A CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER

US, 1994, 141 minutes, Colour.
Harrison Ford, Willem Dafoe, James Earl Jones, Anne Archer, Henry Czerny, Joaquim de Alameida, Harris Yulin, Donald Moffat.
Directed by Phillip Noyce.

Clear and Present Danger is the third of the Jack Ryan adventure stories from Tom Clancy's novels. He appeared, in the guise of Alec Baldwin, in The Hunt for Red October. Harrison Ford was introduced as Jack Ryan in Patriot Games. The same team is back with Australian director Philip Noyce directing again.

Harrison Ford is the image of the upstanding American, the decent hero with intelligence and physical courage. He is not just Indiana Jones.

This film is better than Patriot Games and should satisfy a wide audience. The villains are not only the Colombian drug lords (who seem to be Hollywood's post-Cold War baddies), but the powerful stalkers of the Washington corridors of power. In this context, the film is highly critical of the Reagan and Bush administrations. But, can decency overcome unscrupulous power and cynicism? The film hopes so.

The supporting cast is strong and includes Willem Dafoe, Anne Archer as Jack Ryan's wife, Donald Moffitt as the US president and Henry Czerny (When Night is Falling), sinister as his chief adviser. A solid action drama.

1.Popularity of Tom Clancy's books, Harrison Ford, the combination of politics and action?

2.American background and locations, Washington, California, the contrast with the Mexican locations for Colombia? Use of Panavision? Action sequences, special effects and editing? Technology, computers? Musical score?

3.Harrison Ford as an American icon, the boy scout hero, a man of his word, integrity, his oath and duty, accountability to the people?

4.The title: war situation, the words of the president, declaration of war against the drug lords, the possibilities of covert activity, senate inquiries, accountability?

5.The situation: the opening on the Caribbean, the Coast Guard, the video of the murders? The president and his assistants and the briefing, his reacting in anger, wanting to be ignorant of what went on? The setting up by Ritter and Cutter of the covert activity, the contact with Clark, the training of the personnel in California, their military expertise, the young man evasive as a sniper? The relationship between Ritter and Cutter, their access to the president, his word, nothing on paper, Ritter with his document from Cutter?

6.The sequences of Jack Ryan and his family, wife and children? The personal touch? His relationship with Greer, Greer's illness, the hospital sequences, discussion about the cancer, the magazines, Greer's warning to Jack to watch his back? Jack and his own ego, going into the CIA headquarters? His skill in identifying what happened on the boat? His taking the new job? Going to the senate hearings, giving his word? His being deceived? His getting information from computers, his computer expert assistant? Writing of reports? His giving advice to the president - and the president using it? Needing to check evidence in Colombia? His going to Colombia, the staff at the embassy and their contact with him, his meeting with Clark? The melodrama of the assassinations in the streets of Bogota? The graphic way in which they were filmed? Jack Ryan and his involvement, his escape?

7.The drug cartels, Escobader and his revenge, the way of life of the cartel chiefs, family, rivals? Cortez and his Cuban background, secrecy, advice? Cortez going to the US, the liaison with Moira and his killing her, taking the opportunity against Escobader, the arranging of the assassination in the streets, his meetings with the enemy? The irony of his being taped ringing Moira, the technology of identifying his voice with the other tapings?

8.Clark, his background, picking his men, the training? The explanation of the missions? The visualisation of the bombings, the explosions, the factory? The missile - and the killing of women and children? His contacts with Ritter? Ritter changing the plan, cutting him off? Loss of radio contact? Ryan being blamed? Arrival at the airport, following Ryan, checking by phone with Ritter? The getting of the helicopter, the rescue mission, the action sequences, working with Ryan, the final helicopter rescue?

9.Ryan and his work, the interest in the voice and its identification? His hacking into Ritter's computer? The editing of the computer duel? Confrontation between Ryan and Ritter? His decision to return to Colombia, the encounter with Clark, going to action with him, getting the helicopter, going into Cortez' building, the confrontation, the chase, the rescue? His evading action on the roof, the helicopter? The fact that Ryan used no weapons?

10.The world of violence, weapons, assassinations, drugs?

11.The administration, the characters of Ritter and Cutter? Their deals, their use of power, authorising covert operations, reading the president's mind, documents, their ruthlessness - and Cutter's visit to Panama and the deal with Cortez?

12.The picture of the American president, the background of Reagan and Bush in the '80s? Political cynicism? Exercise of power, wanting a second term? The president acting in anger - and his finally wanting to do deals with Jack?

13.Jack as a character of integrity, his confrontation of the president, the senate inquiry and his promise to tell the truth?

14.The film as a critique of American politics of the '80s, a rehabilitation of men of integrity of the CIA and FBI? Political power, use of secrecy and ruthlessness, the importance of duty, giving one's word and accountability?