RANSOM (FILM)

'''Ransom''' is a thriller film released in 1996, starring Mel Gibson, Rene Russo, and Gary Sinise and directed by Ron Howard.
The original idea for the story was from an episode of "The United States Steel Hour" named "Fearful Decision" that aired in 1954. It was then remade into the feature length film ''Ransom!'' (1956) written by Richard Maibaum and Cyril Hume starring Glenn Ford, Donna Reed and Leslie Nielsen. The film also was influenced by ''King's Ransom'', a police procedural novel by Ed McBain which was, in turn, the basis for Akira Kurosawa's 1963 film ''High and Low''.

Contents

Plot summary

Trivia

Featured cast

Awards and nominations

See also

References

External links

Plot summary

Tom Mullen (Mel Gibson) is the wealthy head of a small airline named Endeavor. In events that are not depicted in the film but that become important to the storyline, Mullen acts to head off a labor strike by bribing a union head named Jackie Brown (Dan Hedaya). After the FBI begins investigating, Mullen falsely blames Brown for having initiated the bribe. Tom's lie lands Brown in prison but leads to Mullen and his airline being subject to FBI scrutiny for months. The movie begins as Mullen and his wife, Kate, host a party to celebrate the release of a new Endeavor Airlines commercial for television that features Tom prominently. Shortly thereafter, Mullen's son, Sean, is kidnapped while the family attends an outdoor science fair in Central Park. The kidnappers initially contact Tom and Kate by e-mail, with an attachment showing Sean tied to a bed and blindfolded. The ransom for Sean's safe return, they are told, is $2 million.
Despite Tom's reluctance, the Mullens decide to contact the FBI for help. A team of special agents led by Lonnie Hawkins (Delroy Lindo) arrives at the Mullen home and advises the distraught couple on how to handle the kidnappers. Tom produces the $2 million in cash and is initially eager to pay to get Sean back. While they wait for specific instructions from the kidnappers, Mullen and Hawkins visit Jackie Brown in prison, believing that Brown might somehow be implicated in the kidnapping. Brown responds violently to the suggestion, attacking Tom and insisting that Tom, and not he, should be the one behind bars. The two men leave, dejected.
The criminals are led by a corrupt NYPD Detective named Jimmy Shaker (Gary Sinise). They obtain Mullen's son through Shaker's girlfriend, Maris Conner (Lili Taylor), who has worked as a caterer at the Mullen home. The other kidnappers are computer expert (and alcoholic) Miles Roberts, played by Evan Handler, and two brothers named Clark and Cubby Barnes, played by Liev Schreiber and Donnie Wahlberg, respectively. Most of the criminals are either indifferent or hostile to Sean, except for Cubby, who talks to the boy and assures him that he will be home soon, much to Maris's contempt. Through the dialogue among the kidnappers, it becomes clear that Shaker has no intention of returning Sean once he receives his money, intending rather to kill the boy and remove him as a potential witness.
Shaker makes contact with Tom and provides him with detailed instructions on where to bring the money. The FBI is unable to trace the call, thanks to a scrambling device employed by Roberts. Tom then opts to deliver the money himself, instead of using one of the FBI's look-a-likes. Tom complies with Shaker's directions fully, going so far as to jump into a swimming pool at Shaker's request (in order to short out any electronic tracking devices) and remove the money to bags planted by the kidnappers at a pre-arranged destination. Shaker tails Tom as the latter drives through the Holland Tunnel into New Jersey, and begins taunting him while using a voice-modifier. When Tom asks why his family was chosen for this, Shaker replies simply that he saw Tom on television denying the Jackie Brown-related allegations, and that he knew Tom was lying. "You're a payer", Shaker says. "You paid once; now you're gonna do it again".
Cubby Barnes waits at the drop-off location, with Clark watching from a distance using binoculars. When Tom arrives, Cubby demands the money but Tom resists, insisting on receiving the address to recover Sean that Shaker had (falsely) promised him while en route. Cubby hits Tom, grabs the money and rides off on an ATV, only to have an FBI helicopter shine its lights on him, ordering him to halt. Cubby begins firing at the helicopter, shooting one agent, and is then fatally shot himself. After watching the scene, Shaker drives off in disgust and Clark runs away.
Tom confronts Hawkins when he returns home, demanding to know why the kidnapper was interrupted from taking the money. Hawkins tells him that the FBI was simply following the money, as promised, and only intervened because they thought Tom was in danger. Tom and Kate despair that Sean will now certainly be killed but Shaker resists the pleas of Maris and Clark to do exactly that and insists that Tom will pay for his "treachery". For his part, Tom's encounter with the kidnappers has convinced him that they will not return Sean safely and he begins musing aloud about resisting their ransom demands. When Shaker eventually contacts Tom again and attempts to set up a new ransom drop, Tom responds by appearing on television and announcing the $2 million as a bounty on the heads of the kidnappers, dead or alive. He further states that he will buy advertisements to keep interest in the reward alive and that he will only withdraw the money if the kidnappers return Sean both alive and unharmed.
The kidnappers are dismayed by this turn of events, as is the FBI. Kate struggles with Tom's decision, only to turn against it when Hawkins tells her of Tom's bribery of Jackie Brown. She then attempts to obtain the money herself to give to the kidnappers, but is blocked by Tom. Shaker surreptitiously sends word to her to arrange a meeting, alone, and then beats her and threatens to kill Sean very soon unless he gets "his" money. Upon learning of this, Tom responds by doubling the reward to $4 million. This sends Shaker and the other kidnappers into a rage, and Shaker calls Tom again, puts Sean on the phone with him and insists that Tom pay the money. Tom hesitates for a moment but refuses, renewing his threat to hunt the kidnappers down unless Sean is released. Shaker hangs up by shooting his gun, leading the Mullens to think that Sean has just been murdered. After slapping Tom and blaming him for what just happened, Kate vomits and Tom stumbles out onto his balcony, seemingly preparing to jump off. Kate comes to him, however, and the two collapse to the ground in tears, mourning their son.
It turns out that Shaker did not shoot Sean, but fired next to his head. He then storms out of the apartment, after which Miles and Clark begin clearing out their things, intending to cut their losses and depart. Maris considers killing Sean but pauses before doing so, weighing her decision. Shaker, however, launches an impromptu plan to secure the money for himself, calling in to the NYPD that he has a "possible kidnap situation" on his hands. He then approaches Miles and Clark, brandishing his badge and gun and announcing himself as a police officer. Realizing his intentions, the two attempt to flee, but Shaker kills them both and plants a gun in Miles's hand. Seeing this, Maris shoots Shaker in the arm from behind, spinning him around to face her. The two face off for a moment, and as Maris prepares to fire again, Shaker shoots first, killing her as well.
The police arrive, followed shortly thereafter by the FBI and the Mullens. Although badly shaken, Sean is essentially unharmed and Shaker is hailed as a hero. Knowing, however, that it is only a matter of time before he is traced back to Maris and therefore to the kidnapping, Shaker goes to the Mullen home to obtain the $4 million and leave town immediately. Tom receives him warmly at first, but notices Sean shaking and urinating in terror at the sound of Shaker's voice. His suspicions are further reinforced by Shaker's use of a phrase the kidnapper had used with him over the phone, ("shouldn't be a problem"). Mullen hands Shaker a check and begins to escort him out, but Jimmy, realizing that his ruse is up, throws it to the ground and aims his gun at Tom. With Shaker's gun pointed at his head, Tom persuades Shaker to let the two of them go together to the bank, where Tom will wire him the money and afterward fly him anywhere he wants to go. Shaker agrees but Tom is able to tip off Hawkins that the kidnapper is with him. An APB for Shaker goes out and, after the two men leave the bank, the police attempt to detain Shaker, who begins shooting and runs off. Tom pursues him and the two men fight, ending up crashing through a storefront window, cutting Shaker's throat. Bleeding to death, Shaker attempts to shoot Tom, only to be killed himself by a hail of bullets fired by Tom (who had grabbed Shaker's other gun) , Hawkins and the police.

