Man on Fire | 80's Movie Guide

Taglines: For an ex-CIA agent, the job of bodyguard for a twelve-year old girl should have been a breeze... Man on Fire movie synopsis. The opening portrays a man being declared dead in an Italian hospital by a police chief. The man is an ex–CIA agent and mercenary, John Creasy. In Italy, wealthy families often hire bodyguards to protect family members from the threat of kidnapping. A wealthy family that needs a bodyguard hires Creasy, a burned-out ex-CIA agent, to protect their daughter, Samantha "Sam" Balletto. Creasy has been broken down from all of the death and horror of combat he witnessed in the Vietnam War and in Beirut, Lebanon. Although Creasy is not interested in being a bodyguard, especially to a twelve-year-old youngster, he accepts the assignment because he has no better job offers. Creasy barely tolerates the precocious child and her pestering questions about him and his life. But slowly, she chips away at his seemingly impenetrable exterior, his defenses drop, and he opens up to her. They become friends and he replaces her parents in their absences, giving her advice, guidance, and help with track. Creasy's life is shattered when Sam is kidnapped by the mafia. Despite being seriously wounded during the kidnapping, Creasy halts his recovery to get weapons from his former partner, David (Joe Pesci). Creasy vows Sam's safe return, as well as vengeance on the kidnappers. Man on Fire (Italian: Un uomo sotto tiro) is a 1987 French-Italian action thriller film directed by Élie Chouraqui and starring Scott Glenn and Jade Malle. It is based on the 1980 novel Man on Fire by A. J. Quinnell. The rest of the cast includes Joe Pesci, Jonathan Pryce and a brief appearance by Danny Aiello as the Mafia don. Man on Fire (1987) Directed by: Élie Chouraqui Starring: Scott Glenn, Brooke Adams, Danny Aiello, Joe Pesci, Paul Shenar, Jonathan Pryce, Jade Malle, Laura Morante, Giancarlo Prati, Alessandro Haber Screenplay by: Élie Chouraqui Cinematography by: Gerry Fisher Film Editing by: Noëlle Boisson Costume Design by: Alberte Barsacq Set Decoration by: Bruno Amalfitano Art Direction by: Giantito Burchiellaro Music by: John Scott Distributed by: TriStar Pictures Release Date: September 4, 1987