Narrow Margin (1990)

Director:

Peter Hyams

Writers (WGA):

Martin Goldsmith (earlier story) &
Jack Leonard (earlier story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

21 September 1990 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Thriller

Tagline:

Sometimes the difference between life and death can be a Narrow Margin

Plot:

A woman secretly witnesses the murder of her blind date for the evening by a top Mafia boss. She immediately...

Plot Keywords:

Mafia | Murder | Train | District Attorney | Blind Date

Cast

Gene Hackman	...	Robert Caulfield
Anne Archer	...	Carol Hunnicut
James Sikking	...	Nelson (as James B. Sikking)
J.T. Walsh	...	Michael Tarlow
M. Emmet Walsh	...	Sergeant Dominick Benti
Susan Hogan	...	Kathryn Weller
Nigel Bennett	...	Jack Wootton
J.A. Preston	...	Martin Larner
B.A. 'Smitty' Smith	...	Keller
Codie Lucas Wilbee	...	Nicholas
Barbara Russell	...	Nicholas' Mother (as Barbara E. Russell)
Antony Holland	...	Elderly Man
Doreen Ramos	...	Elderly Woman
Kevin McNulty	...	James Dahlbeck
Andrew Rhodes	...	Sgt. Nigro
Lon Katzman	...	Det. Loughlin
Dana Still	...	Bellman with Message
Lesley Ewen	...	Larner's Secretary
Barney O'Sullivan	...	Ticket Agent
Natino Bellantoni	...	Bartender
Ted Stidder	...	Conductor #1
Lindsay Bourne	...	Club Car Waiter
Robert Rozen	...	Dining Car Waiter
Tom McBeath	...	Conductor #2
Ron Cummins	...	Hotel Valet
Harris Yulin	...	Leo Watts

Directed by
Peter Hyams

Writing credits (WGA)
Martin Goldsmith		(earlier story) &
Jack Leonard		(earlier story)
Earl Felton		(earlier screenplay)
Peter Hyams		(screenplay)

Produced by
Mary Eilts	....	associate producer
Mario Kassar	....	executive producer
Jerry Offsay	....	co-producer
Andrew G. Vajna	....	executive producer (as Andrew Vajna)
Jonathan A. Zimbert	....	producer

Original Music by
Bruce Broughton

Cinematography by
Peter Hyams

Film Editing by
Beau Barthel		(as Beau Barthel-Blair)
James Mitchell

Casting by
Lynne Carrow

Production Design by
Joel Schiller

Art Direction by
Kim Mooney
Eric Orbom
David Willson		(supervising art director)

Set Decoration by
Kim MacKenzie

Makeup Department
Leslie Ann Anderson	....	hair stylist: Ms. Archer (as Leslie Anderson)
Pat Gerhardt	....	makeup artist: Ms. Archer
Roy Sidick	....	hair stylist
Margaret Solomon	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Mary Eilts	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Robert Lee	....	second assistant director
Mike Rohl	....	dgc trainee (as Michael J. Rohl)
Jack Frost Sanders	....	first assistant director
Lisa Weinstein	....	third assistant director

Art Department
Gary Brooks	....	head greensman
Phil Gough	....	assistant property master
Wayne McLaughlin	....	property master
Mike Rennison	....	construction foreman (as Michael Rennison)
Ken Wells	....	head painter (as Kenneth Wells)
Charles Breen	....	set designer (uncredited)

