The Presidio (film)

The Presidio (film) is a 1988 American mystery action film directed by Peter Hyams. The plot centers on a San Francisco Police Department detective who must team with a United States Army military police commander to solve a murder on the historic Presidio of San Francisco army base, forcing them to confront a troubled past. The film stars Sean Connery, Mark Harmon, and Meg Ryan, and features a score by composer Bruce Broughton.

Plot

Following the murder of a military police officer at a Presidio of San Francisco nightclub, San Francisco Police Department inspector Jay Austin is assigned to the case. Austin is a former United States Army MP who served under the base's provost marshal, Lieutenant Colonel Alan Caldwell, and left the service after a bitter conflict with him. The investigation forces the antagonistic pair into an uneasy partnership, uncovering a smuggling ring operating on the base involving stolen M16 rifles. As they delve deeper, Austin also becomes romantically involved with Caldwell's spirited daughter, Donna Caldwell, a civilian employee at the Presidio of San Francisco. The case culminates in a violent confrontation at a warehouse in San Francisco's China Basin, where Austin and Caldwell must finally reconcile their differences to bring the killers to justice.

Cast

* Sean Connery as Lieutenant Colonel Alan Caldwell * Mark Harmon as Inspector Jay Austin * Meg Ryan as Donna Caldwell * Jack Warden as Sergeant Major Ross Maclure * Mark Blum as Arthur Peale * Dana Gladstone as Paul Lawrence * Jenette Goldstein as Patti Jean Lynch * Marvin J. McIntyre as MP Sergeant * Curtis W. Sims as Detective Greer * John DiSanti as Marko * Robert Lesser as Howard Buckely * Don Calfa as Ernie * John Walter Davis as Spider

Production

The film was written by Larry Ferguson, with Peter Hyams serving as both director and cinematographer. Principal photography took place on location at the Presidio of San Francisco, a still-active United States Army installation at the time, as well as various other sites around San Francisco and the San Francisco Bay Area. The production required close coordination with the United States Department of Defense for access to military facilities and equipment. The score was composed by Bruce Broughton, known for his work on films like *Silverado* and *Young Sherlock Holmes*.

Release

Paramount Pictures released *The Presidio* in theaters across the United States on June 10, 1988. The film was later distributed in various international markets and subsequently released on VHS and LaserDisc for the home video market. It has since been made available on DVD and through digital streaming platforms.

Reception

Upon its release, the film received mixed reviews from critics. While the performances of Sean Connery and the chemistry between the lead actors were often praised, many reviewers found the plot to be conventional and derivative of other buddy cop films. The film was not a major box office success but has maintained a following as a solid example of a late-1980s action thriller. Composer Bruce Broughton's score was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition Written for a Motion Picture or for Television.

Category:1988 films Category:American action thriller films Category:American mystery films Category:Films directed by Peter Hyams Category:Films set in San Francisco Category:Paramount Pictures films