The Red Maple Leaf

On a seemingly worry-free Ottawa morning, young Jenni Adams, daughter of U.S. Ambassador Patrick Adams, and the Grand-daughter of Senator George Secord, is snatched from right under the nose of her Secret Service detail. The blatant act has left the American authorities searching for answers with powerful pressure coming at them from every side. From senators all the way up to the President of the United States, the hunt is on to find this girl alive and return her to her family.

While two nations fight over jurisdiction, the case grows cold, seasoned veteran detective Alfonso Palermo puts everything else aside, his emotions, his alcoholism, his tact, to step up and search for the little girl and return her to her very powerful Washington-elite family. Why is Palermo so interested in this particular case?

As the mystery unravels we learn that Alfonso has felt similar pain and loss. He lost his wife and daughter in a car accident as well, and his diligence stems from the fact that he doesn't want anyone to feel that kind of pain ever again.

Alfonso establishes himself and his partner Robert Santos as Lead Investigators on the case on behalf of the Canadian Government, and they proceed to interview her parents (the US Ambassador and his wife) and his P.A. Marie MacDonald. The President calls the Director to put pressure on the investigation

They all visit the crime scene looking for clues, and Al's "old school" ways seem to irritate his American counterparts. He goes around the corner to a local bar and quizzes Maggie the waitress looking for clues. He thinks one of the protagonists was there and declares it a crime scene, he offers the helpful waitress a job at a friends bar. Much to the annoyance of the Americans he finds a clue on the floor which proves it.

On instructions from the Director goes to L.A. to interview a Mrs Stewart who is having an affair with the Ambassador. He visits the Ambassadors parents who aren't happy that the Canadians are running the investigation, she rings the President to complain. His mother thinks he is a saint, but his fathers opinion is a little less flattering. He's invited to visit the Senator who tricks him into revealing he has a drink problem.

Al flies back to Canada where Al and Robert visit a disco and arrest Daniel Barton who is on probation after serving 3 years for his interest in young girls, and after his release a few days before the abduction they think is involved in the abduction, and was possibly the man in the local bar overlooking the crime scene. He is subsequently released with conditions.

Al goes to see Mrs Adams in the Big Red Steakhouse at her request, but its not entirely clear why she wants to see him. As the investigation continues it appears that the Ambassador is not as popular with his family and people who know him as he purports to be. His marriage is on the verge of collapse.

Al and Robert visit Bernard Florence who used to be the Ambassadors Driver for many years, he was fired for being late just once, and may have an insight into the investigation, and has known the Ambassador from childhood. Meanwhile, the FBI engage the services of a Psychic without much success.

Al goes home where he sees a vision of his wife and whilst looking at a picture of his daughter.

They go to see Sheriff Williams at the NYPD in Niagara Falls after a lead suggests charges against the Ambassador were mysteriously dropped due to a phone call from the top.

Forensics reveal that bubble wrap from alley at the crime scene and the local bar across the road are an exact match.

Al goes to his local bar the Blind Swine, where he reminisces about losing his family and turns to the bottle, his friends rally around him and stop him before he goes too far. His Dad, the Director, and the Senator get involved due to concerns about his behaviour, and he is referred to Dr Amanda Walker for therapy. Bernard Florence calls Al and recalls in incident back when he was the Ambassador's driver, and a comment was made by the Ambassador after his P.A. Marie MacDonald gave him oral sex in the back of his car, the comment was about their future and his daughter "being in the way".

They visit the P.A.'s house and question her, she reveals that she has kidnapped the Ambassador's daughter is hiding her in a warehouse, he tells Robert to arrest her and take her back to the jail, and then after letting the Senator and everybody know he heads over there to look for her.

His Dad meets him at the warehouse and they break in and start searching for the missing girl. After seeing a vision of his dead wife Mira Al finds her drugged in a barrel and takes her outside in his arms to a waiting cheering crowd. When Al is walking away he sees another vision of his wife.

• Kris Kristofferson as President John Francis Marshall
• James Caan as Senator George Lawrence Secord
• Robert Loggia as Governor Patrick Adams Senior - Ambassador's father
• Doris Roberts as Mrs. Samantha Adams - Ambassador's mother
• Michael Paré as Ambassador Patrick Adams
• Laurie Fortier as Margaret Adams - Ambassador's wife
• Ellen Dubin as Marie MacDonald - Ambassador's P.A.
• Martin Landau as Bernard Florence -the Ambassador's Ex Driver
• Vito Rezza as Director Bryan James McNab
• Tony Nardi as Special Agent Robert Santos
• Frank D'Angelo as Special Agent Alfonso Palermo
• Paul Sorvino as Joseph Palermo - Alfonso's dad
• Mira Sorvino as Marianna Palermo - Alfonso's wife
• Armand Assante as Joseph Cortez FBI
• Marc Blucas as Derek Sampson FBI
• Daniel Baldwin as Richard Barton
• Margot Kidder as Dr. Amanda Walker
• Eric Roberts as Secret Service Agent to the Governor
• Maria Del Mar as Maggie - Waitress in the bar and the Blind Swine

The film was shot in Hamilton, Ontario.[5]

• Official website
• The Red Maple Leaf at IMDb
• The Red Maple Leaf at Rotten Tomatoes