| | | | Without A Trace
(1983) |
very so often, you wander into the movie theatre with little or no expectations of a film, and find yourself being blown away.
WITHOUT A TRACE, a 1983 drama starring Kate Nelligan and Judd Hirsch (of TAXI fame), falls into this category. Though twenty years have passed now, I vividly remember the tears which streamed down my cheeks at the end of this highly emotional masterpiece.
The story begins quite simply with a young boy getting ready, then being sent off to an ordinary day of school. That afternoon, his mother (Nelligan) waits for his return. Soon however, it becomes terribly apparent that this will be no ordinary day. She learns that her son never made it to his destination... a trip that only required him to walk one block while in full view of the school's road guard.
Judd Hirsch plays the detective that comes in to investigate. His is the wonderfully understated performance of a man slowly realizing that no ransom call is coming, and there are almost no leads whatsoever.
The sad and horrifying part of TRACE comes not at the beginning, but in the film's middle, when we watch a mother having to cope with the fact that police, media, and everyone else who had swarmed into her life at the outset of this tragedy, are now abandoning hope of a happy ending, and leaving her to face it alone.
Stockard Channing (of GREASE infamy) plays Nelligan's closest friend, and it is their confrontations that provide some of the film's biggest emotional sparks. When Channing askes, "When are you going to learn to let go... for your own good?" Nelligan incredulously replies: "For my own good? For MY own good? If you felt like I did, you'd be screaming right now!"
Some have said that the film's end is a cop out, but I think differently. In my opinion, it is the finale that cements TRACE as one of the overlooked gems --not only of the 80s-- but of all time...
 Don't forget that Without A Trace is now available to order on Widescreen DVD using our special 80s Retro Assistant...
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If you like drama, FIND this film (though that is not at all easy in the video stores where I live). It is a great film, although one which has very little to do with 80s culture (It's no Pretty In Pink). Stick around for the last 15 minutes. You'll be glad you did!
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You can now correct/update any item of trivia by clicking the "Update" button next to it...
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Kate Nelligen was also in Frankie and Johnny, with Michelle Pfieffer, and Al Pacino.  -Thanks to Carrie
Kate Nelligan's performance was compared to Meryl Streep, although her promise never really materialized.
Kate Nelligan also appeared in "Dracula 1979" opposite Frank Langella and in "The Cider House Rules," although she had only a bit part in this movie. -Thanks to Celeste Harmer
Kate Nelligan has had a long and varied career. She had an Oscar Nominated role in "The Prince of Tides" in the early 90's, she was also in "Up Close and Personal" as Robert Redford's wife, "Wolf", "How to Make An American Quilt", "Eye of the Needle", "Eleni", Woody Allen's "Shadows and Fog", "US Marshalls" and "Premonition" as Sandra Bullock's mom. She was also involved in Emmy Nominated television films like "Million Dollar Babies" and "A Mother's Prayer" with Linda Hamilton.
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Without a Trace was written by Beth Gutcheon and based on her novel, entitled "Still Missing".
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|  |  |  | | Without A Trace
Locations |
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Without A Trace was filmed at locations in New York City, S. California.
Can you help? Do you know any of the New York City, S. California filming locations used for Without A Trace? [Please send them in]
|  | | | | ![[16:9 -Widescreen Enhanced]](16_9.gif) | ![[STEREO or SURROUND]](dd2.gif) | Trailer |
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Comments: Another great release from Anchor Bay! |
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Without a Trace's classical soundtrack score was written by Jack Nitzsche and Bill Conti. It is not known if it was ever released.
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Soundtrack Available:
Unknown
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