The Tourist with Johnny Depp

The Tourist is a world class film. Angelina Jolie (Elise Clifton-Ward) and Johnny Depp (Frank Tupelo) go above and beyond to make this nearly perfect movie an experience to remember. As the cameras roll Elise is being surveilled. Scotland Yard is monitoring her every move no matter how insignificant. With Inspector John Acheson (Paul Bettany) as the commander of the investigation it is no wonder there are so many mishaps and complications. From the first instant we lay eyes on Elise it is obvious that nothing is as ordinary as it appears to be.

Elise is lovely in nearly every way conceivable. She dresses like an English princess and has a large measure of both grace and poise. Sitting at a French café it is no wonder she stands out as something rare. As she is being watched a letter arrives from the notorious Alexander Pierce. I am reluctant to identify which actor stars as AP because it would invariably ruin the surprise and rob viewers of the satisfaction of discovery. It seems Inspector Acheson is invested in uncovering the identity of Pierce. He is practically obsessed with the case despite Chief Inspector Jones’ (Dalton, Timothy Dalton) disapproval and order to disengage. Acheson orders his underlings to retrieve the letter from Pierce at any cost. Unfortunately the letter instructed Elise to burn it after reading. It takes some time and even more money (8 million pounds have already been wasted on this operation) but the Inspector’s team is able to decipher its content.

This leads to the famous train scene when we are introduced to our leading man, Frank Tupelo. Frank is no ordinary man, he is a tourist from America. He has an innocent and endearing nature. Elise chooses him according to the instructions provided by Alexander. He clearly asked her to find someone of a similar build, height and stature and to feign it is him. This is all part of his master scheme to throw Scotland Yard off his scent via misdirection. Sitting across from Frank, Elise seduces him with her thick luscious lips and her smoldering eyes. He is immediately embarrassed and taken with her. We find out that he is a mathematics professor at a community college and that he is a naive American tourist. Seconds before embarrassing himself yet again, Inspector Acheson radios Italy’s Interpol to stand down and not to intercept the tourist while disembarking. It would seem Pierce’s plan is falling apart.

Once in Italy, Elise invites Frank onto her chartered boat and subsequently into her luxury hotel room. He seems out of his element but his feelings of amorousness betray his better judgment. He follows her like a love sick puppy dog. Meanwhile, both lovebirds in the making are being followed by members of the Russian mafia led by Pierce’s old business partner Reginald Shaw (Steven Berkoff). Reginald is a cutthroat businessman and he harbors a grudge worth over 2.2 billion dollars in stolen money. His henchmen watch as Elise delivers one of the most sensuous kisses in the history of cinema to the dumbfounded American tourist. This automatically causes Acheson and Reginald’s associates to conclude Frank is really Pierce. It would seem Elise has deliberately placed him in harm’s way. When he awakens in the morning she is gone and he is under attack from mobsters with machine guns.

This leads to one of the most charming escapes I can remember. Frank climbs the rooftops of several Italian buildings and crashes into an Italian inspector causing him to fall into murky water in front of a stunned crowd. Frank is subsequently arrested. After some giggle-inducing banter with local police inspector he is locked up with an enormous man smashing his head into the wall. Good times. The inspector later returns later and sells him to the Russian mobsters! I can understand, newly minted bills are a precious commodity in today’s stumbling economy.

Throughout the remainder of the film Elise rescues Frank in a daring boat chase and he continually returns to save her in every way possible. He is clearly in love with her and who can blame him. Angelina Jolie dolled up in arm sleeves, magical dresses and push up wonder bras is a sight to behold. In so many instances they seem on the verge of love but part of Elise’s heart still belongs to Pierce no matter how many riddles and goose-chases he makes her undergo to be reunited.

Throughout all of the chases, the misdirection, the confusion and the classical Italian scenery, we are treated to old-fashioned lover’s music conducted by James Newton Howard. His compositions are music to my ears. Newton’s sounds penetrate the heart. They would have fit in perfectly with Superman 2, Casablanca, or any other vintage romance film deserving of a heartwarming score.

The exciting and hysterical conclusion of The Tourist will surely brighten your day, week, month and maybe even year. It is such a simple film in so many ways but it will strike a chord with your heart. Jolie and Depp are wonderful together. On paper they seem like such strange bedfellows but on camera they look like star-crossed lovers. It is a joy to watch Depp return to acting without neon green contacts or a purple suit. Jolie’s English accent though obviously practiced is elegant and delightful. From Director Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck on down to the actors and actresses, The Tourist is a special production.

Jonathan Jacobs

Member FFCC

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