With a career spanning more than seven decades, legendary actor and filmmaker Clint Eastwood has starred in one unforgettable hit after another, and in 1993, he headlined the riveting political thriller In the Line of Fire. In the acclaimed film, Eastwood portrays a haunted veteran Secret Service agent who must track down a madman threatening to assassinate the President of the United States, with the great John Malkovich appearing as his demented adversary.
In the Line of Fire features the additional talents of stars like Rene Russo, Gary Cole, and Dylan McDermott, and became a massive box office success while earning three Academy Award nominations. The thriller marked one of Cole’s earliest film roles and served as a stepping stone in his blossoming career, with the actor going on to appear in movies like Office Space and Pineapple Express, as well as in the role of Alden Parker in NCIS. Let’s take a look back at In the Line of Fire.
‘In the Line of Fire’ Is a Heart-Racing ’90s Knockout
Columbia Pictures
Touting a stacked ensemble cast led by Clint Eastwood, John Malkovich, Rene Russo, and Gary Cole, the 1993 political thriller In the Line of Fire features the legendary leading man as Secret Service agent Frank Horrigan. He becomes targeted by ex-CIA assassin Mitch Leary (Malkovich) and is told by the deranged stalker that he plans on assassinating the current President of the United States. The sins of his past have long haunted Horrigan, as he was one of the active agents guarding John F. Kennedy when an assassin took his life in 1963.
Horrigan and his partner, Al D’Andrea (Dylan McDermott), begin to pursue the mysterious Leary, who continues to taunt the agent of his diabolical intentions and increases his mind games the closer it gets to election day. Determined not to let history repeat itself, Horrigan will stop at nothing to capture the rogue hitman before he can carry out the assassination attempt. Leary, who has suffered a mental breakdown, wants to take revenge against his former employers and the president by painting the country red with blood.
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Directed by Wolfgang Petersen (The NeverEnding Story, Air Force One), the gripping thriller marked one of Gary Cole’s earliest big-screen appearances, with the actor appearing alongside Eastwood as fellow Secret Service agent Bill Watts, who is in charge of overseeing the protection of the President during the precarious situation. Watts is the acting agent-in-charge and will do anything to keep the nation’s leader safe from the menacing Leary, butting heads with Horrigan over the best method to capture the assassin.
Eastwood & Malkovich Face Off in the Taut Thriller
Columbia Pictures
Cole was 36 years old when he portrayed the Secret Serviceman, having first risen to prominence in the TV world with roles in Fatal Vision, Moonlighting, and as Jack ‘Nighthawk’ Killian in the drama series Midnight Caller. In the Line of Fire would become Cole’s biggest film credit thus far and would become the first of many exciting projects he would tackle in the ensuing decade, with the actor going on to memorably appear as Mike Brady in The Brady Bunch Movie and as the sidesplitting micromanager Bill Lumbergh in the cult classic black comedy Office Space.
In the Line of Fire highlighted Cole’s range as a dramatic performer and demonstrated to audiences that he was more than capable of venturing into more serious acting territory, holding his own against Hollywood heavyweights like Eastwood and Malkovich. Unsurprisingly, the political thriller proved to be both a critical and commercial triumph, grossing $187 million and earning rave reviews for its taut storytelling, powerhouse performances, and numerous intense twists and turns. The film also earned three Academy Award nominations, including Best Supporting Actor for the phenomenal Malkovich.
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Eastwood and Malkovich engage in an unnerving cat-and-mouse game throughout the acclaimed hit, with the assassin taking great pleasure in his endless taunts and personal attacks on Horrigan and reminding him of his dark and sordid history. Malkovich’s chilling delivery truly stole the show as he provided an incredibly realistic portrayal of a troubled man disillusioned by his country, who finds himself well past his breaking point. Leary is undeniably one of cinema’s most underrated villains and is one of Malkovich’s finest roles.
The pulse-pounding rooftop pursuit between the two adversaries was without a doubt the thriller’s most exhilarating scene, as Leary shockingly saves Horrigan from plummeting seven stories down to his death, despite the dangling agent shoving his gun in his face. When Malkovich took the barrel of the gun in his mouth, it showed both Horrigan and the audience just how crazed his on-screen counterpart truly was, making for an unforgettable movie moment, with the daring showdown one of the many reasons to watch In the Line of Fire.
How To Watch ‘In the Line of Fire’
Columbia Pictures
If you love an action-packed political thriller full of heart-racing moments or just want to see Clint Eastwood and John Malkovich engage in a battle of wits, then you can stream In the Line of Fire on Tubi.
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