Ransom (1996 film)

Last updated
Ransom
RansomPoster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Ron Howard
Screenplay by
Based on Ransom! 1956 movie
Fearful Decision 1954 TV play
by Cyril Hume and Richard Maibaum
Produced by
Starring
Cinematography Piotr Sobociński
Edited by
Music by James Horner
Production
companies
Distributed by Buena Vista Pictures Distribution [1]
Release date
  • November 8, 1996 (1996-11-08)
Running time
121 minutes [1]
CountryUnited States [1]
LanguageEnglish
Budget$70 million [3]
Box office$309.5 million [4]

Ransom is a 1996 American action thriller film [5] directed by Ron Howard from a screenplay by Richard Price and Alexander Ignon. The film stars Mel Gibson, Rene Russo, Gary Sinise, Delroy Lindo, Lili Taylor, Brawley Nolte, Liev Schreiber, Donnie Wahlberg and Evan Handler. Gibson was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor. The film was the 5th highest-grossing film of 1996 in the United States. The original story came from a 1954 episode of The United States Steel Hour titled "Fearful Decision". In 1956, it was adapted by Cyril Hume and Richard Maibaum into the feature film, Ransom! , starring Glenn Ford, Donna Reed, and Leslie Nielsen.

Contents

Plot

While multi-billionaire Tom Mullen and his wife Kate attend a science fair, their son Sean is kidnapped, having left their sight unexpectedly. Sean is taken to an apartment by Maris Conner, a caterer working for the Mullens; brothers Clark and Cubby Barnes; and tech expert Miles Roberts. A NYPD Detective, Jimmy Shaker, Maris' boyfriend, is later revealed to be the mastermind behind the kidnapping. The kidnappers send Tom and Kate an e-mail with a video of Sean demanding $2 million. Tom calls the FBI, despite the kidnappers instructions on not to contact the authorities, with the threat of killing Sean, who operate from his New York City penthouse under Special Agent Lonnie Hawkins. In private, Tom voices his belief that a union machinist, Jackie Brown, who is in prison following one of Tom's business scandals, may be behind it. They visit Brown in prison, but he denies any involvement before striking Tom.

Tom agrees to the FBI's plan for delivering the ransom. Receiving a phone call from Shaker, who electronically disguises his voice, Tom follows his instructions. He meets Cubby in a New Jersey quarry but refuses to hand over the money when Cubby fails to give him Shaker's promised directions to Sean. During an ensuing fight, the FBI intervenes and shoot Cubby, who dies before revealing Sean's location. Tom realizes there is no guarantee Sean will be returned alive. Shaker arranges another drop-off, but although Tom initially agrees to take the money alone, he instead appears on television and offers the ransom as a bounty on the kidnappers, dead or alive, but promises to withdraw the bounty and drop all charges if the kidnappers return Sean alive and unharmed, making it clear he will not pay the ransom.

Despite Kate and Agent Hawkins' pleadings, Tom sticks to his plan, believing it is the best chance for Sean's return. Shaker lures Kate to a meeting where he assaults her and presents Sean's blood-stained t-shirt as a warning to pay the ransom. Tom responds by doubling the bounty to $4 million. Shaker calls Tom and gives him one final warning to pay, but Tom still refuses, and Shaker fires a gunshot after Tom hears Sean scream for help, leading Tom and Kate to believe Sean is dead. Clark and Miles attempt to abandon the plan and flee, but Shaker requests backup, kills both Clark and Miles, and makes it look like Miles shot first. When Maris shoots him in the arm from behind, he kills her, too. The NYPD arrives and find Shaker with a badly beaten Sean, whom they believe Shaker rescued. Hawkins informs Tom and Kate, and they are reunited with Sean while Shaker is hospitalized.

Shaker arrives at Tom's penthouse to claim the reward; he intends to immediately leave the country before his connection to Maris is discovered. When Sean and Tom both recognize Shaker's voice and expressions as the kidnapper, Shaker realizes his cover is blown. Shaker plans to kill everyone in the apartment, but Tom persuades him to accompany him to the bank to gain the money and leave peacefully. Shaker attempts to force Tom to wire the money from the house via phone, but Tom stands his ground and warns him that whether he receives his money or not, Shaker will be exposed and hunted citywide. Shaker reluctantly agrees to go to the bank, threatening to rekidnap and execute Sean should Tom attempt a double-cross. On the way, Tom discreetly alerts Hawkins, and the police and FBI converge on Tom and Shaker outside the bank.

