Loose Cannons 1990
Directed by
Bob Clark
Made by
TriStar Pictures
Loose Cannons Plot Summary
Read the complete plot summary and ending explained for Loose Cannons (1990). From turning points to emotional moments, uncover what really happened and why it matters.
A film is found that features Kurt von Metz helping Adolf Hitler commit suicide. Years later, von Metz, running for chancellor of West Germany, arranges for anyone who has seen the film to be murdered. The killings take place in the Washington D.C. area, and Metropolitan Police officers MacArthur “Mac” Stern and Ellis Fielding are sent to investigate the crimes.
Ellis suffers from a dissociative identity disorder stemming from a disastrous undercover drug sting, which is aggravated when he is confronted with violence. This results in several episodes where he blacks out and assumes the personalities of pop-culture characters, including Popeye, Captain Kirk and the Road Runner.
Mac and Ellis attempt to track down the film through pornographer Harry “The Hippo” Gutterman, who informs them that to do so they need to get to New York City. They decide to take a train, but first must evade a team of FBI agents led by Bob Smiley, who must shield von Metz from embarrassment by intercepting the film before it goes public. They all meet up at Washington’s Union Station, where Mac and Ellis trick Smiley and his team into boarding the New York-bound train they originally intended to take, while they jump off and hop onto one on the opposite track bound for Cleveland instead. While on board that train, Mac notices another undercover team that has been trailing them, which is revealed to be led by Rebecca “Riva” Lohengrin, a Mossad agent assigned to the Embassy of Israel in Washington, D.C.
After surviving a helicopter attack on the train by Nazi sympathizers, Mac, Ellis and Gutterman jump off a bridge into a river and eventually make their way to New York. En route, Ellis confides in Mac his fear that if another episode occurs it could prove irrevocable, which would make him a dangerous liability, and wishes to return to the Benedictine Monks who originally looked after him during his recovery. Mac, however, reiterates his belief in Ellis and shows him that he is strong enough to persevere, move forward and recover; that the past is irrelevant and that the present and the future are what matter.
Consequently, Ellis regains his courage and the will to fight. Mac finds the film in a locker on one of the upper levels of Grand Central Terminal and, during an exchange of gunfire with more Nazis, throws the film to Riva, who has just arrived on the main concourse below. It is screened that same evening during a speech that von Metz delivers. Mac, Ellis and Gutterman all suffer gunshot wounds and, as the movie ends, are seen recuperating in the same hospital. Mac jokes to Ellis that he is converting to Judaism that evening in order to move to Israel to join the Mossad but is uncomfortable about undergoing circumcision. Ellis catches on to the humor and points out that the reason that they work together so well as partners is because technically, Mac is crazier than he is.
Loose Cannons Timeline
Follow the complete movie timeline of Loose Cannons (1990) with every major event in chronological order. Great for understanding complex plots and story progression.
In-film backstory: Kurt von Metz aids Hitler's suicide
In the film's fictional backstory, young German officer Kurt von Metz helps Adolf Hitler commit suicide. This act is central to the movie's premise and drives the subsequent pursuit of those who saw the film. The event is presented as part of von Metz's controversial past rather than historical fact.
Von Metz's rise and order to kill viewers
Years later, von Metz rises to the position of West German chancellor and orders the murder of anyone who has seen the film. The intent is to suppress the secret about his past and the film's existence. The killings begin to ripple beyond Germany.
Washington, D.C. murders commence; investigators assigned
A string of killings erupts in the Washington, D.C. area, indicating a coordinated effort to silence witnesses. Metropolitan Police officers MacArthur 'Mac' Stern and Ellis Fielding are assigned to investigate the crimes. The case quickly turns into a high-stakes hunt across the capital.
Ellis's DID emerges during the investigation
Ellis Fielding experiences dissociative identity episodes triggered by violence from undercover sting operations. He briefly shifts into alternate personas—Popeye, Captain Kirk, and the Road Runner—as part of his coping mechanism. These episodes threaten his effectiveness as a detective and complicate the investigation.
Pursuit to find the film via Gutterman; Smiley's interception plan
Mac and Ellis pursue leads to locate the film through pornographer Harry 'The Hippo' Gutterman. An FBI team led by Bob Smiley is reportedly shielding von Metz by intercepting the film before it can go public.
Union Station meet-and-switch; Smiley outsmarted
At Union Station, Mac and Ellis trick Smiley and his agents into boarding the New York-bound train while they switch to a Cleveland-bound train. The ruse buys them time to close in on the film’s whereabouts. The tense exchange sets the chase on a cross-country path.
Riva Lohengrin's pursuit revealed on the train
Onboard the Cleveland-bound route, Mac notices an undercover pursuer led by Rebecca 'Riva' Lohengrin, a Mossad agent assigned to the Embassy of Israel in Washington, D.C. Her presence confirms that multiple agencies are involved in protecting the film from exposure. The chase takes a geopolitical dimension as alliances blur.
Helicopter attack and escape to New York
Nazi sympathizers stage a helicopter assault on the train, forcing the group to jump off a bridge into a river. They eventually make their way toward New York, surviving the dangerous escape.
Ellis regains resolve; Mac's support
During the escape, Ellis confides his fear that another episode could render him a dangerous liability. Mac reassures him, insisting that the present and future matter more than the past. This exchange marks a turning point in Ellis's recovery.
Grand Central Terminal: film retrieved and gunfight exchange
Mac locates the film in a locker on the upper levels of Grand Central Terminal. During a gunfight with Nazis, he tosses the film to Riva below, ensuring the material reaches the public arena. The action accelerates toward a dramatic public display.
