The Bodyguard is a 1992 American romantic thriller film directed by Mick Jackson, written by Lawrence Kasdan, and starring Kevin Costner and Whitney Houston. Costner stars as a former Secret Service Agent-turned-bodyguard who is hired to protect Houston's character, a music star, from an unknown stalker. Kasdan wrote the film in the mid 1970s, originally as a vehicle for Steve McQueen and Diana Ross.
The film was Houston's acting debut and was the second-highest-grossing film worldwide in 1992, making $411 million worldwide, despite mixed to negative reviews from critics. The soundtrack became the best-selling soundtrack of all time, selling more than 45 million copies worldwide.
The film implicitly takes place in Los Angeles in late 1995 or early 1996, as it culminates at the then-future 68th Academy Awards.
Plot
Rachel Marron is an Oscar-nominated music superstar who is being stalked and sent death threats. Things get dangerously out of hand when a bomb disguised as a doll explodes in her dressing room. Rachel's manager, Bill Devaney, seeks the services of a professional bodyguard to protect her. Frank Farmer is a former Secret Service Special Agent who served as part of the presidential protection detail during the presidencies of Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan. Frank is haunted by the fact that he was off duty when Reagan was shot. Bill eventually finds Farmer, who is now a highly successful private bodyguard, mostly protecting corporate VIPs. However, Frank is reluctant to accept the offer to guard Rachel as he sees her as a spoiled diva who is oblivious to the threats against her life.
Frank's misgivings are confirmed when he enters Rachel's estate too easily. And when he is finally introduced to the superstar, Rachel looks upon Frank as paranoid and his extensive protection techniques as intrusive. Rachel's existing bodyguard Tony resents Frank's presence. But at a concert where Rachel is performing a riot breaks out, and Frank rescues her from danger. As a result, the two develop a closer relationship. Frank tries to remain professional, but the two sleep together. However, recognizing that this compromises his ability to protect his client, Frank breaks off their affair. Hurt, Rachel begins to defy Frank's painstaking security measures. She even goes as far as attempting to sleep with his former Secret Service colleague Greg Portman. But after she has personal contact with her stalker via a threatening phone call, Rachel realizes that she must put her trust in Frank ahead of her own desire for personal gratification. She finally recognizes the seriousness of the situation and cancels the rest of her tour.
Frank, Rachel, Rachel's driver Henry, Rachel's son Fletcher, and her sister Nicki then travel to Frank's father's home (which is a large, lakefront log cabin in the mountains). Frank's father, Herb, is a semi-retired attorney who welcomes the group to his home. Nicki later attempts to seduce Frank and becomes angry when her advances are refused. The next day, Fletcher is almost killed when a bomb explodes inside the boat he rode moments before. After finding footprints around the cabin and sabotaged automobiles, Frank realizes that Rachel's stalker has followed them.
After securing the house for the night, Frank plans to leave with Rachel and company in the morning, then learns that Rachel's obsessive stalker and the person trying to kill her are not the same person. Angry and drunk, Nicki admits that during a drug-induced fit of jealousy she hired a hitman to kill Rachel, but that the letters from the stalker came before that. After Fletcher was almost killed, Nicki realized the hitman would kill anyone to get to his target, including her beloved nephew. However, she cannot call it off because she does not know the killer's identity. Abruptly, the hitman breaks into the house and shoots Nicki dead. Frank, who is armed with a semi-automatic pistol, ensures that his father has secured the rest of the group on the second floor. Upon tracking the killer and then pursuing him into the woods, Frank shoots but misses, allowing the former to escape capture. Frank learns the next day, from his Secret Service contacts, that they have apprehended the stalker and were interviewing him when Nicki was shot.
