Missing (1982)

Director:

Costa-Gavras

Writers:

Costa-Gavras (writer)
Thomas Hauser (book)
(more)

Release Date:

28 May 1982 (Sweden)

Genre:

Drama | History | Mystery | Thriller

Plot:

When an idealistic writer disappears during the Right Wing military coup in 1973 Chile, his wife and American businessman father try to find him.

Plot Keywords:

American | Search | Journalist | Military | Coup

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 8 wins & 13 nominations

Cast

Jack Lemmon	...	Ed Horman
Sissy Spacek	...	Beth Horman
Melanie Mayron	...	Terry Simon
John Shea	...	Charles 'Charlie' Horman
Charles Cioffi	...	Capt. Ray Tower, USN
David Clennon	...	Consul Phil Putnam
Richard Venture	...	U.S. Ambassador
Jerry Hardin	...	Col. Sean Patrick
Richard Bradford	...	Andrew Babcock
Joe Regalbuto	...	Frank Teruggi
Keith Szarabajka	...	David Holloway
John Doolittle	...	David McGeary
Janice Rule	...	Kate Newman
Ward Costello	...	Congressman
Hansford Rowe	...	Senator
Tina Romero	...	Maria
Richard Whiting	...	Statesman
Martin LaSalle	...	Paris
Terence Nelson	...	Col. Clay (as Terry Nelson)
Robert Hitt	...	Peter Chernin
Félix González	...	Rojas
M.E. Rios	...	Mrs. Duran
Jorge Russek	...	Espinoza
Edna Necoechea	...	Pia (as Edna Nochoechea)
Alan Penwrith	...	Samuel Cross
Alex Camacho	...	Silvio
Manuel Avila Camacho	...	Doctor - mental hospital (as M. Avilla Camacho)
Kimberley Farr	...	Young woman (Ford Foundation) (as Kimberly Farr)
Elizabeth Cross	...	Ann
Piero Cross	...	Hotel manager
Gary Richardson	...	Operator at U.S. Embassy
Josefina Echánove	...	Woman doctor (basement ward)
Robert Johnstreet	...	Rob
Linda Spheeris	...	Woman (State Department)
Colonel Jorge Mancilla	...	Captain (airport)
Gerardo Vigil	...	Soldier (laundry)
Mario Valdez	...	Officer (laundry)
Jaime Garza	...	Young man (stadium)
Joe I. Tompkins	...	Marine officer
John Fenton	...	Carlos
Jacqueline Evans	...	Woman (Ford Foundation)
Jorge Santoyo	...	Young man (mental hospital)
Juan Vázquez	...	Little man (mental hospital)
Antonio Medellín	...	Rojas' assistant
Albert Cates	...	Marine officer #2
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Miguel Cane	...	Little boy at Beth's class (uncredited)
Harry Kopoian	...	Director of Morgue (uncredited)

Directed by
Costa-Gavras

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Costa-Gavras		writer
Thomas Hauser		book "Missing"
John Nichols		uncredited
Donald Stewart		writer

Produced by
Peter Guber	....	executive producer
Edward Lewis	....	producer
Mildred Lewis	....	producer
Terence Nelson	....	associate producer
Jon Peters	....	executive producer
Peter Guber	....	producer (uncredited)
Jon Peters	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Vangelis

Cinematography by
Ricardo Aronovich

Film Editing by
Françoise Bonnot

Casting by
Wallis Nicita		(as Wally Nicita)

Production Design by
Peter Jamison

Art Direction by
Lucero Isaac
Agustín Ituarte

Set Decoration by
Linda Spheeris

Costume Design by
Joe I. Tompkins

Makeup Department
Esperanza Gómez	....	hair stylist (as Esperanza Gomez)
Bette Iverson	....	hair stylist
Mark Reedall	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Carlos García F.	....	location unit manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Elie Cohn	....	first assistant director
Jesús Marín	....	location assistant director
Anna Roth	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Benito Cano	....	prop man
Antonio Mata	....	property master
Michael Milgrom	....	property master

