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Narrow Margin
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Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Binding: VHS Tape
EAN: 0012234910338
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, HiFi Sound, NTSC
Label: Live / Artisan
Languages: English (Original Language), Analog
Manufacturer: Live / Artisan
Number Of Items: 1
Publisher: Live / Artisan
Release Date: December 14, 1993
Running Time: 99 minutes
Studio: Live / Artisan
Theatrical Release Date: September 21, 1990
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Editorial Review:
Back in 1952, during the waning days of film noir, director Richard Fleischer made The Narrow Margin, a cheaply produced, tightly structured B movie thriller about a cop forced to protect a gangster's widow while on a train. While it's no work of art, Fleischer's noir features a shocking climax of mistaken identity, an ominous, claustrophobic atmosphere, and tough, nearly unlikable protagonists screwed by fate, who spout sharp-witted dialogue and feel little more than contempt for each other. When Hollywood remakes itself, all the understatement and charm is usually lost when the filmmakers try to "modernize" the subject matter. This is one of many problems with writer-director Peter Hyams's remake (given the slightly shorter title Narrow Margin). He's dumped the surprising plot twist (it's now an action set piece atop a moving train) and softened the characters (now played with sleepwalking intensity by Gene Hackman and Anne Archer) with preposterous motivations. All that seems to be intact is the train premise, but Hyams is more interested in its action potential than any kind of menacing atmosphere. He's dropped the ambiguous relationships and smart dialogue in favor of pumping up the action sequences and daredevil stunts to ridiculous levels. Instead of adding excitement, all Hyams's expensive tricks do is drain Narrow Margin of any tension it might've retained from the original. --Dave McCoy
Customer Reviews
Average Rating: 
Rating: - Quite a ride
1990's Narrow Margin made a poor showing at the box-office, which is a pity because this is a thriller that really thrills. All too quickly dismissed by many critics for committing the cardinal sin of being a remake (in this case of Richard Fleischer's classic 1952 B-movie), it's a superbly paced example of pure commercial film-making at its most satisfying.
Intelligently scripted by director Peter Hyams (Capricorn One, Outland) with an admirable use of Scope that emphasises the claustrophobic ... Read More
Rating: - Train to Asylum
This is one of the best movies Gene Hackman has made. An excellent thriller. He plays the part of a deputy D.A. trying to bring a witness back to court in the U.S. but is being tracked by killers. Some beautiful scenery in Canada as he spirits his witness from a cabin and takes her to the train that will wind through the countryside. The action is non-stop with a helicopter chasing them shooting machine guns to the men hunting them on the train. A game of cat and mouse aboard the train is tense. It has you ... Read More
Rating:  - You're tall!
Has Gene Hackman ever made a film that did not, in some way, result in a bruised forearm?
Here, he must bring a reluctant (read: ain't-gonna-do-it-no-how-no-way) witness from the Canadian Rockies to LA, by train, to testify against a BAD DUDE. Seems she may have seen a murder take place.
But the fun is watching him stick to his guns long after the guns appear to have been emptied.
I won't spoil the ending... but "You're tall!" takes on a whole new meaning.
Rating:  - Lame, lamer, lamest
I saw this film in a theater during its original run, years ago. At the time, I wasn't much impressed. Recently, I stumbled on this DVD version and decided to compare it with the classic 1952 original.
Let me now be perfectly clear. If you wish to retain any vestige of respect for this film, DO NOT view it in conjunction with the original!
With the single exception of Gene Hackman (who at least struggles to make some bricks, despite an acute lack of straw), this remake is lame ... Read More
Rating: - maybe not as good as the first but still very slick
In every movie that he does gene hackman gets one scene where he quotes from the bard and one of his more famous plays, and this movie has that scene in it also. Now in some of these scenes (uncommon valor , targets, and hoosiers), this scene is is very moving and has some weight to it, and in some (loose cannons, lucky lady, and yes, superman the movie), this scene is just silly and is there so mr. hackman can feel like he's really acting. that said, the scene in this movie is very effecting and gives the ... Read More
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