Frank and Rachel attend Nicki's funeral and then the Academy Awards ceremony. A host of backstage technical issues hamper Frank's efforts to monitor the proceedings closely. During the actual show, Rachel freezes and runs offstage, angry at Frank for embarrassing her with overprotective measures. However, Rachel returns to the audience and is present when announced as the winner for Best Actress. As she comes toward the stage to accept the award, the hitman is revealed to be Portman. Frank notices Portman pointing a gun disguised as a camera at Rachel. As Portman prepares for the fatal shot, Frank runs on stage and leaps in front of Rachel, intercepting the shot. Once regaining his balance, he shoots Portman through his camera-gun, killing him. Frank is left wounded and Rachel calls for helpâ€"all the while urging him to stay with her.
Frank recovers from the shooting and goes to say goodbye to Rachel at the airport. After the plane starts to taxi, Rachel suddenly jumps out and runs to Frank for one last passionate kiss. The two reluctantly let go. Rachel boards the plane, and Frank leaves for his next protection detail.
Cast
- Kevin Costner as Frank Farmer
- Whitney Houston as Rachel Marron
- Gary Kemp as Sy Spector
- Bill Cobbs as Bill Devaney
- Ralph Waite as Herb Farmer
- Tomas Arana as Greg Portman
- Michele Lamar Richards as Nicki Marron
- Mike Starr as Tony Scipelli
- DeVaughn Nixon as Fletcher Marron
- Gerry Bamman as Ray Court
- Joe Urla as Minella
Background
Lawrence Kasdan's first screenplay, the film was originally proposed in 1976 with Steve McQueen and Diana Ross in the leads, but negotiations fell through as McQueen refused to be billed second to Ross. It was proposed again in 1979, starring Ryan O'Neal and Ross again in the leads. The project fell through due to irreconcilable differences in the relationship between the two stars. Costner stated that he based Frank Farmer on Steve McQueen; even cutting his hair like McQueen (who had died 12 years earlier).
Olivia Newton-John, Pat Benatar, Madonna, Cher, Joan Jett, Deborah Harry, Liza Minnelli, Janet Jackson, Donna Summer, Terri Nunn, Kim Carnes, and Dolly Parton were all at some point considered for the role of Rachel Marron.
The 1920s Beverly Hills mansion and grounds featured in the film once belonged to William Randolph Hearst; also featured in The Godfather (1972).
Reception
Critical reception
As of August 2014, The Bodyguard holds a 32% rating on the film aggregator website, Rotten Tomatoes, and received seven Golden Raspberry Award nominations, including Worst Picture, but did not win any awards. Owen Gleiberman, of Entertainment Weekly reviewed the film negatively, stating, "To say that Houston and Costner fail to strike sparks would be putting it mildly." He added, "[...] the movie gives us these two self-contained celebrity icons working hard to look as if they want each other. It's like watching two statues attempting to mate." However, other critics praised the film, such as Roger Ebert, who gave the film three out of four stars, remarking "The movie does contain a love story, but it's the kind of guarded passion that grows between two people who spend a lot of time keeping their priorities straight."
Two songs from the film, "Run to You" and "I Have Nothing", were nominated for an Oscar for Best Original Song. The film was also nominated for four Grammy Awards, winning three, including Album of the Year for its soundtrack album of the same name. The film was nominated for several MTV Movie Awards, an Image Award, BMI Film & TV Awards, Germanys Golden Screen Award and an Award of the Japanese Academy. All of which are listed on IMDB's website.
The film is listed in Golden Raspberry Award founder John Wilson's book The Official Razzie Movie Guide as one of The 100 Most Enjoyably Bad Movies Ever Made.
Box office
In the United States, The Bodyguard opened on November 25, 1992 in 1,717 theaters; it grossed $16.6 million in its opening weekend, ranking third. The film was in theaters for thirteen non-consecutive weeks, ultimately grossing $121.9 million domestically, and $410.9 million worldwide. It was the seventh highest-grossing film of 1992 in North America, and the second highest-grossing film of 1992, worldwide. At the time, the film became one of the 100 all-time highest grossing films worldwide, though it has since fallen out.
Soundtrack
The Bodyguard: Original Soundtrack Album became the best-selling soundtrack of all time. It has been certified diamond in the US (sales of at least ten million) with shipments of over 17 million copies. Worldwide, the sales are over 45 million copies. In addition, Houston's cover of "I Will Always Love You" sold 12 million units worldwide.
