Narrow Margin
![]() | Directed by Peter Hyams Starring: Gene Hackman, Anne Archer, James Sikking, J.T. Walsh, M. Emmet Walsh Lions Gate, 1990, DVD Customer Rating: 30 reviews Recommend |
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Gene Hackman stars as a LA District Attorney attempting to take an unwilling murder witness (Archer) back to the Unites States to testify against a top-level mob boss. Frantically Attempting to escape two deadly hit men sent to silence her they board a Vancouver-bound train only to discover that the killers are onboard with them. For the next 20 hours as the train hurls through the beautiful but isolated Canadian wilderness a deadly game of cat and mouse ensues in which their ability to tell friend from foe is a matter of life and death.System Requirements:Starring: Gene Hackman Anne Archer James Sikking JT Walsh and M. Emmet Walsh. Director: Peter Hyams Running Time: 99 minutes; Closed Captioned. Copyright: 1990 Artisan Entertainment Inc. Video Format: Widescreen 2.35:1 aspect ratio Enhanced for 16x9 TVs.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: DRAMA Rating: R UPC: 012236048404 Manufacturer No: 60484
Back in 1952, during the waning days of film noir, director Richard Fleischer made The Narrow Margin, a cheaply produced, tightly structured B movie thriller about a cop forced to protect a gangster's widow while on a train. While it's no work of art, Fleischer's noir features a shocking climax of mistaken identity, an ominous, claustrophobic atmosphere, and tough, nearly unlikable protagonists screwed by fate, who spout sharp-witted dialogue and feel little more than contempt for each other. When Hollywood remakes itself, all the understatement and charm is usually lost when the filmmakers try to "modernize" the subject matter. This is one of many problems with writer-director Peter Hyams's remake (given the slightly shorter title Narrow Margin). He's dumped the surprising plot twist (it's now an action set piece atop a moving train) and softened the characters (now played with sleepwalking intensity by Gene Hackman and Anne Archer) with preposterous motivations. All that seems to be intact is the train premise, but Hyams is more interested in its action potential than any kind of menacing atmosphere. He's dropped the ambiguous relationships and smart dialogue in favor of pumping up the action sequences and daredevil stunts to ridiculous levels. Instead of adding excitement, all Hyams's expensive tricks do is drain Narrow Margin of any tension it might've retained from the original. — Dave McCoy
Title: Narrow Margin
Sales Rank: 60279 in DVD
Actor: Gene Hackman, Anne Archer, James Sikking, J.T. Walsh, M. Emmet Walsh
Director: Peter Hyams
Studio: Lions Gate, 1998-11-10, Theatrical Release: 1990-09-21
Format: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, Widescreen, NTSC, Acpect Ratio 2.35:1
Languages: Spanish (Subtitled), English (Original Language)
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Region Code: 1
Running Time: 97 minutes
Item Dimensions: 0.31 pounds
Package Dimensions: 7.5 x 5.3 x 0.6 inches, 0.25 pounds
- Narrow Margin DVD
- Narrow Margin
I'd seen this movie sometime back and enjoyed it some much that I wanted to have it in DVD form so I could play it on a bigger screen. It arrived on time and it new condition. More reviews
- DVD review
- This is one of my all time favorite movies. It came promptly in proper packaging and the DVD was in great shape. As promised. Would do business with this seller again. More reviews
- Talk about suspense
- You don't know what will happen from one moment to the next, this movie was so suspenseful. Ladies, think about who you're getting involved with, especially if you don't know that person. No telling who they might be linked to. In this case, her new date was linked to some pretty, shady characters. Own this movie! You More reviews
- Narrow Margin
- Not as suspenful as the original but more exciting. I like gene hackman in whatever he does! More reviews
- "Narrow Margin"
- Excellent movie that stands up through the years. Action scenes are awesome and Gene Hackman delivers an excellent performance.
Anne Archer was great in this one (remember her in "Fatal Attraction"?)
This movie keeps you entertained and engaged and on the edge of your seat.
Good buy. More reviews

