No Man's Land (1987 film)
Encyclopedia
No Man's Land is a 1987 film directed by Peter Werner and starring D. B. Sweeney
, Charlie Sheen
and Randy Quaid
. Brad Pitt
made his acting debut in this film as an uncredited extra.
thefts, Lieutenant Vincent Bracey (Randy Quaid
) assigns 22-year-old San Diego rookie officer Benjamin "Benjy" Taylor (D. B. Sweeney
) to go undercover and infiltrate a Porsche garage suspected to be the front of the grand theft auto
scheme. Benjy is chosen because of his extensive mechanical knowledge of German cars and his rookie status, which prevents others from suspecting that he is a cop. Bracey also wants Benjy to obtain evidence that millionaire Ted Varrick (Charlie Sheen
) is the mastermind behind the thefts and the murder of a fellow detective. Using the alias "Billy Isles", Benjy moves to Los Angeles
and quickly gets a job at Technique Porsche as a mechanic. After Benjy fixes Ted's Porsche one night, both men become close friends while Benjy slowly becomes romantically attached to Ted's sister Ann (Lara Harris). Benjy also discovers the presence of a rival syndicate led by Frank Martin (R. D. Call), which leads him to believe that Ted is not the prime suspect.
One day, Ted brings Benjy into his side business of stealing Porsches, with the garage manager Malcolm (Bill Duke
) coordinating the operations. While doing a job at the mall, both men are shot at by members of the syndicate, but they manage to lose them in a lengthy car chase. The next day, Ted goes to Technique Porsche and discovers that Malcolm has been murdered. In retaliation, he kills Frank at a night club. During a phone conversation at a party, Lieutenant Curtis Loos (Arlen Dean Snyder) - who was hired by Ted to take out the detective earlier in the film - tells Ted about Benjy's real identity. The next night, Ted has Benjy meet up with Loos at a warehouse and hand him some cash. But when Loos prepares to kill Benjy, Ted runs him over to save his friend. Later, Benjy stops at Bracey's house to inform him of what happened with Loos and accuses Bracey of being in cahoots with him. Bracey kicks Benjy out, but tells him to call in the morning so they can work things out. Benji drives off, unaware that Ted was nearby, spying on him. The next day, Benjy's cover is blown in front of Ann when his uncle Michael (Philip Benichou) pays him a visit at his apartment. After Ted murders Bracey, he meets up with Benjy at the mall, where Benjy tells him he will put him away for the murders. The argument becomes a gun fight; Benjy is wounded, but he kills Ted before the police arrive.
. Ska
band The Untouchables performed live in the first party scene.
. Roger Ebert
gave the film three out of four stars, saying the movie "has lots of scenes of Sheen and Sweeney stealing cars, and it dwells on the details of their crimes, and the reckless way they risk capture. This is a movie about how money and excitement generate a seduction that can change personal values; it's better and deeper than you might expect."
D. B. Sweeney
Daniel Bernard "D. B." Sweeney is an American actor.-Early life:Sweeney was born on Long Island, New York and raised in Shoreham by an educator father and a municipal government employee mother. He attended Shoreham-Wading River High School and both Tulane and New York University...
, Charlie Sheen
Charlie Sheen
Carlos Irwin Estevez , better known by his stage name Charlie Sheen, is an American film and television actor. He is the youngest son of actor Martin Sheen....
and Randy Quaid
Randy Quaid
Randall Rudy "Randy" Quaid is an American actor perhaps best known for his role as Cousin Eddie in the National Lampoon's Vacation movies, as well as his numerous supporting roles in films, including his Oscar nominated performance in The Last Detail, Independence Day, Kingpin and Brokeback Mountain...
. Brad Pitt
Brad Pitt
William Bradley "Brad" Pitt is an American actor and film producer. Pitt has received two Academy Award nominations and four Golden Globe Award nominations, winning one...
made his acting debut in this film as an uncredited extra.
