Lethal Weapon (1987)

Director:

Richard Donner

Writer:

Shane Black (written by)

Release Date:

6 March 1987 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Thriller

Tagline:

If these two can learn to stand each other... the bad guys don't stand a chance.

Plot:

A veteran cop, Murtough, is partnered with a young homicidal cop, Riggs. Both having one thing in common, hating working in pairs. Now they must learn to work with one and other to stop a gang of drug smugglers.

Plot Keywords:

Police | Suicidal | Drugs | Death | Vietnam

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 5 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Mel Gibson	...	Sergeant Martin Riggs
Danny Glover	...	Sergeant Roger Murtaugh
Gary Busey	...	Mr. Joshua
Mitch Ryan	...	General Peter McAllister (as Mitchell Ryan)
Tom Atkins	...	Michael Hunsaker
Darlene Love	...	Trish Murtaugh
Traci Wolfe	...	Rianne Murtaugh
Jackie Swanson	...	Amanda Hunsaker
Damon Hines	...	Nick Murtaugh
Ebonie Smith	...	Carrie Murtaugh
Bill Kalmenson	...	Beat Cop
Lycia Naff	...	Dixie
Patrick Cameron	...	Cop #1
Don Gordon	...	Cop #2
Jimmie F. Skaggs	...	Drug Dealer #1

Runtime:

110 min | Germany:108 min (cut version) | USA:117 min (director's cut) | Turkey:104 min (TV version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Dolby (35 mm prints)

Certification:

Australia:M | Iceland:16 | Finland:K-15 (director's cut) (DVD version) | Finland:K-18 (1987) | Brazil:16 (1999 re-rating) | Brazil:18 (original rating) | New Zealand:M | Hungary:16 | Italy:VM14 | Argentina:16 | Canada:18A | Chile:18 | France:-12 | Ireland:18 | Norway:18 | Singapore:NC-16 | South Korea:15 | South Korea:18 (director's cut) | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R | USA:Unrated (director's cut) | West Germany:16 (director's cut) | West Germany:18 | Canada:13+ (Quebec)

Filming Locations:

2817 Via Segovia, Palos Verdes Peninsula, California, USA

Company:

Silver Pictures

Trivia:

Franco Zeffirelli reportedly decided to offer Mel Gibson the role of Hamlet after seeing his suicide contemplation scene in this film.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the shooting range, Murtaugh clips a new silhouette in the movable target. It is crooked in the clamp. After Murtaugh takes his single shot, and holds the button to bring the target in again, the silhouette is straight.

Quotes:

Mr. Joshua: [stealing a woman's car] Mind if I test drive your Audi?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Real Time with Bill Maher: (#4.2)" (2006)

Soundtrack:

Jingle Bell Rock

Action and comedy at their best

Lethal Weapon is the first in a series of films that were all good. Richard Donner made an action packed buddy picture that everyone can enjoy. Mel Gibson and Danny Glover were both good in the lead roles and the action sequences are top notch. Kudos to Gary Busey for making a great bad guy.