As soon as Tom and Shaker exit the bank, two police officers attempt to detain Shaker, but Shaker shoots them. Tom knocks Shaker to the ground and the two struggle. Tom hurls Shaker through the window of a lamp store. Tom picks up Shaker's dropped gun and points it at him. Hawkins and other police officers demand that Tom drop the gun and walk away. In desperation, Shaker draws another gun but is shot dead by Tom and Hawkins. As Tom drops the gun, police rush in to arrest him, but Hawkins orders them to stand down and Tom is allowed to leave the scene with Kate.

Cast

Reception

Ransom has a 74% rating from Rotten Tomatoes based on 74 reviews, with its consensus stating: "Directed with propulsive intensity by Ron Howard, Ransom is a fiery thriller packed with hot-blooded performances and jolting twists." [6] Metacritic gave the film a score of 60 based on 21 reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews". [7] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A−" on an A+ to F scale. [8]

Critic Roger Ebert gave the film three stars out of four and wrote, "Gibson gives an interesting performance, showing a man trying to think his way out of a crisis, and Sinise makes a good foil: Here are two smart men playing a game with deadly stakes." [9]

Awards and nominations

1997 ASCAP Film and Television Music Awards

1997 Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films (Saturn Awards)

1997 Golden Globe Awards

1997 Image Awards

1997 Young Artist Awards

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Delroy Lindo</span> English-American actor (born 1952)

Delroy George Lindo is an English-American actor. He is the recipient of such accolades as a NAACP Image Award, a Satellite Award, and nominations for a Drama Desk Award, a Helen Hayes Award, a Tony Award, two Critics' Choice Television Awards, and three Screen Actors Guild Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lindbergh kidnapping</span> Abduction and murder of Charles Lindbergh Jr. (1932)

On March 1, 1932, Charles Augustus Lindbergh Jr., the 20-month-old son of colonel Charles Lindbergh and his wife Anne Morrow Lindbergh, was abducted from his crib in the upper floor of the Lindberghs' home, Highfields, in East Amwell, New Jersey, United States. On May 12, the child's corpse was discovered by a truck driver by the side of a nearby road.

<i>Kate & Leopold</i> 2001 romantic comedy film by James Mangold

Kate & Leopold is a 2001 American romantic-comedy fantasy film that tells a story of a physicist by the name of Stuart, who accidentally pulls his great‑great‑grandfather, Leopold, through a time portal from 19th‑century New York to the present, where Leopold and Stuart's ex‑girlfriend, Kate, fall in love with each other.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ma Barker</span> American mother of several criminals and Barker Gang leader (1873–1935)

Kate Barker, better known as Ma Barker, was the mother of several American criminals who ran the Barker–Karpis Gang during the "public enemy era" when the exploits of gangs of criminals in the Midwestern United States gripped the American people and press. She traveled with her sons during their criminal careers.

<i>A Life Less Ordinary</i> 1997 romantic black comedy film

A Life Less Ordinary is a 1997 British romantic black comedy film directed by Danny Boyle, written by John Hodge, and starring Ewan McGregor, Cameron Diaz, Holly Hunter, Delroy Lindo, Ian Holm and Dan Hedaya. The plot follows two angels who are sent to Earth to help make a disgruntled kidnapper (McGregor) and his hostage (Diaz) fall in love.

<i>The Clearing</i> (film) 2004 film by Pieter Jan Brugge

The Clearing is a 2004 American thriller drama film and the directorial debut of film producer Pieter Jan Brugge. The film is loosely based on the real life kidnapping of Gerrit Jan Heijn that took place in the Netherlands in 1987. The screenplay was written by Justin Haythe.

<i>Domino</i> (2005 film) UK-France-USA action film

Domino is a 2005 action crime film directed by Tony Scott with a screenplay by Richard Kelly from a story by Kelly and Steve Barancik. An international co-production between France, the United States, and the United Kingdom, the film is inspired by Domino Harvey, the English daughter of stage and screen actor Laurence Harvey, who became a Los Angeles bounty hunter.

<i>Judas Kiss</i> (1998 film) 1998 film by Sebastian Gutierrez

Judas Kiss is a 1998 American crime thriller film that starred Alan Rickman, Emma Thompson, Roscoe Lee Browne, Carla Gugino, Simon Baker-Denny, Gil Bellows, Richard Riehle, and Til Schweiger. It was directed by Sebastian Gutierrez.

<i>Ransom!</i> 1956 film by Alex Segal

Ransom! is a 1956 American crime drama film about the kidnapping of the son of a wealthy couple. Written by Richard Maibaum and Cyril Hume, the film is based on a popular 1954 episode of The United States Steel Hour titled "Fearful Decision" starring Ralph Bellamy.

