Deathtrap (film): Difference between revisions
Ring Cinema (talk | contribs) →Plot summary: there's no funeral in the movie |
"once the body is gone" doesn't explain what happened to it. |
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Clifford arrives by train. Myra tries desperately over the course of an evening to convince Sidney to work with Clifford on "Deathtrap" as equal partners, but to no avail. Sidney attacks Clifford, strangling him with a chain. |
Clifford arrives by train. Myra tries desperately over the course of an evening to convince Sidney to work with Clifford on "Deathtrap" as equal partners, but to no avail. Sidney attacks Clifford, strangling him with a chain. |
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Sidney removes the body but still has to convince Myra to conspire with him. She reveals nothing when they receive an unexpected visit from the [[psychic]] Helga Ten Dorp, a minor celebrity who is staying with the Bruhls' neighbors. But Helga senses pain and death in the house; before she leaves she warns Sidney about a man in boots who will attack him. |
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<!-- Deleted image removed: [[image:28228.1020.A.jpg|thumb|left|200px| Dyan Cannon and Michael Caine (as Myra and Sidney Bruhl) in '''Deathtrap'''. ]] --> |
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As she prepares for bed, Myra |
As she prepares for bed, Myra begins to come to terms with Sidney's diabolical deed. All is calm until Clifford bursts through the bedroom window and beats Sidney with a log. Clifford chases Myra through the house until her heart gives out; she collapses and dies. Sidney calmly descends the stairs, uninjured, and sidles unperturbed to Clifford's side. They exchange a few words about what to do with Myra's body, then exchange a passionate kiss. |
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Clifford moves in. The two work together at a double desk, Sidney suffering from writer's block but Clifford busily typing page after page of a new play that he keeps suspiciously under lock and key. Sidney breaks the lock and is horrified to discover that Clifford is using the true story of Myra's murder as the basis of a play called "Deathtrap." Unashamed, Clifford offers to share the work and the credit. Sidney demurs until Clifford insists he's prepared to leave him and write the play without him. |
Clifford moves in. The two work together at a double desk, Sidney suffering from writer's block but Clifford busily typing page after page of a new play that he keeps suspiciously under lock and key. Sidney breaks the lock and is horrified to discover that Clifford is using the true story of Myra's murder as the basis of a play called "Deathtrap." Unashamed, Clifford offers to share the work and the credit. Sidney demurs until Clifford insists he's prepared to leave him and write the play without him. |
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A few days later, Helga stops by, ostensibly to borrow some candles in case a predicted thunderstorm knocks out the power. Almost immediately after meeting Clifford, she warns Sidney that Clifford is the man in boots. |
A few days later, Helga stops by, ostensibly to borrow some candles in case a predicted thunderstorm knocks out the power. Almost immediately after meeting Clifford, she warns Sidney that Clifford is the man in boots. |
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A series of doublecrosses begin. Sidney gets Clifford to arm himself with an axe to demonstrate a bit of stage business, whereupon he produces a gun to dispose of Clifford and "Deathtrap," unaware that Clifford has already loaded the bullets into a different gun. Clifford manacles Sidney to a chair for his escape, unaware they were once the property of [[Harry Houdini]]), allowing Sidney to grab a [[crossbow]] and fell Clifford with a single shot. |
A series of doublecrosses begin. Sidney gets Clifford to arm himself with an axe to demonstrate a bit of stage business, whereupon he produces a gun to dispose of Clifford and "Deathtrap," unaware that Clifford has already loaded the bullets into a different gun. Clifford manacles Sidney to a chair for his escape, unaware they were once the property of [[Harry Houdini]]), allowing Sidney to escape, grab a [[crossbow]] and fell Clifford with a single shot. |
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Before Sidney can dispose of the body the storm hits with full force, plunging him into darkness. A flash of lightning illuminates the living room and a fleeting figure scurries through. It is Helga, aware of the mortal danger at the house. |
Before Sidney can dispose of the body the storm hits with full force, plunging him into darkness. A flash of lightning illuminates the living room and a fleeting figure scurries through. It is Helga, aware of the mortal danger at the house. |
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Revision as of 17:49, 24 June 2010
| Deathtrap | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical poster by Bill Gold | |
| Directed by | Sidney Lumet |
| Written by | Ira Levin (play) Jay Presson Allen (screenplay) |
| Produced by | Burtt Harris Jay Presson Allen (executive producer) |
| Starring | Michael Caine Christopher Reeve Dyan Cannon |
| Cinematography | Andrzej Bartkowiak |
| Edited by | Jack Fitzstephens |
| Music by | Johnny Mandel |
| Distributed by | Warner Brothers |
Release date | March 19, 1982 |
Running time | 116 minutes |
| Country | United Staes |
| Language | English |
Deathtrap is a 1982 thriller film based on Ira Levin's play of the same name.
