It all starts off when a beautiful Amish widow takes her little son Samuel from their home in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania to visit her sister in Baltimore and try to get over her grief...
While passing through Philadelphia, and on entering alone a men's restroom in a train station, Samuel glances up to see two men advancing with unmistakable menace toward a young man... He caught sight of the face of one of the two attackers who killed him...
As the plot becomes more intricate, and through a series of interesting events, detective John Book finds himself forced to protect the shy eight-year-old boy and his helpless mother... He disappears for some days in the Amish Country...
Harrison Ford stars as a fugitive cop who is initially unwelcome in a community he knows a little about... He tries to learn the importance of family and community, the philosophy of brotherhood and non-resistance... He becomes involved in a case that will essentially change his human perceptions... And later, he finds himself falling in love with a sensitive young woman...
Kelly McGillis is captivating as Rachel, a woman who feels a shadow of confusion crossing her mind... She stares at the honest cop, realizing the price he's paid in returning them to safety...
In one scene she catches him watching her bath... She hesitates for a moment, but in that precise moment she makes a choice... Slowly she turns to face him, topless, without shame... For a moment she attempts a tender effort to become, for an instant, a woman of his world...
In another scene we see her playing the charade of her life... Bound by duty, but tempted by desire, she leaves her white cap - symbol of her identity - on the table, and surrenders to a passion, that makes her sensual nature say it all...
Lukas Haas is very fine as the cute kid in the black coat and hat... He slowly raises his hand to point at the black and white photograph... This nice boy remains untouched by the violence interposed into his peaceful world...
Jan Rubes is believable as Rachel's father-in-law Eli... He is torn by conflicts between faith, discipline, dedication and humility... He tries his best to protect what's left of his family from the pressures of the outside world... It's pretty clear he doesn't like this Englishman wearing the clothes of his faith... For him his daughter-in-law has brought fear to his house... and now she is dancing to English music!
Alexander Godunov brings a solid performance to the role of Daniel, Rachel's discarded suitor... It's no surprise that he wants the disappearance of the policeman... Book's tempting presence will only weak his chance with Rachel... In one remarkable scene and on a road running parallel to the train track, he urges his horse almost to the gallop as he attempts to keep pace with the train...
It is quite interesting to see Danny Glover as a crooked cop, who's corrupt and evil... But the heart of the movie is a study of the Pennsylvania Amish through the eyes of an outsider suddenly introduced into their life... Peter Weir tries to paint a realistic portrait of the Amish who are best known for their severely 'plain clothing' and their 'non-conformed' way of life... The Amish also avoid telephones and electric lights and drive horses and buggies rather than cars...
Weir delivers a powerful and romantic story, an engaging film of different style, mixing two different cultures, the simplicity of the Amish lifestyle with the urban culture and fashion... The music and cinematography work beautifully to impart all the emotions of the characters...
'Witness' (won Academy Awards for Best Film Editing and Original Screenplay. Nominations for Best Actor (Ford), Art Direction, Cinematography, Director, Score and Best Picture..) is quiet provoking.. thrilling and entertaining.. I highly recommend it..
If you look carefully, you'll spot Viggo Mortensen in his screen debut.. as Moses Hochleitner, Daniel's little brother...
While passing through Philadelphia, and on entering alone a men's restroom in a train station, Samuel glances up to see two men advancing with unmistakable menace toward a young man... He caught sight of the face of one of the two attackers who killed him...
As the plot becomes more intricate, and through a series of interesting events, detective John Book finds himself forced to protect the shy eight-year-old boy and his helpless mother... He disappears for some days in the Amish Country...
Harrison Ford stars as a fugitive cop who is initially unwelcome in a community he knows a little about... He tries to learn the importance of family and community, the philosophy of brotherhood and non-resistance... He becomes involved in a case that will essentially change his human perceptions... And later, he finds himself falling in love with a sensitive young woman...
Kelly McGillis is captivating as Rachel, a woman who feels a shadow of confusion crossing her mind... She stares at the honest cop, realizing the price he's paid in returning them to safety...
In one scene she catches him watching her bath... She hesitates for a moment, but in that precise moment she makes a choice... Slowly she turns to face him, topless, without shame... For a moment she attempts a tender effort to become, for an instant, a woman of his world...
In another scene we see her playing the charade of her life... Bound by duty, but tempted by desire, she leaves her white cap - symbol of her identity - on the table, and surrenders to a passion, that makes her sensual nature say it all...
Lukas Haas is very fine as the cute kid in the black coat and hat... He slowly raises his hand to point at the black and white photograph... This nice boy remains untouched by the violence interposed into his peaceful world...
Jan Rubes is believable as Rachel's father-in-law Eli... He is torn by conflicts between faith, discipline, dedication and humility... He tries his best to protect what's left of his family from the pressures of the outside world... It's pretty clear he doesn't like this Englishman wearing the clothes of his faith... For him his daughter-in-law has brought fear to his house... and now she is dancing to English music!
Alexander Godunov brings a solid performance to the role of Daniel, Rachel's discarded suitor... It's no surprise that he wants the disappearance of the policeman... Book's tempting presence will only weak his chance with Rachel... In one remarkable scene and on a road running parallel to the train track, he urges his horse almost to the gallop as he attempts to keep pace with the train...
It is quite interesting to see Danny Glover as a crooked cop, who's corrupt and evil... But the heart of the movie is a study of the Pennsylvania Amish through the eyes of an outsider suddenly introduced into their life... Peter Weir tries to paint a realistic portrait of the Amish who are best known for their severely 'plain clothing' and their 'non-conformed' way of life... The Amish also avoid telephones and electric lights and drive horses and buggies rather than cars...
Weir delivers a powerful and romantic story, an engaging film of different style, mixing two different cultures, the simplicity of the Amish lifestyle with the urban culture and fashion... The music and cinematography work beautifully to impart all the emotions of the characters...
'Witness' (won Academy Awards for Best Film Editing and Original Screenplay. Nominations for Best Actor (Ford), Art Direction, Cinematography, Director, Score and Best Picture..) is quiet provoking.. thrilling and entertaining.. I highly recommend it..
If you look carefully, you'll spot Viggo Mortensen in his screen debut.. as Moses Hochleitner, Daniel's little brother...