Sound Department
Karen M. Baker	....	assistant sound editor
Tom Bellfort	....	supervising sound editor
Bill W. Benton	....	sound re-recording mixer
John Brilhante	....	sound recordist (as John W. Brilhante)
Donald D. Brown	....	boom operator (as Don Brown)
Neal Burger	....	sound editor (as Neal R. Burger)
Carlos Delarios	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Carlos deLarios)
Scott Martin Gershin	....	sound editor
Douglas Greenfield	....	stereo sound consultant: Dolby
Per Hallberg	....	assistant sound editor
Kevin Hearst	....	sound editor (as Raoul)
Gary A. Hecker	....	foley artist (as Gary Hecker)
Doc Kane	....	foley mixer
Michael J. Kohut	....	sound re-recording mixer
Mark Lanza	....	additional sound (as Mark A. Lanza)
Dan O'Connell	....	foley artist
Ralph Parker	....	production sound mixer
Dan M. Rich	....	sound editor (as Dan Rich)
Bill Rojas	....	recording facility supervisor
Dan Sharp	....	sound recordist (as Daniel Sharp)
Wylie Stateman	....	supervising sound editor
Kim Waugh	....	additional sound
Steve Mann	....	sound editor (uncredited)
Glenn T. Morgan	....	sound editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Guy Faria	....	special effects assistant
Roger Lifsey	....	special effects assistant
Stan Parks	....	special effects coordinator
Kevin Quibell	....	special effects assistant
Steve Wolke	....	special effects assistant

Visual Effects by
Bill Hansard	....	process coordinator
Don Hansard	....	process projectionist (as Don Hansard Jr.)
Robert Hansard	....	process projectionist (as Bob Hansard)
Donald Hansard Sr.	....	process projectionist (as Don Hansard Sr.)
René Simoneau	....	process projectionist

Stunts
Denny Arnold	....	stunts
Doc Duhame	....	stunts (as Ronald 'Doc' Duhame)
Lon Katzman	....	stunts
Curtis Lupo	....	stunts
Scott Nicholson	....	stunts
Peter Reynolds	....	stunts
Gar Stephen	....	stunts
Amy Stephen Wilder	....	stunts (as Amy Wilder)
Glenn R. Wilder	....	stunt coordinator (as Glenn Wilder)
Melissa R. Stubbs	....	stunt double: Anne Archer (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
David L. Butler	....	aerial camera operator (as David Butler)
Les Erskine	....	chief lighting technician
Dale Garrison	....	rigging gaffer (as Dale 'Tiny' Garrison)
Ralph Gerling	....	camera operator
John Hyams	....	company grip
Robin Jobin	....	best boy grip
Nick Kuchera	....	key grip
Nathaniel Massey	....	Steadicam operator
Daniel P. Moore	....	video assist operator
Steve Peterson	....	first assistant camera
Jack Rowand	....	still photographer
Adam Sliwinski	....	camera trainee
Rick Stadder	....	dolly grip
Pat Williams	....	second assistant camera
John Rigg	....	grip (uncredited)
Brian Thurston	....	camera remote technician (uncredited)

Casting Department
James Forsyth	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Jerry R. Allen	....	costumer (as Jerry Allen)
Dolores C. Burke	....	costumer (as Dolores Burke)
Ellen Mirojnick	....	costumes: Ms. Archer

Editorial Department
Donah Bassett	....	negative cutter
Bob Kaiser	....	color timer
Stephanie Mitchell	....	apprentice film editor
Beverly Pinnas	....	first assistant film editor

Music Department
Mark McKenzie	....	orchestrator
Don Nemitz	....	orchestrator
Curt Sobel	....	music editor
Armin Steiner	....	scoring mixer
Ken Watson	....	music contractor

Transportation Department
Fred Moroz	....	transportation captain
Alois Stranan	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Terry Benson	....	pilot
Adam Druxman	....	production assistant
Lara P. Fox	....	script supervisor (as Lara Fox)
Barney France	....	pilot
Judith French	....	assistant production accountant (as Judy French)
Penny Gibbs	....	production office coordinator
Nick Hyams	....	quality control
Steven Jongeward	....	assistant: Mr. Zimbert
Mario Kassar	....	presenter
Roberta Lewis	....	assistant: Mr. Hyams
Yvonne Melville	....	assistant production office coordinator
Don Orlando	....	production accountant (as Donald Orlando)
Brigitte Prochaska	....	unit publicist
James Sallis	....	location manager
Mike Solecki	....	train movement supervisor
Andrew G. Vajna	....	presenter (as Andrew Vajna)
Jeff Wagner	....	gun handler
Steve Wright	....	helicopter coordinator
Steve Wright	....	pilot
Michael Barnes	....	legal attorney (uncredited)
Greg Jackson	....	assistant location manager (uncredited)
Todd Lester	....	security officer (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Carolco Pictures

