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A 1992 film starring Kevin Costner and Whitney Houston. Costner plays former Secret Service agent and freelance bodyguard Frank Farmer, hired to protect superstar singer-turned-actress Rachel Marron (Houston) after she starts getting death threats. They initially dislike each other, but despite his better judgement, feelings start to develop between them.
Originally written by Lawrence Kasdan (Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Big Chill) for Steve McQueen and Diana Ross in The Seventies, the project was taken up by Costner fifteen years later. This film was a huge success, as was the soundtrack, which sold in the bazillions (it's widely considered to be the top selling movie soundtrack of all time), all fueled by the unbelievable popularity of Houston's ballad "I Will Always Love You." In addition, the movie's instrumental music was marvelously done by Alan Silvestri.
- Absurdly Sharp Blade: Frank has a katana which cuts Rachel's scarf in half just by the scarf floating down onto the blade.
- Alliterative Name: Frank Farmer.
- Badass Normal: Frank. Rachel even points this out when first interviewing him, saying that he doesn't look much like a bodyguard.
- Black Dude Dies First: When Henry, Rachel's chauffeur, reacts with incredulity that Frank's adding to his duties, Frank tells him that in his experience, when shit goes down, the client's usually okay. "Who gets shot? The cocky black chauffeur." That gets his attention.
- Bodyguard Crush
- Break the Haughty
- Cain and Abel: Rachel's sister Nikki was the one who put the hit on her in the first place.
- Did Not Get the Girl: The movie ends with Rachel and Frank parting ways after he successfully protects her from her would-be killer.
- Consummate Professional: Frank
- Crazy Prepared: Frank, and it drives everyone crazy.
- Green-Eyed Monster: Rachel's sister Nikki is envious of the former's success. It is later revealed that she hired a hitman to kill her. But even after she sours on the idea when the hitman turns out to be a Complete Monster willing to kill Rachel's son to get close to her, there isn't much Nikki can do since she doesn't know who the hitman is.
- Heroic BSOD: Frank suffered one of these when Reagan got shot while he wasn't there. He went to his father's cabin for the next six months. Time heals all wounds, but he's still never really gotten over it.
- Knight in Sour Armor: Frank has a code of honor other people can't understand.
- Heroic Sacrifice/Taking the Bullet: Frank jumps in the way of the would-be assassin's bullet at the Academy Awards, preventing the shots from hitting Rachel. And then he kills the guy before finally succumbing to unconsciousness. He doesn't die, however.
- Last-Name Basis: Rachel usually calls Frank "Farmer".
- Lyrical Dissonance: While dancing with him to the country version of "I Will Always Love You", Rachel points out to Frank that the lyrics to the verses are quite sad, in contrast to the simple "I will always love you" statement in the chorus. He listens for a moment, and then chuckles and agrees, admitting he'd never noticed that before.
- Truth in Television: The song is often requested at weddings, and the band or DJ has to inform the couple that it's a break-up song and not the best way to start off their marriage.
- Red Herring: Several.
- Rule of Symbolism: Frank's favorite movie is The Seven Samurai.
- He also owns a katana.
- Stalker with a Crush: DAN. And he's extremely creepy, to boot.
- The Stoic: Frank.
- The Lady's Favour: Franks sharp katana and Rachel's soft scarf represent lending a part of each other.
- Warrior Poet: Frank has a harsh philosophy and a tendency to view his profession as spiritual, which is shown in the symbols he likes such as his fondness for Samurai.