Sound Department
Michèle Boëhm	....	sound effects editor (as Michele Boehm)
Françoise Bonnot	....	assistant dubbing mixer
Daniel Brisseau	....	sound mixer
José García	....	sound mixer (as Jose García)
Jean-Pierre Lelong	....	sound effects
Jacques Lévy	....	loop dialogue editor
Vince Melandri	....	loop dialogue editor
Stephane Van den Bergh	....	boom operator
Claude Villand	....	dubbing mixer

Special Effects by
Laurencio Cordero	....	special effects
Jesús 'Chuco' Durán	....	special effects (as Jesus Duran)

Visual Effects by
Bill Taylor	....	visual effects: matte photographer
Albert Whitlock	....	special visual effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Philippe Brun	....	camera operator
Gabriel Castro	....	gaffer
Daniel Leterrier	....	assistant camera (as Daniel Letterier)
Graciano Perez	....	key grip
Pablo Ríos	....	assistant camera
Peter Sorel	....	still photographer

Casting Department
José Sánchez	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Adolfo Ramírez	....	wardrobe: men
Pamela Wise	....	costume supervisor (as Pam Wise)

Editorial Department
Michèle Amsellem	....	assistant film editor
Marie Castro-Vasquez	....	assistant film editor
Suzanne Koch	....	assistant film editor
Sergio Ortega	....	assistant film editor

Music Department
Vangelis	....	music arranger

Transportation Department
Charles Enzen	....	transportation captain

Other crew
Sylvette Baudrot	....	script supervisor
Ricardo Frera	....	location auditor
Emily Gamboa	....	production secretary
Hank Guzman	....	location auditor
Vic Heutschy	....	publicist
Keefe Millard	....	assistant: Mr. Costa-Gavras
Aurelio Ortiz	....	location production assistant

Production Companies

• PolyGram Filmed Entertainment
• Universal Pictures

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1982) (USA) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1982) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1985) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Universal Studios Home Video (2004) (USA) (theatrical)
• Criterion Collection, The (2008) (USA) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (198?) (Argentina) (VHS)
• C.I.C. (Consorcio Ibérico Cinematográfico) (Spain)
• CIC Vídeo (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Euro-Titres  titles and optical effects

Runtime:

122 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Peru:14 | Argentina:18 (original rating) | Argentina:Atp (re-rating) | Canada:14+ | Australia:M | Chile:18 | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 | Singapore:PG | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | USA:PG | West Germany:12 (re-rating) | UK:15 (re-rating) (1987) | UK:AA (original rating)

Filming Locations:

Acapulco, Guerrero, Mexico

Company:

PolyGram Filmed Entertainment

Trivia:

Ed Horman and Joyce Horman ("Beth" in the film) worked very closely with Costa-Gavras, Lemmon, and Spacek throughout the film's production. Costa-Gavras said that after Pinochet died (in December 2006), both he and Joyce Horman felt regret that the former Chilean dictator was not brought to justice.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: Several late-70s AMC/VAM (Vehiculos Automotores Mexicanos S.A.) cars such as Hornets and Pacers appear throughout the movie, despite depicting events in 1973.

Quotes:

U.S. Ambassador: We're not involved, Mr Horman. Our position has been completely nuetral.
Ed Horman: That is a bald face lie, sir. How can you say a thing like that when you have army colonels, you have naval engineers, they're all over Viña Del Mar!
U.S. Ambassador: Please sit down. Look, it's very obvious you're harbouring some misconception regarding our role here.
Ed Horman: What is your role here? Besides inducing a regime that murders thousands of human beings?
U.S. Ambassador: Let's level with each other, sir. If you hadn't been personally involved in this unfortunate incident, you'd be sitting at home complacent and more or less oblivious to all of this. This mission is pledged to protect American interests, our interests.
[...]

Movie Connections:

References The Cocoanuts (1929)

Soundtrack:

MY WHOLE WORLD IS FALLING DOWN

Still has the power.....

A terrific and brutal political thriller. It's supposed to shake you up and it really succeeds. It's a shame that they don't make films like this anymore. Costa-Gavras's "Missing" is emotionally riveting and thought provoking. For it's time, it still has the power to change the views of todays movie viewers. A must see. 5/5.