Assassination ** (1987, Charles Bronson, Jill Ireland, Stephen Elliott) – Classic Movie Review 8168

Director Peter Hunt’s 1987 Assassination [The President’s Wife] is a watchable but carelessly conceived and made and unoriginal political thriller and chase movie. Charles Bronson stars as a White House secret service presidential bodyguard Jay Killian on the run along with his real-life wife Jill Ireland as the US president’s wife Lara Royce Craig, whom terrorists want to blow up.

Assassination offers and delivers plenty of often tense action and explosions and not much thought, just as you would expect from an ex-James Bond editor and director. It is written by Richard Sale.

The tone is robust but not too violent. Originally a 15 cert in the UK, it was rated to a 12 in 2005. It has action violence of shootouts and boat explosions and some mild strong language. There is no sex or nudity.

Also in the cast are Stephen Elliott, Jan Gan Boyd, Randy Brooks, James Lemp [Erik Stern], Michael Ansara, James Staley, Kathryn Leigh Scott, James Acheson, Jim McMullan, Billy Hayes, William Prince and Chris Alcaide.

It proved to be Bronson’s last movie with Ireland, who died on 18 May 1990, aged 54, after a long battle with breast cancer. She made one more film, Caught (1987). Bronson also died of cancer, on 30 August 2003.

© Derek Winnert 2019 Classic Movie Review 8168

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