Witness (1985 film)
Updated: 12/20/2025, 11:32:05 AM Wikipedia source
Witness is a 1985 American neo-noir crime thriller film directed by Peter Weir. Starring Harrison Ford, its plot focuses on a police detective protecting an Amish woman and her son, who becomes a target after he witnesses a brutal murder in a Philadelphia railroad station. Filmed in 1984, Witness was released theatrically by Paramount Pictures in February 1985. The film received positive reviews upon release and became a sleeper hit, grossing over $117.37 million worldwide. At the 58th Academy Awards, it earned eight nominations, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Ford, winning Best Original Screenplay and Best Film Editing. It was also nominated for seven BAFTA Awards, winning one for Maurice Jarre's score, and six Golden Globe Awards. William Kelley and Earl W. Wallace won the Writers Guild of America Award for Best Original Screenplay and the 1986 Edgar Award for Best Motion Picture Screenplay presented by the Mystery Writers of America.
Infobox
Directed by
Peter Weir
Screenplay by
mw- Earl W. Wallace William Kelley
Story by
William Kelley Pamela Wallace Earl W. Wallace
Produced by
Edward S. Feldman
Starring
Harrison Ford
Cinematography
John Seale
Edited by
Thom Noble
Music by
Maurice Jarre
Productioncompany
Edward S. Feldman Productions
Distributed by
Paramount Pictures
Release date
February 8, 1985 (1985-02-08)
Running time
117 minutes
Country
United States
Language
English
Budget
$12 million
Box office
$117.1 million[dubious – discuss]
Tables
· Reception › Accolades
Academy Awards
Academy Awards
Award
Academy Awards
Category
Best Picture
Recipient
Edward S. Feldman
Result
Nominated
Best Director
Best Director
Award
Best Director
Category
Peter Weir
Recipient
Nominated
Best Actor
Best Actor
Award
Best Actor
Category
Harrison Ford
Recipient
Nominated
Best Original Screenplay
Best Original Screenplay
Award
Best Original Screenplay
Category
Earl W. Wallace, William Kelley and Pamela Wallace
Recipient
Won
Best Art Direction
Best Art Direction
Award
Best Art Direction
Category
Stan Jolley and John H. Anderson
Recipient
Nominated
Best Cinematography
Best Cinematography
Award
Best Cinematography
Category
John Seale
Recipient
Nominated
Best Film Editing
Best Film Editing
Award
Best Film Editing
Category
Thom Noble
Recipient
Won
Best Original Score
Best Original Score
Award
Best Original Score
Category
Maurice Jarre
Recipient
Nominated
BAFTA Awards
BAFTA Awards
Award
BAFTA Awards
Category
Best Film
Result
Nominated
Best Original Screenplay
Best Original Screenplay
Award
Best Original Screenplay
Category
Earl W. Wallace, William Kelley and Pamela Wallace
Recipient
Nominated
Best Actor
Best Actor
Award
Best Actor
Category
Harrison Ford
Recipient
Nominated
Best Actress
Best Actress
Award
Best Actress
Category
Kelly McGillis
Recipient
Nominated
Best Music
Best Music
Award
Best Music
Category
Maurice Jarre
Recipient
Won
Best Cinematography
Best Cinematography
Award
Best Cinematography
Category
John Seale
Recipient
Nominated
Best Editing
Best Editing
Award
Best Editing
Category
Thom Noble
Recipient
Nominated
Golden Globe Awards
Golden Globe Awards
Award
Golden Globe Awards
Category
Best Motion Picture – Drama
Result
Nominated
Best Director
Best Director
Award
Best Director
Category
Peter Weir
Recipient
Nominated
Best Screenplay
Best Screenplay
Award
Best Screenplay
Category
Earl W. Wallace, William Kelley and Pamela Wallace
Recipient
Nominated
Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama
Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama
Award
Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama
