I bloody love No Way Out.
I sat down and watched it for the first time and years the other night and wasn’t sure what to expect. I certainly don’t remember Sean Young being as naked and crazy as she is in this. According to IMDB Sean Young said in interviews that
director Roger Donaldson made her lift her shirt and show him her breasts during an audition.
The imbalance between Sean Young getting her kit off and Kevin Costner is quite notable. At one point she gets completely naked in her friends hallway (played by Iman) as she hands her fur coat over, revealing nothing underneath. It’s a problematic scene, what kind of friend does that? Hey, I know it’s the dead of night, but I need your apartment to make love to this complete stranger I picked up tonight. I’ll be shagging him in your bed, you take the limo downstairs and sleep at mine.
What came first? 1987 a Good year
Costner in fact made No Way Out first, and then Untouchables. They wanted Untouchables to come out first, give No Way Out more cache as Untouchables had as Paramount was bigger than Orion. Costner said in an interview,
“Gene Hackman was the most real actor that I have ever worked with, Sean Connery was the biggest star.”
On the stunts
In an interview with Jimmy Carter he said about No Way Out,
You see power at play. I’m big on stunts, making it come off. I’ll step in if its not coming off. It’s in my nature to be physical in films. I felty like I could pull it off.
For the most part of this film Costner shows off his lean yet not overly athletic (at least by today’s standards) by wearing a naval officers uniform around the Pentagon. According to IMDB,
Some, though not all, scenes supposedly inside the Pentagon were filmed there. The most notable on location scene occurred inside the actual office of the Secretary of Defense.
What watch does Costner wear?
His wardrobe outside of that is one of casual 80s, slightly dated. From non-branded beige Harrington jackets, to maroon thick whale corduroy trousers. When he is at his most casual he will were Hawaiian shirts on holiday and wayfarer glasses. I tried finding out what watch he wears and I found close examples. Could be a Ford (judging by the strap this would be my guess) or a Haverhills.
The film stands up thankfully, largely due to the performances of the principle actors. Hackman is slightly underused but perfect as an odious, drunk with power Defense Secretary. Will Paxton has a permanent air of slime about him. Intensely loyal to Brice played by Hackman, to the point of sickening infatuation.
He has such great range because he can play the same loyal friend to Harry Stamper (Willis) in Armageddon, and Memphis (Cage) in Gone in 60 Seconds. Yet he comes across as the kind of mate you want in those films, here he’s like a tick you promise yourself you’ll remove one day.
Sources:
Already cited, images from IMDB.
