation of Red Harvest by Dashiell Hammet. Though it has been verified by nerds that Spaghetti Westerns (European Westerns) had existed before this one in particular, it was the one to set the trend for the rest of the Italian film industry to follow for after this film, the industry began to produce nothing but Spaghetti Westerns. The genre was off and running for years and years to come until it finally started to die off in the 70’s.
Around the late 60’s and early 70’s, American films were setting a different sort of trend that would start to influence Italian filmmakers. Films such as Bullitt,Dirty Harry, and The French Connection would help steer the creation of this new genre with the 1973 film High Crime. Similar in the vein of The French Connection in regards to a cop doing what he has to do to get the job done, the film became a big hit and set the genre into overdrive with films within the Poliziotteschi genre being churned out everywhere.
Take this history as a spark notes through the filter of 3 beers and if you would like to know more about the subject then I would recommend this FANTASTIC documentary on the genre.
Thus Endith The Lessonith
Now that the history lessons in finished, let me correlate the connection to those films and the 1987 adaptation of Man on Fire. A lot of themes that would be rinsed and repeated in those films match up to what Man on Fire was doing.
The whole concept of kidnappings/ransoms was a reflection of the turbulent times where kidnappings were happening on the daily in Italy. Along with that, there were also the terrorist acts of the time which included people robbing banks and blowing shit up. Italy back in the day was fucking crazy and that madness ended up being reflected in the cinema at the time.
Now the difference between this adaptation and the genre I got hooked on is that a majority of the time, films in the Poliziotteschi genre went about this material in a sleazier way. Far more on the verge of exploitation and there are moments in which films within the genre would truly go all out but nonetheless, I was in a sleazy mood when I was watching some of these films and I wanted to clean up my act a bit but without having to try too hard to do so. And so, I finally got around to watching Man on Fire.
A Opinion of Inflated Value
To start it off, I enjoyed the movie. I don't necessarily think that it's a strong film overall but the moments in which it does shine got me to lean towards liking it than disliking.
The basic plot is similar to the 2004 adaption with the location change from early 2000's Mexico to late 1980's Italy. Creasy is still a burned out ex-CIA operative that ends up as a bodyguard for a young girl. This time played by a world weary Scott Glenn. The two having to spend time together and ultimately becoming friends but it’s not only Creasy that is able to start a new life in this story. The girl he is protecting, Samantha Balletto,, is also receiving a sense of love since her parents in this film have created a relationship of alienation in their raising of her since they spend all 3 of them spend all their time away from each other. 3 separate lives living under one roof but at least she has found a person to be friends with.
All is going well for Creasy until the night that he is coming home from a wedding with Sam as his guest, gets a gun pointed to his head at a traffic light. A couple of goons arrive in a different car and try to kidnap her. Creasy does his best to save her but ends up catching a few bullets and is stuck in a hospital with his injuries. A day or so later, a mafia don played by Danny Aiello makes the demand for 1 million dollars in 5 days or the girl is gonna end up dead. Creasy knows that time is running out and heads off into the Italian underworld on a suicide mission to find her before its too late.
First off, let me say that Scott Glenn plays a great Creasy.
He plays it soft in this movie. Like a ghost stuck among the living without a sense of knowing what living is like. Having far more experience in his tours in Vietnam and Beirut with death, he wanders around as this lifeless being that is still standing because he has a job and nowhere else to go.
His warming up with the girl he is protecting and him ultimately smiling is pretty great. Scott Glenn doesn't seem to have much time for smiles with his 1,000 yard stare and so when a smile shows up here and there, you feel a little at ease. There is a moment though as he sets off on his revenge journey where he looks at himself in the mirror, now clean cut with no beard and shorter hair, and gives a nice creepy smile while rocking some sunglasses that brings back that sense of uneasiness. Scott Glenn is great but the true auteur in the film is Joe Pesci. He manages to steals every scene he walks in.
Joe Pesci does a lot without being in much of the running time. He has a hair style you don't expect Joe Pesci to have which turns your attention to Joe Pesci and his haircut every time he shows up on screen. Joe Pesci plays the acoustic guitar and sings Johnny B Goode to a crowd of wedding attendee's and as he plays, he starts to lose it and go fucking nuts and that's when Scott Glenn has to intervene and make sure that he's okay. Joe Pesci is always okay though.
What is interesting about Joe Pesci's character is how much he is willing to go up against Scott Glenn. One moment in particular is the scene in which Creasy states that he is going to hunt down every person that the police had showed them when he was in the hospital bed. Pesci has this whole speech about what if they don't know nothing. Having to kill 1 guy that knew nothing and then finding the next guy and killing him when he knows nothing. Talking about the uselessness of the whole thing but nonetheless realized that Scott Glenn is a man on a mission and helps him. This moment doesn’t exist in the 2004 adaptation but I greatly appreciate seeing it in this film.
