Themes: Witness Protection, Protecting the Innocent, Bodyguards
Main Cast: Tom Berenger, Mimi Rogers, Lorraine Bracco, Jerry Orbach, John Rubinstein
Release Year: 1987
Country: US
Run Time: 107 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Plot
Someone to Watch Over Me, a mystery thriller directed by Ridley Scott is the story of a police officer who falls in love with the woman he is hired to protect and the effect of this affair on his marriage and his life. Claire (Mimi Rogers) an extremely wealthy socialite is the sole witness to a mob murder and is in great danger. Mike (Tom Berenger), a happily married NYC police officer is assigned to protect her and takes up residence in her foyer while she waits to testify. A romance develops between the unlikely couple which threatens Mike's marriage to Ellie (Lorraine Bracco). All of this sounds more exciting than it is, and while the film fails to generate much suspense, the love story and Mike's dilemma are interesting. All the performances are excellent, particularly that of Bracco as the no-nonsense wife. The score is exceptional and the photography and set decoration are all fine. Someone to Watch Over Me is a fine police thriller and love story. ~ Linda Rasmussen, All Movie Guide
Andreas Katsulas - Joey Venza; Tony di Benedetto - T.J.; James E. Moriarty - Koontz; Mark Moses - Win Hockings; Harley Cross - Tommy Keegan; Joanne Baron - Helen Greening; David Berman - Cop #1; Anthony Bishop - Waiter; Peter Carew - Doorman; Mary Gillis - Mary the Maid; Billy Kane - Brooklyn; Jack McGee - Bartender; Meg Mundy - Antonia; Harlan Cary Poe - Killer; Marilyn Rockafellow - Marge; Harvey Vernon - Giddings; Sharon K. Brecke - Bimbo; Christopher Cass - Rookie Cop; Jim Paul Eilers - Sparks; Susi Gilder - Pretty Young Thing; Helen Labros - Bet Benefactress; Jeff Nielsen - Tie Salesman; Helen Tran - Vietnamese Girl; Mark Voland - Plainclothesman; Joy Todd; Daniel Hugh Kelly - Scotty
Credit
Christopher Burian-Mohr - Art Director, John J. Moore - Art Director, Mimi Polk - Associate Producer, Mimi Polk Sotela - Associate Producer, Joy Todd - Casting, Colleen Atwood - Costume Designer, Joseph P. Reidy - First Assistant Director, Ridley Scott - Director, Claire Simpson - Editor, Ridley Scott - Executive Producer, Michael Kamen - Composer (Music Score), Vangelis - Composer (Music Score), Dave Alvin - Songwriter, George Flemming - Songwriter, Roland Gift - Songwriter, Audrey Hall - Songwriter, James Hooker - Songwriter, Churchill Kohlman - Songwriter, David Steele - Songwriter, Anona Winn - Songwriter, Steve Winwood - Songwriter, Harry Woods - Songwriter, Rick Sharp - Makeup, Allen Weisinger - Makeup, John Koester - Camera Operator, Jeffrey Beecroft - Production Designer, James D. Bissell - Production Designer, William C. Gerrity - Production Designer, Steven Poster - Cinematographer, Max Stein - Production Manager, William C. Gerrity - Production Manager, Thierry de Ganay - Producer, Harold Schneider - Producer, Linda de Scenna - Set Designer, Ann Harris - Set Designer, Steven Jordan - Set Designer, Jim Teegarden - Set Designer, Gene S. Cantamessa - Sound/Sound Designer, Ron Rondell - Stunts, Glenn Wilder - Stunts, Ron Rondell - Stunts Coordinator, Glenn Wilder - Stunts Coordinator, Hector Babenco - Screenwriter, Danilo Bach - Screenwriter, Howard Franklin - Screenwriter, David Seltzer - Screenwriter, Mark James - Featured Music, Gus Cannon - Featured Music, Alfredo Catalani - Featured Music, Leo Delibes - Featured Music, George Gershwin - Featured Music, Ira Gershwin - Featured Music, Otto Harbach - Featured Music, Jerome Kern - Featured Music, Ray Noble - Featured Music
A socialite (Claire Gregory, played by Mimi Rogers) attends a party and art show sponsored by one of her oldest friends. Accompanying her is her boyfriend, who is straitlaced and staid. In another part of town, there is a party for a newly appointed detective (Mike Keegan, played by Tom Berenger). Claire's friend makes a little fun of her staid boyfriend and she defends him. The old friend then asks the woman to meet him in the basement for a special preview. She goes in the elevator. Meanwhile, the friend is accosted by a former partner, who is a criminal. He is angry because he was refused entrance to the party. After a short argument, he stabs the friend in the neck, killing him. Claire sees the killing as she steps out of the elevator. The killer pursues her, but she manages to get back into the elevator just in time.
The police are called in and the newly appointed detective is there. He sees her and immediately falls in love with her.
The detective is determined to protect her and goes to extremes to do so. The killer is determined to kill her and nearly succeeds. The detective and his wife (Ellie played by Lorraine Bracco) break up over his involvement in the case. Mike and Claire admit they are in love with each other. At the end, the killer is killed by Ellie, Claire breaks up with her staid boyfriend and intends to goes to Europe to get over Mike, who returns to his wife. Mike's reason for this, as he explains to Claire, is that he would miss them (his family) too much.
