A retired air force pilot is sent into the Soviet Union on a mission to steal a prototype jet fighter that can be partially controlled by neuralink.A retired air force pilot is sent into the Soviet Union on a mission to steal a prototype jet fighter that can be partially controlled by neuralink.A retired air force pilot is sent into the Soviet Union on a mission to steal a prototype jet fighter that can be partially controlled by neuralink.
Klaus Löwitsch
- General Vladimirov
- (as Klaus Lowitsch)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaAuthor Craig Thomas' 1983 sequel to "Firefox", the novel "Firefox Down", is dedicated to Clint Eastwood. The dedication reads: "For Clint Eastwood - pilot of the Firefox".
- GoofsAfter the Firefox is stolen, General Vladimirov explains to the First Secretary that in order to maximize fuel range, Gant will have to control his speed and fly low to conserve fuel. The part about controlling his speed is true enough: speed, particularly with afterburners, is the enemy of fuel consumption, but flying low is exactly the opposite of what he should do. Airplanes - jets, in particular - burn far less fuel at higher altitudes where the air is thin than down low where it is much denser.
- Crazy creditsThere are no opening credits after the title has been shown. This has since become a trademark of all Eastwood-directed films.
- Alternate versionsAfter its initial release, Clint Eastwood recut the film by 13 minutes; this 124-minute version has aired on cable TV. Full 137-minute original version restored for video and later network television releases.
- ConnectionsEdited from Ice Station Zebra (1968)
Featured review
This thrilling and intriguing movie is set during Cold War , the URSS has developed a high-tech jet called MiG-31 that can be partially controlled by a neuralink . The Soviets have made a sophisticated aircraft , the latest aeronautic marvel that flies at 6 times the speed of sound, is invulnerable to radar, and worst of all it has a lethal technological weapons system that the pilot can control through cerebral waves and thought . As soon as the pilot detects a threat - either visually or a scope - his brain impulses will direct a missile to that threat , without so much as pushing a button . The American fighter pilot assigned by Secret Service (Freddie Jones) is the Vietnam veteran named Mitchell Gant (Clint Eastwood), a burned-out USAF ace pilot, is smuggled into the USSR to infiltrate the Russian airbase at Bilyarsk, where the supersonic fighting plane Firefox/MiG-31 is being terminated , he must rob it and avoid the mass production that would give the Russians a huge advance . Officer Mitchell Gant goes behind Russian lines and faces a dangerous assignment . In Russia is helped by various secret agents (Warren Clarke, Nigel Hawthorne , Ronald Lacey) against KGB (Hugh Frazer , David Gant) and Soviet officials ( Kenneth Colley ,Oliver Cotton , Klaus Lowitsch ) .
Eastwood directs , produces and plays this exciting film about a pilot sent into the Soviet Union on a mission to steal a prototype jet fighter . This overlong picture takes a while to take off , but when it does , it's cool film . It contains suspense , thrills , intrigue , action-packed and is pretty entertaining . Spectacular aerial pursuits and dogfighting in ¨Star Wars¨ style created by FX expert John Dykstra who made special visual effects in several films such as ¨Galactica , Star Trek ,Batman , Spiderman , X men and Hanckock ¨. Ample support cast full of prestigious British actors who make good performances as as Freddie Young , Kenneth Colley , Stefan Schnabel , David Huffman , Nigel Hawthorne , Warren Clarke and Ronal Lacey , among them . Colorful and appropriate cinematography by Bruce Surtees ,son of great cameraman Robert Surtess and Eastwood's usual . Thrilling and suspenseful score by the maestro Maurice Jarre . Rating : Acceptable and passable but slow-moving and over lengthy .
Eastwood directs , produces and plays this exciting film about a pilot sent into the Soviet Union on a mission to steal a prototype jet fighter . This overlong picture takes a while to take off , but when it does , it's cool film . It contains suspense , thrills , intrigue , action-packed and is pretty entertaining . Spectacular aerial pursuits and dogfighting in ¨Star Wars¨ style created by FX expert John Dykstra who made special visual effects in several films such as ¨Galactica , Star Trek ,Batman , Spiderman , X men and Hanckock ¨. Ample support cast full of prestigious British actors who make good performances as as Freddie Young , Kenneth Colley , Stefan Schnabel , David Huffman , Nigel Hawthorne , Warren Clarke and Ronal Lacey , among them . Colorful and appropriate cinematography by Bruce Surtees ,son of great cameraman Robert Surtess and Eastwood's usual . Thrilling and suspenseful score by the maestro Maurice Jarre . Rating : Acceptable and passable but slow-moving and over lengthy .
Details
Box office
- Budget
- $21,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $46,708,276
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $8,152,948
- Jun 20, 1982
- Gross worldwide
- $46,708,276
- Runtime2 hours 16 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 2.39 : 1
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