Plot
When a detective is gunned down while investigating a string of PorschePorsche
Porsche Automobil Holding SE, usually shortened to Porsche SE a Societas Europaea or European Public Company, is a German based holding company with investments in the automotive industry....
thefts, Lieutenant Vincent Bracey (Randy Quaid
Randy Quaid
Randall Rudy "Randy" Quaid is an American actor perhaps best known for his role as Cousin Eddie in the National Lampoon's Vacation movies, as well as his numerous supporting roles in films, including his Oscar nominated performance in The Last Detail, Independence Day, Kingpin and Brokeback Mountain...
) assigns 22-year-old San Diego rookie officer Benjamin "Benjy" Taylor (D. B. Sweeney
D. B. Sweeney
Daniel Bernard "D. B." Sweeney is an American actor.-Early life:Sweeney was born on Long Island, New York and raised in Shoreham by an educator father and a municipal government employee mother. He attended Shoreham-Wading River High School and both Tulane and New York University...
) to go undercover and infiltrate a Porsche garage suspected to be the front of the grand theft auto
Motor vehicle theft
Motor vehicle theft is the criminal act of stealing or attempting to steal a motor vehicle...
scheme. Benjy is chosen because of his extensive mechanical knowledge of German cars and his rookie status, which prevents others from suspecting that he is a cop. Bracey also wants Benjy to obtain evidence that millionaire Ted Varrick (Charlie Sheen
Charlie Sheen
Carlos Irwin Estevez , better known by his stage name Charlie Sheen, is an American film and television actor. He is the youngest son of actor Martin Sheen....
) is the mastermind behind the thefts and the murder of a fellow detective. Using the alias "Billy Isles", Benjy moves to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
and quickly gets a job at Technique Porsche as a mechanic. After Benjy fixes Ted's Porsche one night, both men become close friends while Benjy slowly becomes romantically attached to Ted's sister Ann (Lara Harris). Benjy also discovers the presence of a rival syndicate led by Frank Martin (R. D. Call), which leads him to believe that Ted is not the prime suspect.
One day, Ted brings Benjy into his side business of stealing Porsches, with the garage manager Malcolm (Bill Duke
Bill Duke
William Henry "Bill" Duke, Jr. is an American actor and film director with over 30 years of experience. Known for his physically imposing frame, Duke's work frequently dwells within the action/crime and drama genres but also includes comedy.-Early life:Duke was born in Poughkeepsie, New York, the...
) coordinating the operations. While doing a job at the mall, both men are shot at by members of the syndicate, but they manage to lose them in a lengthy car chase. The next day, Ted goes to Technique Porsche and discovers that Malcolm has been murdered. In retaliation, he kills Frank at a night club. During a phone conversation at a party, Lieutenant Curtis Loos (Arlen Dean Snyder) - who was hired by Ted to take out the detective earlier in the film - tells Ted about Benjy's real identity. The next night, Ted has Benjy meet up with Loos at a warehouse and hand him some cash. But when Loos prepares to kill Benjy, Ted runs him over to save his friend. Later, Benjy stops at Bracey's house to inform him of what happened with Loos and accuses Bracey of being in cahoots with him. Bracey kicks Benjy out, but tells him to call in the morning so they can work things out. Benji drives off, unaware that Ted was nearby, spying on him. The next day, Benjy's cover is blown in front of Ann when his uncle Michael (Philip Benichou) pays him a visit at his apartment. After Ted murders Bracey, he meets up with Benjy at the mall, where Benjy tells him he will put him away for the murders. The argument becomes a gun fight; Benjy is wounded, but he kills Ted before the police arrive.
Cast
- D. B. SweeneyD. B. SweeneyDaniel Bernard "D. B." Sweeney is an American actor.-Early life:Sweeney was born on Long Island, New York and raised in Shoreham by an educator father and a municipal government employee mother. He attended Shoreham-Wading River High School and both Tulane and New York University...
