Witness |  | Director: Peter Weir
Actors: Harrison Ford, Kelly McGillis, Lukas Haas, Josef Sommer, Jan Rubes
Studio: Paramount
Category: DVD
List Price: $14.98
Buy New: $7.72
as of 2/10/2010 04:14 EST details
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New (9) Used (4) from $3.98
Seller: Supermart
Rating:  128 reviews
Sales Rank: 49673
Format: AC-3, Color, Dolby, DVD, Special Edition, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Subtitled)
Rating: R (Restricted)
Region: 1
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Number Of Discs: 2
Running Time: 112 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.3
Dimensions (in): 7.5 x 5.4 x 0.7
MPN: PARD138174D
UPC: 097361381749
EAN: 0097361381749
ASIN: B0019GO5FK
Theatrical Release Date: 1985
Release Date: August 5, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
When a young Amish woman and her son get caught up in the murder of an undercover narcotics agent their savior turns out to be hardened Philadelphia detective John Book. Harrison Ford is sensational as Book the cop who runs head-on into the non-violent world of a Pennsylvania Amish community. The end result is an action packed struggle of life and death interwoven with a sensitive undercurrent of caring and forbidden love.System Requirements:Running Time: 112 minutesFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: DRAMA/PSYCHOLOGICAL DRAMA Rating: R UPC: 097361381749 Manufacturer No: 138174
Amazon.com essential video
When Samuel (Lukas Haas), a young Amish boy traveling with his mother Rachel (Kelly McGillis), witnesses the murder of a police officer in a public restroom, he and his mother become the temporary wards of John Book (Harrison Ford), a detective who's been assigned to solve the crime. After suspect lineups and mug-shot books yield nothing, Samuel, in the most memorable scene of the film, recognizes the murderer as a narcotics agent whose picture he sees in the precinct. Once Book realizes that the police chief is in on it, too, he whisks Samuel and Rachel back home to Amish country, where he himself goes into hiding as a plain Amish man. The juxtaposition between the life of the Amish and the violence of inner-city police corruption work surprisingly well for the story, and Kelly McGillis as the falling in love widow gives an almost perfect performance. Directed by Peter Weir, the film is extremely successful in drawing the viewer into its world and, accordingly, is immensely entertaining. The only thing that mars its polish is the one-dimensional, almost cartoonish handling of the upper-echelon police corruption--a subtler, more realistic treatment of this aspect of the story would have rendered the film near perfect. --James McGrath
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Showing reviews 1-5 of 128
 Terrific January 27, 2010
magellan (Santa Clara, CA)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Please note that I saw this movie on HBO recently so I can't comment on the quality of the video transfer.
I just saw this movie again after 25 years and it held up very well. In fact, looking back now from 35 years after the first Star Wars movie, witness is my pick for Harrison Ford's best performance ever. At this time in his career, only a few years after the last Star Wars trilogy movie was made, that was almost all he had done until Witness. In a startlingly nuanced and sensitive performance it's hard to imagine that you're even seeing the same guy who played the macho, devil-may-care Han Solo. McGillis is also great and up till then she had only appeared in a one or two movies, and mainly a TV serial, if I remember right.
The drama and tension builds in the clash and contrast between the two cultures. Despite himself, Ford is drawn into the Amish way of life even as he runs from the corrupt cops who are chasing him. The Amish way of life is portrayed well, I think, without sentimentalizing it or idealizing it. It has many advantages that the outside world lacks--the support of friends and family, similar values, a close-knit community, the homogeneity of religious beliefs, and their peaceful, pacifistic ways. Speaking of which, the scene in which Ford beats the snot out of a couple of arrogant townies who are insulting the Amish (not realizing Ford is a tough cop), was pretty cool. Wished I'd been there to help because I hate bullies. :-)
The tension and the drama build up to a very satisfying climax and director Weir shows a very firm and confident hand with his material in this movie, only his second for the American market.
One of the best movies in years November 27, 2009
Neet (Connecticut)
This is a great movie. Had to purchase my own copy before it was no longer available as the movie is almost 25 years old. I personally think this was one of the best movies Harrison Ford ever made.
I'm sure I've already seen it 1,000 times and I know I 'll watch it many more.
Witness October 26, 2009
Hertha Grote
The movie provided everything I expected.A good insight was given in the everydqy way of Amish life.
Perfect acting by Harrison Ford. October 12, 2009
JOJO DANCER
This may be the best acting performance in the career of Harrison Ford. It is a tie with his performance in Blade Runner.
 Witness September 10, 2009
K. Kemp
This is a great film that I highly recommend. Harrison Ford has delivered again and again and this is no exception. The contrasting worlds of the rural Amish and the gritty city of Philadelphia are well crafted. The extras include a documentary in five parts that has almost all involved looking back on their work 20 years ago. There is some violence, some language, and a brief topless scene. I was disappointed in the previews on the disc but you can fast forward through them on high speed.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 128
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