Distributors

• TriStar Pictures (1990) (USA) (theatrical)
• Scotia International Filmverleih (1991) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Constantin Film (1991) (Austria) (theatrical)
• Image Entertainment (1991) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• LK-TEL (1991) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Pioneer (1991) (UK) (video) (laserdisc)
• Live Home Video (1993) (USA) (VHS)
• Artisan Entertainment (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• Avid Home Entertainment (2002) (USA) (VHS)
• Kinowelt Home Entertainment (2002) (Germany) (DVD)
• Universal Home Entertainment (2004) (UK) (DVD)
• Maple Pictures (2007) (Canada) (DVD)
• Optimum Releasing (2007) (UK) (DVD)
• Finnkino (1991) (Finland) (theatrical)
• LK-TEL Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• Mainostelevisio (MTV3) (1995) (Finland) (TV)
• Oy Europa Vision AB (1991) (Finland) (VHS)
• Sandrew Metronome Distribution (2006) (Finland) (DVD)
• Video Film Express (199?) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (1993) (2002) (Finland) (TV)

Other Companies

• R/Greenberg Associates  titles designed and produced by
• Cinema Research  opticals (as Cinema Research Corporation)
• Lloyd-Levin Casting  casting: Los Angeles (as Lloyd/Levin)
• 20th Century Fox Studios  music recorded at (as 20th Century Fox)
• Columbia Studios  music re-recorded at (as Columbia Studio)
• Intrada  score album released by (Special Collection)

Also Known As:

Le seul témoin (Canada: French title) (France) [fr]
Canadian Express (Japan: English title) [en]
De Frente Para o Perigo (Brazil) [pt]
Doruktaki kadin (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
En hårsbredd fra døden (Norway) [no]
Farligt möte (Sweden) [sv]
Freniris apodrasi (Greece) [el]
Lähellä kuolemaa (Finland) [fi]
Nära döden (Finland: Swedish title) [sv]
Narrow Margin - 12 Stunden Angst (Germany) [de]
Niewygodny swiadek (Poland) [pl]
O Expresso dos Malditos (Portugal) [pt]
På et hængende hår (Denmark) [da]
Rischio totale (Italy) [it]
Testigo accidental (Spain) [es]
Uski prolaz (Serbia) [sr]

Runtime:

97 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR (35 mm prints) | 70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints)

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Iceland:14 | Iceland:16 (video rating) | Australia:M | Finland:K-14 | Germany:16 | Norway:15 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

British Columbia, Canada

Company:

Carolco Pictures

Trivia:

The cabin featured in the first act was specifically built for the movie. Peter Hyams decided to build it on top of a mountain in that particular spot while it was still covered in winter snow. When the snow melted it turned out that the spot was actually a dump and it took a short while to clear it out.

Goofs:

Continuity: The lamp shot out by the bullet is soon repaired.

Quotes:

Caulfield: I feel like Phil Donahue.

Movie Connections:

Edited into Mindstorm (2001)

Suspense for the Discriminating

This film pops up frequently on the tube, and with good reason -- it's lean, smart, and superbly acted. Director Hyams makes the most of the claustrophobic train interior contrasting with the wide open Canadian wilderness. Gene Hackman has never been better. Tension is built through a series of one-on-one confrontations, each with electric undercurrents. The best by far is the gentlemanly chat between Hackman and James Sikking in the dining car. The standard "action-packed" ending is a bit disappointing. But don't let this stop you if you're into suspense films for the thinking person.