The Pursuit of D.B. Cooper (1981): Cast, Box Office & Plot
The Pursuit of D.B. Cooper is a 1981 adventure thriller directed by Roger Spottiswoode, starring Treat Williams as D.B. Cooper, Robert Duvall and Paul Gleason. It runs 1 hour 40 minutes and earned $3.7 million worldwide.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 40m (100 min)
- Director
- Roger Spottiswoode
- Original language
-
English - Studio
- Universal Pictures
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is The Pursuit of D.B. Cooper About?
The premise of The Pursuit of D.B. Cooper without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
Speculating on the enigmatic fate of D.B. Cooper, the man who hijacked a plane, parachuted out with ransom money and vanished into the Pacific Northwest wilderness, this film examines whether his meticulously crafted plan truly allowed him to disappear, despite a relentless police investigation.
The Pursuit of D.B. Cooper Themes & Keywords
· 28 tags- nudity
- reference to d.b. cooper
- jumping from an airplane
- hijacking
- heist
- fbi investigation
- mystery man
- caper crime
- female nudity
- portland oregon
- seattle washington
- oregon
+16 more Show fewer
- washington state
- commercial air travel
- airplane hijacking
- ransom
- money
- parachute
- escape
- caper
- airplane
- insurance investigator
- ex pow
- chase
- based on novel
- independent film
- based on book
- character name in title
The Pursuit of D.B. Cooper Cast & Characters
Treat Williams leads the cast as D.B. Cooper, with Robert Duvall as Gruen and Paul Gleason as Remson. Directed by Roger Spottiswoode; 55 actors are credited in all.
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Director Roger Spottiswoode
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Treat Williams as D.B. Cooper -
Robert Duvall as Gruen - Paul Gleason as Remson
- Kathryn Harrold as Hannah
Also Starring in The Pursuit of D.B. Cooper
· 51 more- R.G. Armstrong Dempsey
- Nicolas Coster Avery
- Cooper Huckabee Homer
- Ed Flanders Brigadier
- James Lee Bomb Squad
- Patrick Garcia Indian Boy
- Pat Ast Horse Lady
- Christopher Curry Hippie
- John Richard Petersen Paramedic (uncredited)
- Henry Kendrick FBI Agent
- Howard K. Smith Howard K. Smith
- Sanford Gibbons State Trooper
- Michael O'Hare Car Owner
- Michael Potter Pilot
- David Adams FBI Interviewer
- Richard Brown Crop Duster Man
Show all 55 cast members Show fewer cast members
- Charles Benton Sharpshooter
- Dorothy Fielding Denise
- Marc Jeffreys FBI Agent
- Stephen Blood Co-Pilot
- Ramon Chavez El Capitan
- Jack Dunlap Drinking Buddy
- Mike Casper Bomb Squad
- Dave Gilbert Person-on-the-Street
- Cliff Owens Kid at Hamburger Stand (uncredited)
- Roy Lewis Garton Airline Passenger (uncredited)
- Diane Baldessari Waitress (uncredited)
- Brad Sergi Drinking Buddy
- Jessica Garcia Indian Girl
- Glenda Young Avery's Secretary
- Bill Wittman Person-on-the-Street
- Karen Newhouse Girl Friend in Stream
- Stacy Newton Cowboy
- James Wiers FBI Agent
- D.G. Smilnak FBI Agent
- Charles Haigh Navigator
- Tommy Ciulla Boy Friend in Stream
- Robert Sola Ranger
- Tom D. May Copter Pilot
- Lynn Radcliffe Cop at Luncheonette
- Mearl Ross Indian Father
- Gregory Suke Indian Boy
- Leigh Webb Bartender
- Jim Clouse Saloon Man
- David Falkosky Saloon Man
- John Herold Saloon Man
- Bill Townsend Saloon Player
- Christine Dolny Child
- Michael Goodsite Child
- Conrad Marshall Person-on-the-Street
- Marsoupial Possum
More from Roger Spottiswoode
More films directed by Roger Spottiswoode, best-rated first: Under Fire, A Street Cat Named Bob, The Children of Huang Shi and Tomorrow Never Dies.
The Pursuit of D.B. Cooper Plot Summary
What happens in The Pursuit of D.B. Cooper from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 12 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 2-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
On a clear day in 1971, the hijacker parachutes from the rear exit of a passenger airliner and disappears into the Washington state forest. The man is later identified as Jim Meade, a military veteran with big dreams. The manhunt is led by Gruen, an insurance investigator who was Meade’s army sergeant, and by Remson, Meade’s old army buddy who recalls the conversations about hijacking.
Meade escapes the growing manhunt by using a Jeep he had stashed in the forest and conceals the stolen cash inside a deer’s carcass. He then reconnects with his estranged wife, Hannah, who runs a river-rafting company, and the pair press onward as authorities close in.
Full summary
The whole story of The Pursuit of D.B. Cooper, scene by scene
The Pursuit of D.B. Cooper Box Office
The Pursuit of D.B. Cooper grossed $3.7 million worldwide.
Worldwide gross
$3.7M
- US & Canada
- $3.7M
How Well Do You Know The Pursuit of D.B. Cooper?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
In what year does the hijacking event take place in the film?
Cars in The Pursuit of D.B. Cooper
55 cars on screen, including the 1965 Ford Custom 500 and the 1960 Cadillac.
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1965 Ford Custom 500 Main role -
1960 Cadillac Important role -
1960 Cadillac Series 62 Important role -
1969 Chevrolet Blazer Important role
The Pursuit of D.B. Cooper Also Known As
11 alternative titles, including “Flucht auf dem Highway” and “A Perseguição”.
- Also known as
-
- Flucht auf dem Highway
- A Perseguição
- 200 000 Dollars en cavale
- D. B. Cooper üldözése
- Caccia implacabile
- Преследование Д. Б. Купера
- Pronásledování D.B. Coopera
- Die Jagd
- A Fuga de D.B. Cooper
- 이중 추적
- 捕鹰
Seen The Pursuit of D.B. Cooper?
Movies Like The Pursuit of D.B. Cooper
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including The Skyjacker That Got Away, Pursuit and Dangerous Pursuit.
The Pursuit of D.B. Cooper FAQ: Cast & Box Office
Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office and post-credit scenes of The Pursuit of D.B. Cooper, each answered in a sentence.
How long is The Pursuit of D.B. Cooper?
The Pursuit of D.B. Cooper runs 1 hour 40 minutes (100 minutes).
When was The Pursuit of D.B. Cooper released?
The Pursuit of D.B. Cooper was released on November 13, 1981.
Who directed The Pursuit of D.B. Cooper?
The Pursuit of D.B. Cooper was directed by Roger Spottiswoode.
More films by Roger Spottiswoode Who is in the cast of The Pursuit of D.B. Cooper?
The Pursuit of D.B. Cooper stars Treat Williams as D.B. Cooper, Robert Duvall as Gruen and Paul Gleason as Remson, among 55 credited actors.
How much did The Pursuit of D.B. Cooper make at the box office?
The Pursuit of D.B. Cooper grossed $3.7 million worldwide.
Does The Pursuit of D.B. Cooper have a post-credit scene?
No. The Pursuit of D.B. Cooper has no extra scene during or after the credits.
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