The soundtrack features five songs which were hit singles for Houston: "I Will Always Love You", "I'm Every Woman", the two Oscar-nominated songs, "I Have Nothing" and "Run to You", and "Queen of the Night".
In 2013, La La Land Records released a limited edition CD (3500 units) of Alan Silvestri's original score.
Parodies
- The Simpsons â€" in the episode "Mayored to the Mob", Homer Simpson receives bodyguard training from an instructor singing "I Will Always Love You" after graduating his class. Also in the episode, Mark Hamill gets carried by Homer in a fashion which parodies the way Costner carries Houston in the film.
- 30 Rock â€" in the episode "Hard Ball", Tracy Jordan is rescued from a mob by his entourage; his character sang "I Will Always Love You" during the scene.
- Bulletproof â€" a scene in the film parodies The Bodyguard with Adam Sandler's character singing "I Will Always Love You" and remarking that Damon Wayans's character can always be his bodyguard.
- The Venture Bros. â€" in the second season episode "I Know Why the Caged Bird Kills", after having fallen in love with her charge, Dr. Venture, bodyguard Myra Brandish says she was taught "Never let them out of your sight. Never let your guard down. Never fall in love", the tag line from the film.
- In Living Color - Kim Wayans plays Grace Jones as the Whitney Houston character and Jim Carrey plays the Kevin Costner character, complete with bad hair. The scene when Kevin Costner carries Whitney Houston off-stage from the original movie is reversed with Grace Jones carrying Frank Farmer off while singing "I Will Always Love You".
- American Dad! - In the episode "Lincoln Lover", Stan Smith creates a play which depicts the relationship between Abraham Lincoln and his bodyguard. At the end of the play, the song "I Will Always Love You" starts playing.
- Joey - In the episode "Joey and the Beard", Joey Tribbiani is told, "You know the rules: Never let her out of your sight, never let your guard down, and never fall in love." He quickly recognizes this as the film's tagline.
Sequel and remake
In 2011, Warner Bros. announced a remake that will update the story to reflect the world of the Internet; in which sites such as Twitter, Google Maps and countless other sites make access to celebrities easier than ever. The remake will be penned by Jeremiah Friedman and Nick Palmer. Singer Rihanna was once sought after to play the role of Rachel.
On March 10, 2011, Rihanna ruled out playing the part saying, "Absolutely not. I hate it when singers do singing movies all the time, because you can never look at them as anybody else. I want to play a character. My whole life is playing Rihanna; being a singer won't be a stretch for me."
In 2012, Costner claimed that Princess Diana and he "had been talking about doing Bodyguard 2. I told her I would take care of her just the same way that I took care of Whitney." He said the script was delivered to him on August 31 1997 â€" the day before Princess Diana died of injuries she sustained in a car crash in Paris at the age of 36.
Musical adaptation
A musical adaptation of the film opened in London's Adelphi Theatre in the West End in Fall 2012. David Ian, who produces the musical, received the stage rights from Costner, a producer of the film as well as its star, and Kasdan, who wrote the film, reports Baz Bamigboye. The film's famous soundtrack is used as a score for the production. In addition to the mega-hit "I Will Always Love You", the songs include "I'm Every Woman", "Run to You", "Jesus Loves Me", and "Queen of the Night". Several of Houston's other songs are used as well, including "I'm Your Baby Tonight", "How Will I Know", and "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)". Tony Award-winning actress and singer Heather Headley was cast to play Rachel, the role played in the film by Houston. MOBO Award-winning and BRIT-nominated singer Beverley Knight took over Rachel in September 2013 through to May 2014; she was replaced by Alexandra Burke in June 2014.
References
External links
- The Bodyguard at the Internet Movie Database
- The Bodyguard at the TCM Movie Database
- The Bodyguard at Box Office Mojo
- The Bodyguard at Rotten Tomatoes