Costa-Gravras’ ‘Missing’.

Costa-Gravras’ ‘Missing’ (1982) tells the story of an American writer who “disappears” during the Chilean coup of 1973. His wife (Sissy Spacek) and father (Jack Lemmon) make a desperate search for him yet meet resistance every step of the way, primarily because of America’s involvement in toppling Allende’s regime, something which the U.S. is not wanting made public.
Realising they are being constantly lied to by their own Government the wife and father start to investigate by themselves, determined to get the the truth, even if it leads to the inevitable.
A couple of things are remarkable about ‘Missing’. Firstly is the overwhelming sense of a city and society tearing itself apart. Gravras knows exactly just what, and what not, to show us. We are constantly uncertain as to what is happening just off-screen or what burst of violence could happen next. All attempts at conversation are punctuated by near constant gun-fire and the threat of being gunned down is an ever present possibility. There is a stunning sequence when Lemmon and Spacek are interviewing people for information on a roof-top restaurant when violence erupts in the streets below. We see none of it, just a helicopter hoovering over whatever nightmare is unfolding beneath.
The other notable aspect of the movie is that, despite its heavy subject matter, it almost comes across as a romantic screw-ball comedy at times. Sure, there’s obviously no sexual element between Spacek and Lemmon’s characters but these are two very different people thrown together and who become close (and, essentially, come to love each other) as they go through various trials that bond them. They even have an argument with each other from different hotel rooms.
Watching these two people getting to know each other is one of the real triumphs of the film. It is genuinely touching as they learn how to support each other as they both know, although it’s left unsaid, that they are not providing each other with hope but helping each other cope with trauma. These are two totally different people but they share one thing in common and that is their pain. Seeing how Spacek learns exactly how to comfort Lemmon as the movie goes on is heart-breakingly moving.
‘Missing’ is an excellent film. It’s powerful, moving and vitally compelling and contains two wonderful central performances.