In 1963 "The Fugitive" was first broadcast as a 50-minute television drama. The program, starring David Janssen, soon developed into an important cultural phenomenon. When its grand finale aired in 1967, it became the most-watched episode of any series in American TV history. No wonder lots of Hollywood studios wanted to make their own version of the show. But unfortunately, the movie screenplay had to spend five grueling years in development hell first.
In the film a young surgeon, Dr Richard Kimble, is wrongly accused of murdering his wife. When the bus that is supposed to take him to prison collides with a freight train, Kimble manages to escape. He is then relentlessly pursued by a determined US marshal.
It turned out to be cheaper to use a full-size locomotive (at around $200,000) instead of shooting the train crash utilizing miniatures. Due to the tight budget, however, it was impossible to rehearse the scene. The director therefore had to get everything right in a crucial one-shot deal. The wrecked train and bus are (incidentally) still major tourist attractions in Dillsboro, North Carolina.
The cat-and-mouse game between the unjustly accused man and the law officer tracking him down is extremely scary. It was also, as is well known, Alfred Hitchcock's favorite cinematic theme. In "The Fugitive" the two lead roles are played by Harrison Ford and Tommy Lee Jones. And not surprisingly, they are absolutely perfect as Dr Kimble and his nemesis, the stubborn US marshal.
The movie exceeded most professional forecasters expectations, topping the box office in its first weekend. It then continued to be the number one picture in the US for seven weeks. And not only that. "The Fugitive" was also the first major American film to be screened in the People's Republic of China in over a decade.
In the film a young surgeon, Dr Richard Kimble, is wrongly accused of murdering his wife. When the bus that is supposed to take him to prison collides with a freight train, Kimble manages to escape. He is then relentlessly pursued by a determined US marshal.
It turned out to be cheaper to use a full-size locomotive (at around $200,000) instead of shooting the train crash utilizing miniatures. Due to the tight budget, however, it was impossible to rehearse the scene. The director therefore had to get everything right in a crucial one-shot deal. The wrecked train and bus are (incidentally) still major tourist attractions in Dillsboro, North Carolina.
The cat-and-mouse game between the unjustly accused man and the law officer tracking him down is extremely scary. It was also, as is well known, Alfred Hitchcock's favorite cinematic theme. In "The Fugitive" the two lead roles are played by Harrison Ford and Tommy Lee Jones. And not surprisingly, they are absolutely perfect as Dr Kimble and his nemesis, the stubborn US marshal.
The movie exceeded most professional forecasters expectations, topping the box office in its first weekend. It then continued to be the number one picture in the US for seven weeks. And not only that. "The Fugitive" was also the first major American film to be screened in the People's Republic of China in over a decade.