The Bourne Identity (1988 film)

The
Directed by Roger Young
Produced by Frederick Muller
Written by Novel:
Robert Ludlum
Screenplay:
Carol Sobieski
Starring Richard Chamberlain
Jaclyn Smith
Anthony Quayle
Donald Moffat
Denholm Elliott
Music by Laurence Rosenthal
Production
company
Alan Shayne Productions
Warner Bros. Television
Distributed by ABC (1988)
Warner Bros. Television (1988)
Fazer Musiikki Oy/Fazer Video (1988) (Finland)
Sandrew Metronome Distribution (2002) (Finland)
Warner Home Video (2002-2003) (Europe, USA)
Audio Visual Enterprises (1989) (Greece)
Mainostelevisio (1990) (Finland)
Release dates
 1988
Running time
 185 min.
Language English, French, German

The Bourne Identity is a 1988 television movie adaptation of Robert Ludlum's novel The Bourne Identity.[1] The film was directed by Roger Young for Warner Bros. Television with Richard Chamberlain in the title role, along with Jaclyn Smith. It follows the storyline of the original novel, with a run-time of 3 hours 5 min. With commercials added, the running time was extended to four hours. The film was first shown on ABC in two two-hour installments over two nights. The film was the last TV film for both Anthony Quayle and Denholm Elliott.

The book was adapted again in 2002 by Doug Liman starring Matt Damon as Jason Bourne, launching the Bourne series of theatrical films, with considerable deviations from the original Cold War novel.[1][2] It was followed later by a new series of Bourne best sellers written by Eric Lustbader with the permission of the Ludlum estate.

Differences from the book

The film's plot exhibits some differences from that of the novel by Ludlum. The undercover identity of Jason Bourne is simplified. In the book and film, David Webb, because of his amnesia, believes himself to be Jason Bourne and an assassin called Cain. Alexander Conklin is accidentally shot by his own people when attempting to kill Bourne; in the novel he survives and appears in subsequent novels. In the book's ending, Conklin escapes in the confusion, whereas in the film he is gunned down at the last moment by a double agent.

Notes and references

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 The Bourne Identity at AllMovie
  2. ↑ William Bibbiani (November 3, 2011). "‘The Bourne Identity’ vs. ‘The Bourne Identity’". Remake Rumble. CraveOnline Media. Retrieved 1 August 2013.

External links