Sweet Revenge (1987 film)
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''Sweet Revenge'' is a 1987 American motion picture starring Nancy Allen as Jillian Grey, a newscaster abducted and sold into
white slavery White slavery (also white slave trade or white slave trafficking) refers to the slavery of Europeans, whether by non-Europeans (such as West Asians and North Africans), or by other Europeans (for example naval galley slaves or the Vikings' t ...
while doing an undercover expose.
Ted Shackelford Theodore Tillman Shackelford III (born June 23, 1946) is an American actor. He played Gary Ewing in the CBS television series ''Dallas'' and ''Knots Landing'' (1979–1993); since 2006, he has appeared in a recurring role on the CBS soap ''The Yo ...
,
Martin Landau Martin James Landau (; June 20, 1928 – July 15, 2017) was an American actor, acting coach, producer, and editorial cartoonist. His career began in the 1950s, with early film appearances including a supporting role in Alfred Hitchcock's ''North ...
,
Gina Gershon Gina L. Gershon (born June 10, 1962) is an American actress. She has had roles in the films ''Cocktail'' (1988), ''Red Heat'' (1988), '' Showgirls'' (1995), '' Bound'' (1996), '' Face/Off'' (1997), '' The Insider'' (1999), '' Demonlover'' (2002 ...
,
Michele Little Michele Little (born c. 1960) is an American former actress, best known for her appearances in the 1980s and early 1990s. She retired in 1995 to raise a family after giving birth to a daughter with husband Brett Cullen. Filmography *''Radioactiv ...
, and Lotis Key round out the cast of this R-rated action adventure directed by Mark Sobel with
Roger Corman Roger William Corman (born April 5, 1926) is an American film director, producer, and actor. He has been called "The Pope of Pop Cinema" and is known as a trailblazer in the world of independent film. Many of Corman's films are based on works t ...
acting as executive producer.


Plot

In Los Angeles, California, television reporter Jillian Grey investigates the disappearance of several women. Jillian goes to meet an informant who tells her a businessman is having the women kidnapped and taken to the Far East where he drugs them and sells them to the highest bidder. This is being done under the guise of a research foundation; once Jillian finds the foundation, she will have her story. After Jillian leaves, a woman named Sonya shoots and kills the informant, then shoots and kills Jillian’s producer, who was parked in a nearby van secretly recording the conversation. In Hollywood, California, three young women, K. C., Tina, and Lee meet Sonya, who is posing as a modeling agent. Sonya tells them they are perfect for what she needs, but does not have time to go into detail as she has to catch a flight to Thailand. The women volunteer to ride to the airport with her for further discussion. However, once at the airport, Sonya’s man pulls a gun and forces the three young women onto a private plane. Sonya breaks into Jillian’s house and kills Jillian’s husband. Sonya’s man chloroforms Jillian and kidnaps her. In Asia, Jillian, K. C., Tina, and Lee are being transported in the back of a van when they escape and run through the streets. Sonya catches up and kills Tina. Jillian, K. C., and Lee run the other direction but, are soon blocked by one of Sonya’s men. Just then, a mercenary named Boone comes out of a bar and punches Sonya’s man. However, another of Sonya’s men arrives and knocks Boone out. Sonya and her men take Boone, Jillian, K. C., and Lee to the Cicero Research Foundation in the jungle. The woman are injected with heroin while Boone is tied to a rafter in a back room. Jillian is taken to the office of foundation head Jeffrey Cicero. He shows her a newspaper article about her disappearance. A terrorist group is claiming responsibility, saying it was “designed to demonstrate contempt for the U.S. media.” Jillian, K. C., and Lee are taken to a stage at a club in the Foundation compound where men start bidding to buy them. When one of the men examines Jillian closely, she tells him to go to hell. He slaps her and she grabs a machine gun from one of the guards and starts firing into the audience. The three women escape, free Boone, and all flee in a truck. Chasing them in Jeeps, Cicero’s men fire machine guns at the truck, but Boone and the women elude their pursuers. Safe in the jungle, the women want to go to the American embassy for help, but Boone warns that Cicero carries too much clout. Jillian refuses to leave Thailand until she finds her eight-year-old daughter, Jaimie, whom she assumes was also kidnapped. K. C. and Lee promise to help her and draft Boone into assisting them. Boone is upset that all his jugs of counterfeit perfume in the back of the truck were destroyed by machine gun fire. He can buy the jugs of perfume for $200 and sell them to someone in America for $1,000. Boone and the women go to see a pirate named Buddha, who has connections throughout the area. Buddha reports Cicero has put up a bounty for their capture. He is happy to help, but first wants Boone to pick up a shipment for him. The women insist on accompanying Boone, fearing he will abandon them. Jillian breaks down, upset about her daughter, but Boone assures her it will be alright and kisses her. Boone and the women take a small boat to meet a freighter. The men on the freighter hold Boone, Jillian, and Lee at gunpoint, intending to collect the bounty. Boone tries to make a deal allowing the sailors to take the women to Cicero, but let him go free. Outraged, Jillian and Lee repeatedly hit Boone, to the amusement of the men on the ship. Meanwhile, K. C. sneaks onto the ship and holds a knife to the captain’s throat. Boone and the women escape with the cargo. While they are gone from Buddha's compound, Cicero sends helicopters to fire guns and launch grenades on the compound. Boone and the women return to find the place nearly destroyed. Buddha sends them away, saying Cicero’s men may return for them. He provides them a boat and tells Jillian he could not learn anything about her daughter’s whereabouts. Boone takes the women to a cave he uses as his headquarters. Boone and Jillian argue about finding Jaimie, but end up making love. At the Foundation compound, Sonya and her henchman, Gil, plot to kill Cicero, believing he is losing his grip on reality and will likely have them killed soon. Sonya and Gil make love. The next morning, Boone and the women sneak into Cicero’s compound and knock out several guards. When they are discovered, the rest of Cicero’s men shoot at them. Jillian goes to Cicero’s office demanding to know where her daughter is. He has no idea, but suggests Sonya knows. Cicero escapes from Jillian, but is knocked unconscious by Sonya and Gil, who take off in a helicopter. Cicero comes to and rushes to the helicopter, hanging onto the landing skid as it lifts off. Gil kicks Cicero’s hands and he falls to his death. Then Sonya shoots Gil, killing him. Boone flips a detonator switch and the helicopter explodes over the compound. As the women prepare to leave the country, Jillian and Boone share a tender good-bye. Jillian invites him to look her up if he ever returns to America. As the women fly into Los Angeles International Airport, Jillian thanks K. C. and Lee for their help, then goes to meet the press. Just as she begins her press conference, Jillian hears a small voice call, “Mommy.” She turns to see Jaimie rushing to her. They hug and are happily reunited.


