PRESUMED INNOCENT/FRANTIC Blu-Ray Double Feature

Review by John Larkin

What a wonderful release this is! I picked it up the moment I saw it available, because it struck me immediately as the perfect double feature. Two Harrison Ford-led legal thrillers I had never seen before, finally getting the proper Blu-ray treatment, packaged together in a way that just makes sense. One directed by ALAN J. PAKULA, the other by ROMAN POLANSKI, both emerging from that era when mid-budget adult thrillers carried real dramatic weight and still found enthusiastic theatrical audiences.

I was familiar with FRANTIC primarily because of ENNIO MORRICONE’s score. That main theme had stayed with me for years. I used to listen to it often when I was first diving into film music, and I even ended up using it in a short film I made back in high school. Experiencing the movie in full for the first time was long overdue. As for PRESUMED INNOCENT, I had read the novel during college and really enjoyed it, but somehow never got around to watching the film adaptation. I haven’t yet seen the newer version with Jake Gyllenhaal, so this was my introduction to the story on screen—through Ford’s performance.

FRANTIC centers on a doctor, played by Ford, who arrives in Paris with his wife for a medical conference. When she vanishes without warning from their hotel, the film becomes a slow-burning search through an unfamiliar city filled with apathy, obstacles, and shadowy intrigue. Ford’s character is constantly met with indifference and resistance, and the film leans into that disorientation. Polanski directs with precision and restraint, creating a cool, claustrophobic atmosphere. The pacing is deliberate, but the tension builds steadily. MORRICONE’s score is spare and exacting, underscoring the suspense with a subtle emotional current that never overstates itself.

PRESUMED INNOCENT is more cerebral in its approach. Ford plays Rusty Sabich, a prosecutor who finds himself accused of murdering a colleague and former lover. The narrative is steeped in ambiguity, focusing not just on the case itself, but on the emotional fallout—infidelity, loyalty, institutional politics, and the fragility of truth. PAKULA brings a calm, methodical hand to the film, giving the performances and the legal process room to breathe. It’s a thriller that’s less about spectacle and more about what people reveal—intentionally or not—through behavior, silence, and small choices.

Seeing these two films back to back is a strong reminder of just how effective Ford can be in more restrained, introspective roles. There’s no action-hero bravado here. These are measured, emotionally complex performances where so much of what the character is going through happens behind the eyes. Whether it’s the mounting panic of FRANTIC or the quiet unease of PRESUMED INNOCENT, Ford brings gravity and believability to every moment. These are roles that might not be as iconic as Indiana Jones or Han Solo, but they show the depth of his range and his strength as a dramatic actor.

The Blu-ray presentation itself is solid across the board. Both films look clean and well-preserved, with natural image quality and no heavy-handed digital tampering. While the set doesn’t come with an abundance of bonus material, the core value here is simply having these two titles available in a high-quality release. That said, availability has been a bit of an issue. The release went out of stock quickly and hasn’t been consistently listed at major retailers. Hopefully that’s a temporary situation, because this is a set that deserves wide accessibility. For fans of smart thrillers or those interested in Ford’s more subdued performances, this double feature is a must-have.