Romancing the Stone (1984)

Romancing the Stone (1984), a romantic comedy-adventure film, was directed by Robert Zemeckis and written by Diane Thomas. The film stars Michael Douglas, Kathleen Turner, and Danny DeVito. Joan Wilder, a successful yet lonely romance novelist in New York City, sets out to meet her editor, Gloria, after completing her latest novel. On her way, she is given a letter from Mrs. Irwin, her neighbor and the sister-in-law of Eduardo who was recently murdered. Meanwhile back at her apartment building, the superintendent catches an intruder trying to break in but is unfortunately killed in the process. When Joan returns home, she finds her place ransacked and soon receives a panicked call from Elaine, Eduardo’s widow.

Elaine, who has been taken by antiquities smugglers Ira and Ralph, instructs Joan to go to Cartagena with the map she received as her ransom. While en route to the coastal city in Colombia, Joan is diverted by Colonel Zolo—who previously ransacked her apartment—forcing her onto the wrong bus. Instead of reaching her destination, the bus heads deep into the countryside. Recognizing this, Ralph begins following Joan. However, when she accidentally distracts the bus driver and causes a collision with a Land Rover, all passengers disembark except for Joan. She is then threatened by Zolo but is rescued by the Land Rover’s owner Jack T. Colton—a fellow American involved in exotic bird smuggling.