Cast

Nancy Allen as Jillian Grey
Ted Shackelford Theodore Tillman Shackelford III (born June 23, 1946) is an American actor. He played Gary Ewing in the CBS television series ''Dallas'' and ''Knots Landing'' (1979–1993); since 2006, he has appeared in a recurring role on the CBS soap ''The Yo ...
as Boone Sal Landi as Gil
Martin Landau Martin James Landau (; June 20, 1928 – July 15, 2017) was an American actor, acting coach, producer, and editorial cartoonist. His career began in the 1950s, with early film appearances including a supporting role in Alfred Hitchcock's ''North ...
as Cicero
Michele Little Michele Little (born c. 1960) is an American former actress, best known for her appearances in the 1980s and early 1990s. She retired in 1995 to raise a family after giving birth to a daughter with husband Brett Cullen. Filmography *''Radioactiv ...
as Lee
Gina Gershon Gina L. Gershon (born June 10, 1962) is an American actress. She has had roles in the films ''Cocktail'' (1988), ''Red Heat'' (1988), '' Showgirls'' (1995), '' Bound'' (1996), '' Face/Off'' (1997), '' The Insider'' (1999), '' Demonlover'' (2002 ...
as K.C. Lotis Key as Sonya


Production

The film was shot on location in the
Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...
, with additional scenes shot in
Bronson Canyon Bronson Canyon, or Bronson Caves, is a section of Griffith Park in Los Angeles that has become known as a filming location for many films and television series, especially Westerns and science fiction, from the early days of motion pictures to th ...
,
Griffith Park Griffith Park is a large municipal park at the eastern end of the Santa Monica Mountains, in the Los Feliz neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. The park includes popular attractions such as the Los Angeles Zoo, the Autry Museum of the Ameri ...
,
Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...
,
California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
,
USA The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
.


Release

After test screening at
Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Western Pennsylvania, the second-most populous city in Pennsylva ...
in may 1987, Sweet Revenge opened on 11 September 1987 in limited release, earning $120,000 at thirty-four locations in its first three days of release.


External links

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Sweet Revenge
at AFI Catalog 1987 films Films about journalists American action films 1987 action films Films shot in Metro Manila 1980s adventure films Films produced by Roger Corman American action adventure films Films shot in the Philippines 1980s English-language films Films directed by Mark Sobel 1980s American films {{action-adventure-film-stub