The Passenger
![Watch film The Passenger — The Passenger (1975) ORIGINAL TRAILER [HD 1080p]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/fkA5YIzrAmI/sddefault.jpg)
Short description
David Locke, an American journalist, is sent to North Africa to report on a conflict, but his work stalls and he has grown weary of his life. When he finds the body of a man who resembles him in a neighboring hotel room, he takes the dead man's belongings and passport, assumes his identity, and leaves. He soon learns that the man he now claims to be was involved in arms dealing, which draws the attention of criminals and the police. A young woman he meets along the way becomes his companion as he moves through Europe and Africa, avoiding those who are after him.
Michelangelo Antonioni directs this 1975 drama, the tenth of the thirteen features he made in chronological order, following Zabriskie Point and preceding Roma. The screenplay was written by Mark Peploe, Peter Wollen and Antonioni, and Carlo Ponti produced. Jack Nicholson plays David Locke, with Maria Schneider as the girl, alongside Jenny Runacre, Ian Hendry, Steven Berkoff and Ambroise Mbia.
The film holds a rating of 7.4 out of 10 on IMDb from around 29,000 votes and 7.2 out of 10 on TMDB from roughly 563 votes. A critics' score of 8.3 out of 10 from 77 reviews places it above both audience ratings.
What's left behind the scenes
- This is the last film in Michelangelo Antonioni’s English-language trilogy, shot under contract with Carlo Ponti under the auspices of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.
- Initially, the film was planned to be shot in the Amazon jungle (as well as in Sardinia and Rome), but the preparation period lasted for 2 years. Working in the jungle turned out to be an expensive undertaking, and producer Carlo Ponti stated that he would not be able to finance the shooting. It was then decided to film with the same actors, but in the Sahara, which was more accessible from a logistical point of view.
- The film was shot on location – in Chad, Algeria, London, Munich, and Spain. Technically, the most challenging part was filming in the Sahara: in the scorching desert conditions, the film had to be transported in a refrigerator.
- Despite a tight shooting schedule, Antonioni filmed far more material than was needed for the film's editing. In particular, an explicit love scene between Nicholson and Schneider did not make it into the final version. Initially, Antonioni assembled a four-hour cut of the film, and then asked editor Franco Arcalli to reduce it by more than an hour and a half. This version was shown in Europe, but for the American premiere, it was also subjected to further cuts.
- According to Nicholson, actress Maria Schneider spent the days of filming in a drug-induced haze, so he sometimes had to hold her up to prevent her from falling in front of the camera.
- To mark the 30th anniversary of its premiere, the film received a limited release in the US and some other countries.
- At the director's instruction, the film crew painted the fruits of unripe citrus trees in a Spanish garden.
- The story is based on Mark Piplow’s short story “Fatal Exit” – a native of the east coast of Africa.
- In English-speaking countries, the film is known as “The Passenger”.
Similar movies
Auditions in India
Casting calls in USA
Castingi w Polsce
Кастинги в Україні