Film screened; von Metz's speech; injuries
The film is screened during von Metz's public address, revealing the intended murders. Mac, Ellis, and Gutterman are wounded in the ensuing confrontation but survive and begin recovering.
Final hospital scenes and partnership banter
The trio recuperates in hospital after the gunfight, their bonds strengthened by shared peril. Mac jokes about converting to Judaism to move to Israel and join the Mossad, though he balks at circumcision. Ellis notes that their effectiveness comes from Mac being the 'crazier' one.
Loose Cannons Characters
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MacArthur 'Mac' Stern (Gene Hackman)
A pragmatic Metropolitan Police detective who partners with Ellis to pursue a Nazi-linked conspiracy. He remains steady under pressure, often using humor to diffuse tension, and maintains a sharp instinct for bending rules when needed. His resilience and wit keep the investigation on track through escalating danger.
Ellis Fielding (Dan Aykroyd)
A dedicated officer whose dissociative identity disorder complicates his work, creating unpredictable shifts under stress. His fear of relapse adds emotional depth and urgency to the pursuit, while his courage demonstrates that recovery and duty can go hand in hand. The partnership with Mac anchors the story as they navigate a high-stakes conspiracy.
Harry 'The Hippo' Gutterman (Dom DeLuise)
A flamboyant pornographer who knows the underground networks that hide the crucial film. He supplies essential information and adds colorful tension, straddling the line between ally and suspect. His connections propel the investigation toward New York and beyond.
Rebecca 'Riva' Lohengrin (Nancy Travis)
A Mossad agent stationed near the Israeli Embassy who confronts danger while aiding in retrieving the film. Her involvement injects an international espionage element, balancing American investigative work with cross-border stakes. She navigates political risk with composed efficiency.
Kurt von Metz (John Bolger)
A young German officer tied to a postwar conspiracy who orchestrates murder to suppress exposure of a critical film. He embodies extremist determination and political ambition, acting as the central antagonist driving the plot forward.
Loose Cannons Settings
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Time period
Late 20th century
The main action takes place in the late 20th century, with a prologue nodding to the end of World War II. Years later, investigators chase a Nazi-linked plot across the East Coast, blending political intrigue with urban crime. The timeline contrasts present-day policing and espionage with memories of a war-filled past.
Location
Washington, D.C., New York City, Union Station, Grand Central Terminal, Cleveland
The story unfolds primarily in the Washington, D.C. area before expanding to major East Coast hubs. Key sequences occur in Union Station and Grand Central Terminal, with scenes on trains and in crowded urban spaces. The route via trains and river crossings highlights a metropolitan backdrop that drives the investigation across cities like New York and Cleveland.
Loose Cannons Themes
Discover the main themes in Loose Cannons (1990). Analyze the deeper meanings, emotional layers, and social commentary behind the film.
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Mental Health
Ellis Fielding's dissociative identity disorder adds a complex layer to the investigation, causing dangerous blackouts and shifting personalities. The condition creates moments of tension and vulnerability that test loyalty between partners. The narrative uses this struggle to explore resilience, fear of relapse, and the cost of staying functional under pressure.
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War Legacy
The plot is driven by a Nazi past and the urge to silence witnesses, underscoring how history shapes present danger. A criminal mastermind exploits postwar memories to wield influence and fear. The pursuit foregrounds justice against extremism and the persistent reach of extremist ideologies.
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Alliance
American police, an undercover intermediary, and international agents must collaborate despite divergent methods and ethics. Trust is tested through close calls, but teamwork becomes essential to uncovering the truth. The film emphasizes that cooperation across borders and roles is crucial to stopping a wide-reaching conspiracy.
Loose Cannons Spoiler-Free Summary
Discover the spoiler-free summary of Loose Cannons (1990). Get a concise overview without any spoilers.
In the shadowed corridors of Washington D.C., where politics and power collide with the everyday pulse of the city, a new investigation threatens to upend the fragile balance. The streets hum with whispers of old secrets resurfacing, and every alley feels like a stage set for something larger than a single case. Against this backdrop, law‑enforcement agencies grind out routine while the undercurrents of history linger just out of sight, giving the city a tense, almost cinematic atmosphere that crackles with anticipation.
Mack Stern is the department’s hard‑nosed enforcer, a detective whose reputation for getting results is matched only by his willingness to bend the rules when needed. He moves through the precinct with a blend of street‑wise grit and seasoned intuition, a veteran who has learned to read people as easily as he reads a crime scene. His demeanor can be intimidating, yet there’s a dry humor that surfaces when the situation calls for it, hinting at a deeper compassion beneath the badge.
Enter Ellis Fielding, the unexpected partner whose intellect shines like a super‑charged magnifying glass over any mystery. Ellis’s deductions are so rapid they seem to outpace even the most legendary figures of logical inference. Yet his brilliance comes paired with a fractured psyche; moments of stress trigger vivid, pop‑culture alter egos—sometimes a brawny sailor, other times a star‑fleet captain—each surfacing with distinct quirks that both aid and obstruct his work. This unpredictable side‑show adds an almost surreal layer to the investigation, turning every interrogation into a performance and every clue into a potential punchline.
When the two are thrust together to tackle a demanding new case, their contrasting styles create a volatile chemistry. Mack’s steady, no‑nonsense approach collides with Ellis’s rapid, persona‑shifting mind, producing a partnership as fraught with tension as it is with possibility. The stakes quickly rise, gunfire erupts, and the city’s hidden histories begin to echo in the present, promising a chase that is as much about personal redemption as it is about uncovering the truth.
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