Danny Aiello and Jonathan Pryce show up but are practically cameos instead of characters inherent to the plot. Pretty funny how Aiello shows up as this Mafia don but doesn't do jack shit to show off his power and ends up getting killed in the most brutal way by the end of film. The acting is great but the movie overall is meandering for the most part.
How’s the Revenge?
There are 2 distinct halves to the film with the first half being the budding relationship between Creasy and Sam. These scenes are pretty good but the relationship between the two doesn't seem to be the most endearing until the moment when she gets kidnapped. Though I will say that the idea that the little girl is all alone in her world is an interesting one that pays off in the end where not much else works. It makes the connection with Creasy feel more substantial even though there is less being said between the two. There is also an over stated reference to the John Steinbeck book Of Mice and Men to regurgitate the idea of those 2 being what they need in the world but it seems more preachy than it does genuine. Which maybe could be why there is a distinct feeling of manipulation in trying to create something between the two. It's tough to say. Might need to re-watch that first part.
Then there's the second part. The whole revenge portion. In this adaptation, there is something to be said about this telling of the story veering towards being an against the clock thriller than a mystery of what happened/revenge story that takes place in the 2004 version. If, and that is a BIG if, the film had truly succeeded in pulling off this interpretation then it could have been something that could stand up on it’s own as something worthwhile but it doesn't manage to pull this off. Instead, it moves into a low grade vigilante movie and the main piece of this working is for the fact that Scott Glenn makes a fairly compassionate character that you want to see succeed.
There are 2 real big scenes that are worth mentioning and discussing in regard to the latter half of the film. The first being the interrogation scene in which Creasy lures a henchmen from a porno theater and into the bathroom to gain information. It's a routine scene for the most part with close ups being done on their individual faces as the scene goes on but the reason why this sticks out is for the fact that Creasy walks away from the guy at the end of the interrogation and thinks about what he should do now.
A feeling of uncertainty coming out in this moment in regard to what he is doing and I found that really interesting. Here is this ex-CIA operative who has killed again and again and this must have been what it was like for him towards the end of it all. Needing to get himself together to be able to pull the trigger. Which he ultimately does and then walks away from the body.
The second scene worth mentioning is the next place he limps his way to which is the goon hangout he just tortured for information. It doesn't work out the way that Creasy wishes it would as after he kills the goons and gets the information, someone is on their way up and he has to make his escape. He manages to make his way into the streets but then gets caught by all the assholes around since apparently him sticking out like a limping American is pretty noticeable. Creasy starts to get the shit beat out of him and it looks like its the end but then the bomb he planted in the goon hideout blows up and that leaves everyone running away while he manages to limp in escape.
Why mention this? I just enjoyed seeing this kind of a hero. Just a broken and beaten up dude who keeps on going no matter how much he gets beaten up/injured/walloped and any other adjective to describe getting your ass whupped.
The Unfortunate Climax
It's just a shame that the 2nd half doesn't add up to anything worthwhile by the time the end of movie comes around. The confrontation between Scott Glenn and Danny Aiello doesn't amount to much beyond Scott Glenn shooting the shit out of him when he tries to run him over when they reach the final hideout. That was cool but not the great climax I needed after Creasy had been through so much to get to where the girl is hidden.
You see, all throughout the film Scott Glenn is narrating and its this cold toned voice talking about the lows of his life and the situation he’s in and the voice over builds a sense of a stronger climax to come around but it just falls flat. Then the ending chugs along and that just left me with an even greater sense of dissatisfaction since it’s then revealed that he faked his death. I didn't much care for this.
I wanted what was teased with the Sunset Blvd type of feel with a guy retelling his journey and having that sense of finality but the movie doesn't go this direction and instead we are given a somewhat happy ending. The ending is satisfying on paper with the two characters having fallen in love, not romantic but platonic, and are back together again. The Of Mice and Men quote probably wasn't necessary but nonetheless, it makes a final appearance before the credits start to roll. Enjoyable enough to say I like it but watch with a sense of lowered expectations.
Another piece of merit. If there is anything that should give reason to watch it, it is because of the way it is shot. The visual element of the film is a strong reason as to why I kept watching and stands a complete opposite to the 2004 versions aesthetic. The shots stay around longer and the composition is one of tracking/dolly shots to make the images pop a bit more. The visuals of the film are the kind that you can do a film school study on. Film school being watching the movie twice. Once with sound and then without it the second time around.
The Final Final Thought
So much potential here but it was squandered. A final note to the review is the apparent factoid that Tony Scott was on the list of possible directors to helm the project at the time. If the current slate of his films were to make this true then this would have been the film he would make right after Top Gun. Now, the 2004 adaptation is fantastic as is but a post Top Gun Tony Scott directing THIS adaptation in the late 80's would have turned this to be one of the greatest swan songs that the 1980's could have ever dreamed of having.
To have that smoke filled room with light pouring in through the window as Creasy would have to make the decision to rescue Sam and kill everyone in his way leaves a sigh of sadness of what could have been. For that would have been fantastic.