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Man on Fire is a 1987 film directed by Elie Chouraqui, starring Scott Glenn, Joe Pesci and Jonathan Pryce. In the film, an ex-CIA agent by the name of John Creasy is a bodyguard for a young daughter of a rich family, who seeks vengeance after she is kidnapped.

The film was originally based on a series of books by author A. J. Quinnell. Man on Fire loosely follows the first of the series about a former Marine and Foreign Legion soldier turned mercenary.

In Italy, wealthy families often hire bodyguards to protect family members from the threat of kidnapping. A US family living in Italy that needs a bodyguard hires a burned-out ex-CIA agent to protect their daughter, Sam. The ex-CIA agent, John Creasy, has been broken down from all of the death and horror of combat he witnessed in the Vietnam war. Although Creasy is not interested in being a bodyguard, especially to a twelve year old youngster, he accepts the assignment because he has no better job offers.

Creasy barely tolerates the precocious child and her pestering questions about him and his life. But slowly, she chips away at his seemingly impenetrable exterior, his defenses drop, and he opens up to her. They become friends and he replaces her parents in their absences, giving her advice, guidance and help with her competition running. Creasy's life is shattered when Sam is kidnapped. Despite being seriously wounded during the kidnapping, Creasy vows her safe return, and vows vengeance on the kidnappers.

• Tony Scott was originally going to direct, but the studio felt that he was too inexperienced. Tony Scott later directed the 2004 version of the film.

• Man on Fire (1987) at the Internet Movie Database

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