The Fugitive (1993)
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The story
After being framed for the murder of his wife and sentenced to death, vascular surgeon Dr. Richard Kimble escapes from custody following a bus crash. Kimble sets out to find the real killer and clear his name, while being hunted by the police and a team of U.S. marshals, led by Deputy Samuel Gerard. The film follows Kimble's desperate journey to uncover the truth while evading the relentless pursuit of the law.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In Chicago, vascular surgeon Dr. Richard Kimble is arrested for the murder of his wife, Helen. Despite his claims of a man with a prosthetic arm, he is convicted and sentenced to death. During a bus transport to prison, a crash allows Kimble to escape. He is pursued by Deputy U.S. Marshal Samuel Gerard. Kimble seeks help from his friend, Dr. Charles Nichols, and infiltrates a hospital to find patients with prosthetic adjustments. He eventually identifies a conspiracy involving a pharmaceutical company, Devlin-MacGregor, and a drug called Provasic. Kimble discovers that Nichols and a man named Fredrick Sykes were involved in a cover-up regarding the drug's liver damage. During a medical conference, Kimble confronts Nichols, who is revealed to have orchestrated the murder of Kimble's wife to protect the drug's profits. After a violent confrontation where Kimble saves Gerard from a lethal threat, he surrenders to the authorities.
- First release year
- 1993
- Runtime (minutes)
- 130
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Andrew Davis
- Writers
- Jeb Stuart · screenplay; David Twohy · screenplay; David Twohy · story
- Cast and characters
- Harrison Ford · Dr. Richard Kimble; Tommy Lee Jones · Deputy U.S. Marshal Sam Gerard; Sela Ward · Helen Kimble; Julianne Moore · Dr. Anne Eastman; Joe Pantoliano · Deputy U.S. Marshal Cosmo Renfro; Andreas Katsulas · Fredrick Sykes; Jeroen Krabbé · Dr. Charles Nichols
- Genres
- action; thriller
- Themes
- justice; medical conspiracy
- Tone and mood
- tense; suspenseful
- Premise and plot tags
- manhunt; medical thriller; wrongful conviction
- Source material / true-story basis
- 1960s TV series
- Franchise connections
- U.S. Marshals
- Reception
- The film was a critical and commercial success, praised for its suspense and performances, particularly by Tommy Lee Jones.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 96% · scale: percentage · review count: 81; CinemaScore · score: A+ · scale: A+ to F
- Awards and nominations
- Academy Award · Best Supporting Actor · win
- Production trivia
- The film was the third-highest-grossing film of 1993 worldwide.; The character of Dr. Charles Nichols was recast after the original actor fell ill.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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