The Formula
“Big Oil. Big Money. Big Mystery. Everyone’s out to make a killing.”
While investigating the death of a friend and fellow cop, Los Angeles police officer Barney Caine stumbles across evidence that Nazis created a synthetic alternative to gasoline during World War II. This revelation has the potential to end the established global oil industry, making the formula a very valuable and dangerous piece of information. Eventually, Caine must contend with oil tycoon Adam Steiffel, who clearly has his own agenda regarding the formula.
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Cast
29 people
George C. Scott
Barney Caine
Known for
Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
Patton
Marlon Brando
Adam Steiffel
Known for
The Godfather
Apocalypse Now
Marthe Keller
Lisa
Known for
Marathon Man
Marie Antoinette
John Gielgud
Dr. Abraham Esau
Known for
The Elephant Man
Gandhi
G.D. Spradlin
Arthur Clements
Known for
The Godfather Part II
Apocalypse Now
Beatrice Straight
Kay Neeley
Known for
Poltergeist
Endless Love
Richard Lynch
General Helmut Kladen / Frank Tedesco
Known for
Invasion U.S.A.
Puppet Master III: Toulon's Revenge
John van Dreelen
Hans Lehman
Known for
Noble House
The Money Pit
Robin Clarke
Major Tom Neeley
Known for
Inseminoid
Ike Eisenmann
Tony
Known for
Race to Witch Mountain
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
Marshall Thompson
Geologist #1
Known for
It! The Terror from Beyond Space
Fiend Without a Face
Dieter Schidor
Assassin
Known for
Cross of Iron
Querelle
John G. Avildsen Director · Steve Shagan Screenplay Bill Conti Composer
Worldwide gross $8.9M · Budget $13M · United States release December 19, 1980
Box office
Budget
$13,200,000
Worldwide gross
$8,894,289
Gross vs. budget
0.7×
Production
CIP Filmproduktion GmbH
Production
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Production · Studio
Germany · United States
Produced in
Languages
Original language
English
Spoken on screen
English · German · Portuguese · Spanish
Release dates
United States · December 19, 1980
Theatrical
Italy
February 19, 1981 · Theatrical
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Some details come from TheTVDB.