Synopsis

An Irish operative assembles a team of former intelligence agents and criminals to steal a mysterious briefcase from heavily guarded couriers in France. As the mission unfolds through Paris, Nice, and the French countryside, shifting alliances, hidden agendas, and ruthless betrayals turn the operation into a deadly contest of skill and survival.

Factoids & Trivia

• The screenplay began with J.D. Zeik, while David Mamet rewrote the script under the pseudonym Richard Weisz.

• Although set across Europe, the film was shot entirely in France. Principal photography ran from November 3, 1997, to March 3, 1998, with locations including Paris, Nice, Arles, Cannes, and La Turbie.

• The celebrated car chases were designed around practical stunt work rather than computer-generated action. Professional drivers, including former Formula One racer Jean-Pierre Jarier, drove vehicles at speeds reported to reach 100 mph while the performers were filmed inside specially modified cars.

• Right-hand-drive cars were fitted with mirrored controls so the performers could appear to drive from the left side while stunt drivers operated the vehicles from the actual driver's position.

• Skipp Sudduth requested to perform his own stunt driving, and Frankenheimer agreed. The production also reportedly destroyed approximately 80 automobiles.

• Frankenheimer used wide-angle lenses and the Super 35 format throughout the film, helping keep more of the French locations visible during both dialogue scenes and action sequences. He also used a silver-retention color process to deepen blacks and emphasize the film-grain texture.

• The title refers to a ronin, a samurai without a master. The film reinforces that idea through its characters, who are skilled professionals left without a clear allegiance after the Cold War era.

• The discussion of the "47 ronin" is accompanied by a miniature diorama depicting the historical event, making the title's metaphor part of the film's visual design.