<i>Bloody Mama</i> 1970 film

Bloody Mama is a 1970 American exploitation crime film directed by Roger Corman, and starring Shelley Winters in the title role, with Bruce Dern, Don Stroud, Robert Walden, Alex Nicol and Robert De Niro in supporting roles. It was very loosely based on the real story of Ma Barker, who is depicted as a corrupt, mentally-disturbed mother who encourages and organizes the criminality of her four adult sons in Depression-era southern United States.

<i>Get Shorty</i> (film) 1995 comedy film directed by Barry Sonnenfeld

Get Shorty is a 1995 American gangster comedy film directed by Barry Sonnenfeld and written by Scott Frank, based on Elmore Leonard's novel of the same name. The film stars John Travolta, Gene Hackman, Rene Russo, Delroy Lindo, James Gandolfini, Dennis Farina, and Danny DeVito. It follows Chili Palmer (Travolta), a Miami mobster and loan shark who inadvertently gets involved in Hollywood feature film production.

<i>The Hard Way</i> (novel) Tenth Jack Reacher novel

The Hard Way is a novel by Lee Child, first published in 2006.

<i>Along Came a Spider</i> (film) 2001 film by Lee Tamahori

Along Came a Spider is a 2001 American neo-noir psychological thriller film directed by Lee Tamahori. It is the second installment in the Alex Cross film series and a sequel to the 1997 film Kiss the Girls, with Morgan Freeman and Jay O. Sanders reprising their roles as detective Alex Cross and FBI-agent Kyle Craig. The screenplay by Marc Moss was adapted from the 1993 novel of the same title by James Patterson, but many of the key plot elements of the book were eliminated. The film was a box office success, although receiving mixed reviews from critics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kidnapping of Edward Bremer</span> American kidnapping case

The kidnapping of Edward Bremer was the last major criminal enterprise of the Barker-Karpis gang. Though successful in netting the gang a large ransom, it brought down the full force of the FBI on the gang, resulting in the death or capture of its main members in the months afterwards. The kidnapping was ordered by St. Paul Jewish-American organized crime boss Harry Sawyer, and carried out by Fred Barker, Alvin Karpis, Arthur Barker, Volney Davis and Chicago Outfit mobster George Ziegler.

<i>Queen of the Mob</i> 1940 film by James P. Hogan

Queen of the Mob is a 1940 American film, directed by James P. Hogan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barker–Karpis Gang</span> 1930s American criminal gang

The Barker–Karpis Gang was one of the longest-lived criminal gangs during the Depression Era, spanning from 1931 to 1935. The gang was founded by Fred Barker and Alvin Karpis, and later joined by Fred's brother Arthur "Doc" Barker. Along with the three core members, the gang's network spanned up to 25 members at one point.

<i>Ray Donovan</i> American crime/family drama television series

Ray Donovan is an American crime drama television series created by Ann Biderman for Showtime. The twelve-episode first season premiered on June 30, 2013.

<i>Woman They Almost Lynched</i> 1953 film by Allan Dwan

Woman They Almost Lynched is a 1953 American Western film directed by Allan Dwan and written by Steve Fisher. The film stars John Lund, Brian Donlevy, Audrey Totter, Joan Leslie, Ben Cooper, James Brown, and Nina Varela. The film was released on March 20, 1953, by Republic Pictures.

<i>Show Them No Mercy!</i> 1935 film by George Marshall

Show Them No Mercy! is a 1935 American crime film directed by George Marshall and written by Kubec Glasmon and Henry Lehrman. The film stars Rochelle Hudson, Cesar Romero, Bruce Cabot, Edward Norris, Edward Brophy and Warren Hymer. The film was released on December 6, 1935, by 20th Century Fox.

Clean Break is an Irish drama television series commissioned by RTÉ One and produced by Octagon Films. The four-part series premiered on 27 September 2015.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Ransom (1996)". AFI Catalog of Feature Films . Retrieved 2018-01-19.
  2. "Imagine Entertainment Ransom".
  3. "Ransom". The-Numbers.com. Retrieved 2018-02-19.
  4. "Ransom". Box Office Mojo . Retrieved 2018-01-19.
  5. "10 Best Ron Howard Movies, Ranked (According To Rotten Tomatoes)". Screen Rant . 21 April 2020.
  6. Ransom Rotten Tomatoes, Retrieved 8/02/10
  7. "Ransom Reviews". Metacritic . Fandom. Archived from the original on 12 November 2020. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
  8. "CinemaScore". cinemascore.com.
  9. Ransom Roger Ebert, Retrieved 2010-08-02
  10. "GOLDEN GLOBE NOMINATIONS". Variety . 1996-12-19. Retrieved 2018-01-19.