Category
Harrison Ford
Recipient
Nominated
Best Supporting Actress
Best Supporting Actress
Award
Best Supporting Actress
Category
Kelly McGillis
Recipient
Nominated
Best Original Score
Best Original Score
Award
Best Original Score
Category
Maurice Jarre
Recipient
Nominated
Kansas City Film Critics Circle
Kansas City Film Critics Circle
Award
Kansas City Film Critics Circle
Category
Best Film
Result
Won
Best Actor
Best Actor
Award
Best Actor
Category
Harrison Ford
Recipient
Won
Writers Guild of America
Writers Guild of America
Award
Writers Guild of America
Category
Best Original Screenplay
Recipient
Earl W. Wallace, William Kelley and Pamela Wallace
Result
Won
Directors Guild of America
Directors Guild of America
Award
Directors Guild of America
Category
Outstanding Directing
Recipient
Peter Weir
Result
Nominated
Grammy Awards
Grammy Awards
Award
Grammy Awards
Category
Best Score
Recipient
Maurice Jarre
Result
Nominated
American Cinema Editors
American Cinema Editors
Award
American Cinema Editors
Category
Best Edited Feature Film
Recipient
Thom Noble
Result
Won
Australian Cinematographers Society
Australian Cinematographers Society
Award
Australian Cinematographers Society
Category
Cinematographer of the Year
Recipient
John Seale
Result
Won
British Society of Cinematographers
British Society of Cinematographers
Award
British Society of Cinematographers
Category
Best Cinematography
Recipient
Nominated
| Award | Category | Recipient | Result | Ref. |
| Academy Awards | Best Picture | Edward S. Feldman | Nominated | |
| Best Director | Peter Weir | Nominated | ||
| Best Actor | Harrison Ford | Nominated | ||
| Best Original Screenplay | Earl W. Wallace, William Kelley and Pamela Wallace | Won | ||
| Best Art Direction | Stan Jolley and John H. Anderson | Nominated | ||
| Best Cinematography | John Seale | Nominated | ||
| Best Film Editing | Thom Noble | Won | ||
| Best Original Score | Maurice Jarre | Nominated | ||
| BAFTA Awards | Best Film | Nominated | ||
| Best Original Screenplay | Earl W. Wallace, William Kelley and Pamela Wallace | Nominated | ||
| Best Actor | Harrison Ford | Nominated | ||
| Best Actress | Kelly McGillis | Nominated | ||
| Best Music | Maurice Jarre | Won | ||
| Best Cinematography | John Seale | Nominated | ||
| Best Editing | Thom Noble | Nominated | ||
| Golden Globe Awards | Best Motion Picture – Drama | Nominated | ||
| Best Director | Peter Weir | Nominated | ||
| Best Screenplay | Earl W. Wallace, William Kelley and Pamela Wallace | Nominated | ||
| Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama | Harrison Ford | Nominated | ||
| Best Supporting Actress | Kelly McGillis | Nominated | ||
| Best Original Score | Maurice Jarre | Nominated | ||
| Kansas City Film Critics Circle | Best Film | Won | ||
| Best Actor | Harrison Ford | Won | ||
| Writers Guild of America | Best Original Screenplay | Earl W. Wallace, William Kelley and Pamela Wallace | Won | |
| Directors Guild of America | Outstanding Directing | Peter Weir | Nominated | |
| Grammy Awards | Best Score | Maurice Jarre | Nominated | |
| American Cinema Editors | Best Edited Feature Film | Thom Noble | Won | |
| Australian Cinematographers Society | Cinematographer of the Year | John Seale | Won | |
| British Society of Cinematographers | Best Cinematography | Nominated |
References
- The end credits does not list the full name of several characters including Rachel, Schaeffer, Samuel, McFee, Carter, El
- Silver & Ward 1992, p. 440.
- Witness (TV Version)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rH9fdvR2COA
- Weaver-Zercher 2001, p. 154.
- Weaver-Zercher 2001, pp. 154–155.
