Narrow Margin
As first dates go, assistant publisher Carol Hunnicutt (Anne Archer) has had better. Carol lets a friend set her up on a blind date, and at first glance, her date Michael Tarlow (J.T. Walsh) doesn’t seem to be a bad guy. While having drinks in the Los Angeles hotel bar, he gets a note and has to go to his suite to make a phone call.
Carol reluctantly joins him, and while she’s in the bathroom doing her business, he receives a personal howdy from notorious mobster Leo Watts (Harris Yulin, more stoneface than Charles Bronson). Turns out that Tarlow is one of Watts’ accountants, and has been foolishly stealing from him. If there’s two things you learn not to do the hard way it is having sex with a prostitute with two hook hands and buck teeth, and steal money from the mob. While Carol watches in horror from the crack of the door in the other room, Watts has his henchman kill Tarlow. Flustered that she didn’t even get a goodnight kiss, Carol hightails it out of the suite and goes into hiding at a secluded cabin in Canada. When Los Angeles Assistant District Attorney Caulfield (Gene Hackman) gets wind that there’s a witness who can put Watts in the gas chamber, he also hightails it up to Canada to bring Carol back.
With his partner Sgt. Dominick Berti (M. Emmet Walsh) in tow, Caulfield tracks down Carol, who refuses to leave. She’s given no choice when Watts men arrive and start shooting up the place, killing Berti in the process. Caulfield and Carol manage to escape, and make it to a train headed for Vancouver. Now there’s good news and bad news. The good news is that the train will arrive in Vancouver the next morning. The bad news is that the killers are also on the train, and are determined to make sure that Carol never makes it to the next station.
Writer-director Peter Hyams was watching a late night rerun of the original RKO thriller “The Narrow Margin” when he got the idea to do a remake. Certain elements had to be changed, such as a locale that would make it impossible for Caulfield and Carol to get off the train. Hyams chose the Canadian wilderness, which makes a perfect location for this crackling thriller on rails. Reminiscent of the best of Hitchcock, “The Narrow Margin” features stellar performances from Hackman and Archer, who form a bond that is everything but sexual. It’s so refreshing to see a conversation between two adults that isn’t destined to end up between the sheets.
Hyams’ tightknit script leaves little time for romance, as it roars from one close-call to the next, pumping up the intensity until it’s almost unbearable. Hackman is always a delight to watch, and he doesn’t disappoint here. He’s strong yet playful, and when he wipes that smirk off his face, you know he means business. Archer excels as a woman who realizes that each moment in her life could be the last. There’s honest desperation and fear in her performance.
The bad guys are well represented by James B. Sikking, Susan Hogan and Nigel Bennett, who bring style and sophistication to pedestrian roles. Hyams, who also served as his own cinematographer, maintains a high level of suspense throughout. He makes the tight quarters of the train work for instead of against him. He puts his camera in some unique places to open up the film, and by doing so he draws us into the action. We’re on that train, and when the characters end up on the top of the speeding train at the end, their euphoria becomes ours. We’re literally holding on for dear life as these characters we like and have been rooting for fight for their lives. It’s a train ride you won’t soon forget.
COMPLETE CHECK-UP
VISION: [ X ] EXCELLENT [ ] GOOD [ ] RESUSCITATE [ ] D.O.A.
Once again, another stunning digital transfer from Artisan that protects the integrity of Peter Hyams’ smokey-lit interiors while delivering sharp vivid images with excellent color saturation. The 2.35:1 widescreen transfer (enhanced at 16:9 for widescreen television) is excellent. Hardly any trace of compression artifacts. A nice, clean print helps complete the illusion. The colors are awesome, from the muted tones inside the train to the realistic representation of the Canadian Rockies outside. The blacks are solid and hold up under the tightest of scrutiny. The flesh tones are especially pleasing and lifelike. Overall, an excellent transfer.
HEARING: [ X ] EXCELLENT [ ] GOOD [ ] RESUSCITATE [ ] D.O.A.
Sound plays an important role in “Narrow Margin,” and the 2.0 Dolby Digital Surround track delivers the goods. From the quiet interior of the train to the thundering roar of the wheels on the tracks, the sound is strong and realistic. The dialogue mix is front and center, while the ambient noise fills the room every chance it gets. The stereo effects are adequate and not overpowering. The basses get a real workout, but the midrange noises also play a vital role in the overall aural experience. Combined with the excellent digital video transfer, the surround track makes it easy to get swept into the film.
ORAL: [ ] EXCELLENT [ X ] GOOD [ ] RESUSCITATE [ ] D.O.A.
Closed Captions in English and subtitles in Spanish.
COORDINATION: [ ] EXCELLENT [ X ] GOOD [ ] RESUSCITATE [ ] D.O.A.
Handsome interactive menus are easy to navigate, and the scene access menus feature clips from each scene. The DVD also features cast and crew information and filmographies, production notes, and the original theatrical trailer.
PROGNOSIS: [ X ] EXCELLENT [ ] GOOD [ ] RESUSCITATE [ ] D.O.A.
All aboard for a thrilling ride aboard “Narrow Margin.”
VITALS: $24.95/Rated R/99 Min./Color/30 Chapter Stops/Keepcase/#30484
ATTENDING RESIDENT: John Larsen
PATIENT: NARROW MARGIN
BIRTH DATE: 1990
HMO: Artisan Entertainment
