The Long Kiss Goodnight is a 1996 American spy action thriller film co-produced and directed by Renny Harlin, and produced by Shane Black and Stephanie Austin with screenplay written by Black. The film, starring Geena Davis, Samuel L. Jackson, Tom Amandes, Yvonne Zima, Brian Cox, Patrick Malahide, Craig Bierko and David Morse, follows an amnesiatic schoolteacher who sets out on a journey to find out who she is with the help of a private detective until they discover a dark conspiracy.
Released by New Line Cinema on October 11, 1996, The Long Kiss Goodnight grossed almost $90 million against a budget of $65 million, losing money for the studio, but gained a strong cult following.
The suitcase contains a note directing them to Dr. Nathan Waldman (Brian Cox). They arrange to meet at a train station, unaware that government agents are tapping the doctor's calls. En route, Samantha discovers the bottom of the suitcase contains a disassembled sniper rifle which she can expertly reassemble, along with other weapons. When Samantha and Mitch go to meet Waldman at the station, they are attacked by a team of agents who shoot numerous bystanders, but the two escape with Waldman's help. The doctor informs Samantha that she is really an expert CIA assassin, Charlene Elizabeth "Charly" Baltimore, who had disappeared eight years prior. Unsure if they can trust Waldman, Samantha and Mitch leave him behind and seek another contact named on a note in the suitcase, Luke (David Morse), believing he may be Charly's fiancé.
Waldman catches up with them and tries to warn them that Luke is actually Charly's last assassination target, "Daedalus". However, Luke kills Dr. Waldman, then straps Samantha to a waterwheel and tortures her by repeatedly submerging her in cold water. After being tortured, she is finally jolted into remembering her past life. Samantha frees herself, kills Luke, and escapes with Mitch. Samantha completes her physical transformation back to Charly, cutting her hair and dying it platinum blonde. Charly realizes that her "Samantha Caine" personality was a cover to get near to Daedalus eight years earlier.
A psychological-operations specialist named Timothy (Craig Bierko), with whom Charly once had a romantic relationship, kidnaps Caitlin. Charly and Mitch learn about Daedalus' involvement in "Project Honeymoon", which she disrupted on her mission, resulting in One-Eyed Jack's incarceration; "Project Honeymoon" was intended to be a false flag chemical bomb detonation in Niagara Falls, planned by the CIA in an attempt to blame Islamic terrorists and secure more funding. Charly realizes that Timothy and a new group is plotting to restage the attack, led by CIA Director Leland Perkins (Patrick Malahide). In Niagara Falls, where Timothy has taken Caitlin, he captures Mitch and Charly. She tells Timothy that he is Caitlin's biological father and implores him not to hurt their daughter, but Timothy is ultimately unmoved, locking Charly and Caitlin in a freezer to kill them.
Charly and Caitlin break out of the freezer by detonating barrels of kerosene and then freeing Mitch, who helps Charly attack the staging area. This forces Timothy to launch the attack early; meanwhile, Caitlin locks herself in a cage on the truck carrying the bomb. Charly chases the truck, overpowers its driver, diverts it from a Christmas parade, and overturns it on the Niagara Falls International Bridge leading to Canada. Charly frees Caitlin but they cannot get away from the bomb, which is about to explode, as Timothy and his agents attack them from a helicopter. Mitch suddenly arrives in a car, picking up Charly and Caitlin and entering Canada just before the bomb explodes, which kills Timothy and his forces and destroys the bridge.
In an epilogue, Charly has returned to her assumed identity of Samantha Caine, moving with Caitlin and Hal to a remote farmhouse and declining an offer from the president to join the state department (which could imply rejoining the CIA). Mitch enjoys the publicity attracted by his role in the crisis and is interviewed by Larry King on television about Perkins, who was indicted for treason.