- McGivern 2020, p. 2.
- Feldman 2005, pp. 180–190.
- Feldman 2005, p. 191.
- Feldman 2005, pp. 190–191.
- Feldman 2005, p. 188.
- Rodley 1997, p. 116.
- Witnesshttps://search.worldcat.org/oclc/949729643
- The Bobbie Wygant Archivehttps://web.archive.org/web/20220604042644/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSXV-xN5RT4&gl=US&hl=en
- Intelligencer Journal
- Intelligencer Journal
- Feldman 2005, pp. 189–191.
- LPNhttps://lancasteronline.com/features/throwback-thursday-witness-premiered-at-fulton-30-years-ago/article_50e9324c-b2d6-11e4-ae0c-17a87103bccf.html
- festival-cannes.comhttps://web.archive.org/web/20121002065446/http://www.festival-cannes.com/en/archives/ficheFilm/id/927/year/1985.html
- /Filmhttps://www.slashfilm.com/871359/it-took-a-total-re-write-to-make-witness-an-oscar-winner/
- Box Office Mojohttps://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=witness.htm
- Variety
- Amazonhttps://www.amazon.com/Witness-BD-Blu-ray-Harrison-Ford/dp/B010QCI9I6/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?keywords=witness+1985&qid=1696900486&sr=8-2
- Amazonhttps://www.amazon.com/Witness-Harrison-Ford/dp/B00AEBB9UK/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_sspa?keywords=witness+1985&qid=1696900486&sr=8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9waG9uZV9zZWFyY2hfYXRm&psc=1&smid=A7QP4FXP92N6N
- Arrow Videohttps://www.arrowvideo.com/4k/witness-ultra-hd-limited-edition-4k-ultra-hd/14887485.html
- Rotten Tomatoeshttps://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1023854-witness
- Metacritichttps://www.metacritic.com/movie/witness
- RogerEbert.comhttps://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/witness-1985
- The New York Timeshttps://www.nytimes.com/1985/02/08/movies/film-witness-a-tough-guy-among-the-amish.html
- Varietyhttps://variety.com/1984/film/reviews/witness-3-1200426365/
- Time Out New Yorkhttps://archive.today/20130204120119/http://www.timeout.com/film/newyork/reviews/64714/Witness.html
- Halliwell's Film Guide, 13th edition – ISBN 0-00-638868-X.
- Radio Timeshttps://web.archive.org/web/20040913091335/http://www.radiotimes.com/servlet_film/com.icl.beeb.rtfilms.client.simpleSearchServlet?frn=17783&searchTypeSelect=5
- oscars.orghttps://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1986
- BAFTA Awardshttp://awards.bafta.org/award/1986/film
- Golden Globe Awardshttps://goldenglobes.com/film/witness/
- Kansas City Film Critics Circlehttps://kcfcc.org/kcfcc-award-winners-1980-89/
- wga.orghttps://archive.today/20121205095022/http://www.wga.org/awards/awardssub.aspx?id=1551
- dga.orghttps://www.dga.org/Awards/History/1980s/1985.aspx?value=1985
- grammy.comhttps://www.grammy.com/artists/maurice-jarre/3470
- Editing Digital Video: The Complete Creative and Technical Guidehttps://books.google.com/books?id=9FW59a17sdgC
- Hostetler & Kraybill 1988, pp. 220–235.
- Weaver-Zercher 2001, p. 152.
- Weaver-Zercher 2001, pp. 152–153.
- The Pittsburgh Presshttps://news.google.com/newspapers?id=h6ccAAAAIBAJ&sjid=GGIEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3978,64379
- Ury 2000, pp. 170–171.
- Far Outhttps://faroutmagazine.co.uk/akira-kurosawa-100-favourite-films-list/
- wildgrounds.nethttps://web.archive.org/web/20100327124349/http://wildgrounds.com/index.php/2009/01/17/akira-kurosawas-top-100-movies/