The Package (1989)

	Directed by: Andrew Davis	COUNTRY USA GENRE Action/Thriller NORWEGIAN TITLE Mannen fra Berlin RUNNING TIME 108 minutes
	Produced by: Beverly Camhe Tobie Haggerty
	Written by: John Bishop

Cast includes:
CHARACTER	ACTOR/ACTRESS	RATING
Master Sergeant Johnny Gallagher	Gene Hackman
Lt. Colonel Eileen Gallagher	Joanna Cassidy	½
Thomas Boyette / "Sgt. Walter Henke"	Tommy Lee Jones	½
Colonel Glen Whitacre	John Heard
Lt. Milan Delich	Dennis Franz
Chicago Police Lieutenant	Reni Santoni	-
Lt. Ruth Butler	Pam Grier	-
General Hopkins	Chelcie Ross	-
Karl Richards	Ron Dean	-

Review

A clean, crisp political thriller with director Andrew Davis’ special signature, but with a little more weight and depth than some of his more action-driven ventures. Mixed in with Cold War stereotypes and predictable chases are a handful of human, sensitive characters brought to life by an inspired Gene Hackman, a well-cast Dennis Franz, and a suitably conflicted John Heard. The film also features Tommy Lee Jones in the first of his soon-to-be trademark flamboyant villainous roles – but although he is more measured here than in his later collaborations with Davis, his Thomas Boyette is not quite as fun as his turns in Under Siege or The Fugitive. Aesthetically and technically, The Package is more early 1990s than late 1980s, close in spirit to Wolfgang Petersen's In the Line of Fire, albeit with a touch less panache – which may explain why it didn't quite catch on with contemporary audiences.