- Benjamin "Benjy" Taylor a.k.a. Billy Isles - Charlie SheenCharlie SheenCarlos Irwin Estevez , better known by his stage name Charlie Sheen, is an American film and television actor. He is the youngest son of actor Martin Sheen....
- Ted Varrick - Lara Harris - Ann Varrick
- Randy QuaidRandy QuaidRandall Rudy "Randy" Quaid is an American actor perhaps best known for his role as Cousin Eddie in the National Lampoon's Vacation movies, as well as his numerous supporting roles in films, including his Oscar nominated performance in The Last Detail, Independence Day, Kingpin and Brokeback Mountain...
- Lieutenant Vincent Bracey - Bill DukeBill DukeWilliam Henry "Bill" Duke, Jr. is an American actor and film director with over 30 years of experience. Known for his physically imposing frame, Duke's work frequently dwells within the action/crime and drama genres but also includes comedy.-Early life:Duke was born in Poughkeepsie, New York, the...
- Malcolm - R. D. Call - Frank Martin
- Arlen Dean Snyder - Lieutenant Curtis Loos
- M. Emmet WalshM. Emmet WalshMichael Emmet Walsh is an American actor who has appeared in over 100 film and television productions.-Life and career:Walsh was born in Ogdensburg, New York, the son of Agnes Kathrine and Harry Maurice Walsh, Sr., a customs agent...
- Captain Haun - Al Shannon - Danny
- Bernie Pock - Ridley
- Kenny Endoso - Leon
- James F. Kelly - Brandon
- Lori Butler - Suzanne
- Clare Wren - Deborah
- Philip Benichou - Michael
- Linda Carol - Party Girl
- Danitza Kingsley - Margot
- Peggy McCayPeggy McCayPeggy McCay is a long-time American actress with a career lasting over sixty years in film and television...
- Benjy's Mom - Linda Shayne - Peggy
- Robert Pierce - Jim
- Claude Earl Jones - Uncle Roy
- Jan Burrell - Aunt Rhea
- Channing Chase - Aunt Fran
- Jessica Puscas - Mary Jean
- Molly Carter - Colleen
- Guy Boyd - Jaws
- Henry G. Sanders - Heath
- Gary RileyGary RileyGary Riley is a former American character actor with about thirty credits encompassing theatrical and made-for-TV films as well as episodes of TV series.A native of St...
- Cal - Jenny GagoJenny GagoJenny Gago is an American actress.- Career :Gago has appeared in movies and television for 25 years, including recurring roles as Captain Santina on MacGyver, Detective Beatrice Zapeda in Alien Nation, Anaya on The Agency and Grandma on Freddie...
- Tory Bracey - Scott Lincoln - Bailey
- Tom Santo - Juio
- Michael RileyMichael RileyMichael Riley is a Canadian actor and graduate of the National Theatre School in Montreal, Canada in 1984. Riley's first appearance was in the film No Man's Land...
- Horton - Denis Hartigan - Duncan
Soundtrack
The original music score was composed by Basil PoledourisBasil Poledouris
Vassilis Konstantinos "Basil" Poledouris was a Greek-American music composer who concentrated on the scores for films and television shows...
. Ska
Ska
Ska |Jamaican]] ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s, and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. Ska combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues...
band The Untouchables performed live in the first party scene.
Reception
The film has received mixed reviews, with a score of 50% on Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
. Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert
Roger Joseph Ebert is an American film critic and screenwriter. He is the first film critic to win a Pulitzer Prize for Criticism.Ebert is known for his film review column and for the television programs Sneak Previews, At the Movies with Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, and Siskel and Ebert and The...
gave the film three out of four stars, saying the movie "has lots of scenes of Sheen and Sweeney stealing cars, and it dwells on the details of their crimes, and the reckless way they risk capture. This is a movie about how money and excitement generate a seduction that can change personal values; it's better and deeper than you might expect."