Trivia

'''Ransom''' grossed $309 million USD worldwide, and was the 5th highest grossing movie of 1996 in the US.
On The Jim Rome Show, an audio clip of Gibson's line (oft-used in the trailers for Ransom) "Gimme back my son!!" is played ad nauseam at the prompting of a caller or email request or the introduction of any Mel Gibson related topic.
Jimmy Shaker's weapons are as follows:

★ Glock 19

★ Beretta 92 Compact L

★ Smith and Wesson Model 36
Liev Schreiber (Clark Barnes) performed his death scene at least 10 times because he kept on flinching in each take.
This movie was parodied in an episode of The Nanny which involved a dognapper taking C.C.'s dog Chester then later kidnapping Fran and her friend Val when they tried to get Chester back.

Featured cast

★ Mel Gibson as Tom Mullen

★ Paul Guilfoyle as Wallace

★ Evan Handler as Miles Roberts

★ Dan Hedaya as Jackie Brown

★ Delroy Lindo as Agent Lonnie Hawkins

★ Brawley Nolte as Sean Mullen

★ Rene Russo as Kate Mullen

★ Liev Schreiber as Clark Barnes

★ Gary Sinise as Det. Jimmy Shaker

★ Lili Taylor as Maris Conner

★ Nancy Ticotin as Agent Kimba Welch

★ Donnie Wahlberg as Cubby Barnes

★ José Zúñiga as David Torres

Awards and nominations

'1997 ASCAP Film and Television Music Awards'

★ Won - Top Box Office Film
'1997 Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films (Saturn Awards)'

★ Nominated - Best Action/Adventure/Thriller Film
'1997 Golden Globe Awards'

★ Nominated - Best Actor - Motion Picture Drama — Mel Gibson
'1997 Image Awards'

★ Nominated - Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture — Delroy Lindo
'1997 Young Artist Awards'

★ Nominated - Best Performance in a Feature Film - Supporting Young Actor — Brawley Nolte

See also

★ ''Ransom!''

References

★ Box Office Mojo

External links

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