The Fugitive is a 1993 American action thriller film based on the 1960s television series of the same name created by Roy Huggins. The film was directed by Andrew Davis and stars Harrison Ford, Tommy Lee Jones, Sela Ward, Joe Pantoliano, Andreas Katsulas, and Jeroen Krabbé. The screenplay was written by David Twohy and Jeb Stuart from a story by Twohy. The plot centers on Dr. Richard Kimble (Ford), a vascular surgeon. After being framed for the murder of his wife and sentenced to death, Dr. Kimble escapes from custody following a bus crash and sets out to find the real killer and clear his name while being hunted by the police and a team of U.S. Marshals.
The Fugitive premiered in Westwood, California, on July 29, 1993, and was released in the United States on August 6, 1993. It was a critical and commercial success, spending six weeks as the #1 film in the United States, and grossing nearly $370 million worldwide against a $44 million budget. It was the third-highest-grossing film of 1993 domestically with an estimated 44 million tickets sold in the U.S. It was nominated for seven Academy Awards including Best Picture; Jones won for Best Supporting Actor. It was followed by a 1998 spin-off, U.S. Marshals, in which Jones reprised his role as Deputy Marshal Gerard along with some others of his earlier Marshals team.
Plot
In March 1992, Chicago vascular surgeon Dr. Richard Kimble returns home to discover his wife, Helen, has been fatally wounded by a one-armed assailant. Despite his efforts, the attacker evades capture. Kimble's account of events is dismissed due to the absence of forced entry, Helen's substantial life insurance policy, and a misinterpreted 911 call, all of which result in Kimble's wrongful arrest. Consequently, he is falsely accused of murder, convicted, and receives a death sentence.
During transport to death row, Kimble's fellow prisoners attempt an escape. In the unrest, two prisoners and the driver are killed, sending the bus down a ravine and into the path of an oncoming train. Kimble saves a correction officer and escapes the collision. Ninety minutes later, Deputy US Marshal Samuel Gerard and his staff arrive at the derailment scene and launch a manhunt. Kimble sneaks into a hospital to treat his wounds and acquire clothing. After altering his appearance, Kimble steals an ambulance and almost gets caught in a tunnel, but evades most of the marshals by entering a storm drain. Gerard follows, slips, and loses one of his guns. Kimble finds it and proclaims his innocence, pointing the gun at Gerard, who replies he doesn't care. Gerard, spare gun in hand, corners Kimble over a high spillway. Kimble jumps and escapes.
Kimble returns to Chicago where he hunts to identify the real killer. He rents a cheap apartment and acquires money from his friend and colleague Dr. Charles Nichols. Kimble assumes the identity of a janitor to infiltrate the prosthetic department at Cook County Hospital to make a list of patients matching the killer. In the meantime, he changes the medical instructions for a misdiagnosed trauma patient, thus saving the patient's life, but his cover is blown and Kimble flees the building when a doctor becomes suspicious and alerts the authorities.
Gerard suspects that Kimble is searching for the one-armed man and spots him at Chicago City Hall after interviewing a jailed suspect. After an intense chase, Kimble disappears into Chicago's St. Patrick's Day parade. Later, he breaks into the home of another suspect on his list, Frederick Sykes, and discovers a photo that confirms Sykes as the killer. Sykes is a former cop who now works security for Devlin-MacGregor, a pharmaceutical company that is releasing a new drug called Provasic. Kimble had researched and investigated the drug and found that it causes liver damage, which would have prevented FDA approval.
Kimble figures out that Dr. Nichols, a board member of Devlin-MacGregor, covered up the perilous side effects of Provasic, by replacing unhealthy samples with healthy ones, to forcibly get it approved. Nichols further ordered Sykes to kill him in a staged burglary that went wrong, resulting in Helen's death, and presumably had Sykes kill Dr. Alec Lentz, another developer who also discovered the drug's risks. Kimble calls Gerard while still in Sykes' home, ensuring that the call is traced. Then Kimble flees, leaving open evidence. With this lead Gerard conducts his own parallel investigation. Kimble heads to a hotel conference where Nichols is presenting Provasic, but on his way there, he is attacked by Sykes on a train. Sykes kills a transit cop who interrupts the struggle, but Kimble overpowers him and handcuffs him to a pole.
Kimble publicly confronts Nichols at the conference of the conspiracy and murders. This leads to a fight that spills onto the roof. Gerard and his team arrive before both men crash through a skylight onto a descending elevator. A shoot-to-kill order is issued for Kimble as the transit police officer's death is assumed to be his fault. However, Gerard stops a police helicopter from sniping Kimble. Nichols regains consciousness and tries to escape through a laundry room, but Kimble follows him. Gerard calls out to Kimble, informing him of the conspiracy and his belief in Kimble's innocence. Nichols knocks out marshal Renfro, takes his gun, and tries to shoot Gerard, but Kimble saves him by attacking Nichols from behind.
Kimble surrenders while Sykes and Nichols are arrested. He is escorted out of the hotel as the press questions the police about the newly found suspects, indicating his innocence. Gerard uncuffs Kimble and offers him an ice pack in the back of a squad car. They are driven away into the night, with Kimble's exoneration assured.
