Synopsis

Shot in a dazzling variety of locations including Algeria, Germany, Britain, and Spain, Jack Nicholson is TV reporter David Locke who, while covering a civil war in Africa, embarks on a new life.

Switching identities with a chatty stranger he finds dead in his hotel, Nicholson goes as far as keeping the appointments of the dead man until he discovers the man was involved in some less than reputable dealings on the black market.



Along the way he begins an affair with a mysterious student, played to cryptic perfection by Maria Schneider. The meticulously shot film climaxes in one of the most talked-about shots of the decade, a seven minute single take slow zoom—a deft combination of technical proficiency and emotional unease. --AFI

Cast: Jack Nicholson, Maria Schneider, Jenny Runacre, Ian Hendry, Steven Berkoff, Ambroise Bia, José María Caffarel, James Campbell, Manfred Spies, Jean-Baptiste Tiemele

Cannes (In Competition), AFI FEST (Tribute), New York, Telluride, AFI FEST (Milestones)