Casting
- Geena Davis as Agent Charlene Elizabeth "Charly" Baltimore / Samantha Caine
- Samuel L. Jackson as Mitch Henessey
- Patrick Malahide as CIA Assistant Director Leland Perkins
- Craig Bierko as Timothy
- Brian Cox as Dr. Nathan Waldman
- David Morse as Luke Daedalus
- Joseph McKenna as One-Eyed Jack
- G. D. Spradlin as President
- Tom Amandes as Hal
- Yvonne Zima as Caitlin Caine
- Edwin Hodge as Todd Henessey
- Sharon Washington as Fran Henessey
- Melina Kanakaredes as Trin
- Alan North as Earl
- Gladys O'Connor as Alice Waldman, Nathan's sister
- Gerry Bamman as Agent
- Robert Thomas as Agent In Alley
- Shawn Doyle as Detective Donlevy, fake bum cop
- Rex Linn as Man Caught In Bed
- Larry King as Himself
New Line Cinema paid a record $4 million for Shane Black's script.
In an early cut of the film, Mitch Henessey dies, but during a test screening, an audience member shouted: "You can't kill Sam Jackson!" Harlin accordingly changed the final cut so that Jackson's character survives.
On February 27, 1996, during filming at the 127-year-old Windermere House in Ontario, Canada, a fire broke out, leaving only the stone verandah intact. There was speculation that the fire was caused by high-intensity lighting; however, it may have been a short circuit. Filming at the time of the fire was being carried out on the ice-covered lake, whilst the house was lit from the inside so as to be seen in the background of the shots. It is unknown whether the fire was directly associated with filming, but the building was otherwise closed for winter. Ironically, some of the scenes they were meant to shoot at that location involved fire, but the fire prevented the remaining scenes from being shot there. Film crews helped to evacuate nearby homes, although the fire did not spread beyond the one building.
In the film's opening release, it grossed $9,065,363 from 2,245 theaters, placing third for the films that released that weekend. In the United States and Canada, the film grossed $33,447,612. Internationally it earned $56,009,149 for a total worldwide gross of $89,456,761.
Renny Harlin blamed the film’s poor performance on confusing advertising, but Shane Black wondered whether it might have been more successful if it were about a man: 'It might have made more money, they told me, but it had to be a woman. The lead had to be female.' It has also been suggested that the film's poor advertising campaign and lukewarm reception amongst critics may have been carry-over effect from Renny Harlin and Geena Davis's previous collaboration, Cutthroat Island, which was released just 10 months earlier, and became one of the biggest box office bombs of all time.
The Long Kiss Goodnight received mainly positive reviews. It holds a 70% approval rating at Rotten Tomatoes based on 56 reviews. The site's consensus states: "Smart, sharp-witted, and fueled by enjoyably over-the-top action, The Long Kiss Goodnight makes up in impact what it lacks in consistent aim." Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film a median grade of "A−" on an A+ to F scale.
Christine James, from Boxoffice, gave the film 3 and a half out of 5 stars, calling it "a lot of fun", but believing that there were some weaknesses in the script. Roger Ebert gave the film 2 and a half out of 4 stars, stating, "I admired it as an example of craftsmanship, but what a lot of time and money to spend on something of no real substance."
In 2014, Time Out polled several film critics, directors, actors and stunt actors to list their top action films. The Long Kiss Goodnight was listed at 82nd place on this list.
Samuel L. Jackson has stated that The Long Kiss Goodnight is his favorite movie to watch which he has been in.
Of all the films he’s made, Renny Harlin says The Long Kiss Goodnight is his favourite: ”It is definitely. For me its just very simple. Its a movie that had a really good screenplay which meant that I was able to get really good actors and its always challenging to make a movie but it sure makes it easier when you have a good screenplay like in that one. When you have characters that are complex and you have good drama, and have some humour, and some good action, you kind of have all the ingredients. When you have that you dont even need some crazy special effects you just need to let the characters do their thing. It was a great experience.”
