Even with the gratuitous scenes of McGillis' breasts (again, had the Amish been able to see the film, they would NOT have been amused), it is a case of excellent story-telling. The film gets kudos for very good acting, a nicely relaxed film style and a great story with a very exciting ending. So what is Ford to do now that he realizes that he and the boy are both about to be killed to protect this criminal empire? Yep, he and the kid and the hot mom head back to Lancaster County-to the so-called 'Amish Country' to hide out among the good, honest folk. However, when it turns out that the killer is a police lieutenant (Danny Glover), there is a problem-as the problem turns out to be a lot bigger and the Chief is clearly part of a much deeper conspiracy. When the police investigate, the Captain (Harrison Ford) takes the case personally (is this realistic?) and uses the kid to try to track down one of the killers who he can identify. The boy is smart, however, and hides-and manages to be the only witness to the slaying. However, at the train station, the boy just happens to be in the bathroom where a cold-blooded murder of an undercover cop occurs. I am not sure, however, how much the Philadelphia Police Department appreciated the film, as it said that they were run by a group of evil racketeers.Īn Amish woman (Kelly McGillis) takes her son on a train trip to Baltimore to see her sister. And, a scene where a guy is brutally stabbed in a bathroom is very believable for Philly (I've personally witnessed 6 or 7 only this year alone). I have spent tons of time in Philadelphia, so seeing the Amish walking about (especially at Reading Market downtown) is believable (these are generally the more liberal-minded Amish). But, despite these difficulties, Peter Weir did manage to direct a very compelling film. I doubt if minor details would have offended (such as all the sexy Quaker guys had no beards!). The film was violent and showed a woman whose convictions suddenly vanished because of raging hormones-surely this might offend a few. I am certainly no expert on the Amish (a name give which covers Old Order Mennonites, Conservative Mennonites, Hutterites, and Old German Baptist Brethren ) and I am sure this film would have bothered many of them had they been able to watch it-though the Amish, especially, would shun such modern contrivances as movies. Reviewed by MartinHafer 8 / 10 Well worth seeing-unless you can't see it because of your religious values! Witness should not be missed, rent, tape it, buy the VHS or DVD, but definitely see this film. With minimal dialog and a set of expressions on his young face that conveys all, it's one of the best juvenile performances ever filmed. Though Ford got the nomination in the acting category, the film really belongs to Lukas Haas. Hard to believ the sexy flight instructor in Top Gun is the same woman. McGillis herself loses the glamor for her part. You will also like Danny Glover and Josef Sommer as a pair of corrupt Philadelphia ranking police officials and Viggo Mortenson has a role as an Amish suitor for Kelly McGillis. Original it is because I don't think the Pennsylvania Amish were ever the subject of a motion picture before. It did win for Film Editing and for Original Screenplay. Witness was nominated for several Oscars including Best Picture, Best Actor for Harrison Ford, and Best Director for Peter Weir. The movie was shot in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania in the actual Amish country and in Philadelphia. Witness succeeds on every level it operates on, as a police drama, as a romance, as a thriller. And of course there's a growing attraction between Ford and McGillis. It's quite a change for Ford as he adapts into the Amish world. He decides they are safer indeed back in their neighborhood where outsiders would really stand out. When Ford tries to shield McGillis and Haas, they are found out and Ford is nearly killed. There he witnesses two men kill an undercover Philly cop.īut there's a whole lot more to it than that, the story involves police corruption at the highest levels in the Philadelphia, PD. While traveling to Baltimore from Amish country with his mother, Kelly McGillis, the little boy goes to the men's room in the 30th Street station in Philadelphia. And it isn't some ordinary street crime either. The film is seen through the eyes of its title character, young Lukas Haas who plays the Witness to a homicide. It's a wonderful drama about two worlds meeting over a homicide. When Harrison Ford is not playing Han Solo, Indiana Jones, or Jack Ryan he's done some other really outstanding films and Witness certainly ranks among the best. Reviewed by bkoganbing 9 / 10 The Terrible English World
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