The cast includes Michael Caine, Christopher Reeve, Dyan Cannon, Irene Worth and Henry Jones. Real-life movie and theatre critics Stewart Klein, Jeffrey Lyons and Joel Siegel have cameo appearances as themselves.
The film's poster includes a rendering of a Rubik's Cube puzzle, which was then at the peak of its popularity.
Plot summary
Famed playwright Sidney Bruhl debuts the latest in a series of flops and returns home to his sympathetic wife Myra, a woman whose advanced heart disease is not helped by her husband's suggestion that he steal the work of a former student, Clifford Anderson, who has asked for comments on his manuscript, "Deathtrap," a full length thriller that Sidney considers a work of near perfection. Sidney invites Clifford to his secluded Long Island home to discuss it.
Clifford arrives by train. Myra tries desperately over the course of an evening to convince Sidney to work with Clifford on "Deathtrap" as equal partners, but to no avail. Sidney attacks Clifford, strangling him with a chain.
Sidney removes the body but still has to convince Myra to conspire with him. She reveals nothing when they receive an unexpected visit from the psychic Helga Ten Dorp, a minor celebrity who is staying with the Bruhls' neighbors. But Helga senses pain and death in the house; before she leaves she warns Sidney about a man in boots who will attack him.
As she prepares for bed, Myra begins to come to terms with Sidney's diabolical deed. All is calm until Clifford bursts through the bedroom window and beats Sidney with a log. Clifford chases Myra through the house until her heart gives out; she collapses and dies. Sidney calmly descends the stairs, uninjured, and sidles unperturbed to Clifford's side. They exchange a few words about what to do with Myra's body, then exchange a passionate kiss.
Clifford moves in. The two work together at a double desk, Sidney suffering from writer's block but Clifford busily typing page after page of a new play that he keeps suspiciously under lock and key. Sidney breaks the lock and is horrified to discover that Clifford is using the true story of Myra's murder as the basis of a play called "Deathtrap." Unashamed, Clifford offers to share the work and the credit. Sidney demurs until Clifford insists he's prepared to leave him and write the play without him.
A few days later, Helga stops by, ostensibly to borrow some candles in case a predicted thunderstorm knocks out the power. Almost immediately after meeting Clifford, she warns Sidney that Clifford is the man in boots.
A series of doublecrosses begin. Sidney gets Clifford to arm himself with an axe to demonstrate a bit of stage business, whereupon he produces a gun to dispose of Clifford and "Deathtrap," unaware that Clifford has already loaded the bullets into a different gun. Clifford manacles Sidney to a chair for his escape, unaware they were once the property of Harry Houdini), allowing Sidney to escape, grab a crossbow and fell Clifford with a single shot.
Before Sidney can dispose of the body the storm hits with full force, plunging him into darkness. A flash of lightning illuminates the living room and a fleeting figure scurries through. It is Helga, aware of the mortal danger at the house.
Sidney finds a knife while Helga grabs a gun. Clifford regains consciousness and trips Helga. The gun goes flying and a struggle for it ensues that ...
... culminates on a stage with actors before a full house, where "Clifford" stabs "Sidney" and both die, leaving "Helga" victorious. The opening night audience erupts in thunderous applause, and at the back of the house stands Helga Ten Dorp, now the happy author of a hit Broadway play called "Deathtrap."
Cast
- Michael Caine as Sidney Bruhl
- Christopher Reeve as Clifford Anderson
- Dyan Cannon as Myra Bruhl
- Irene Worth as Helga Ten Dorp
- Henry Jones as Porter
Reception
Though the film did receive positive reviews, Cannon was nominated for a Golden Raspberry Award for "Worst Supporting Actress" for her performance.
Mad Magazine parodied the film as Deathcrap.
The kissing scene between Sidney and Clifford is not in the original play. In his book The Celluloid Closet, gay film historian Vito Russo reports Reeve as saying that the kiss was booed by preview audiences in Denver, Colorado and estimating that a Time magazine report on the incident (which spoiled a key plot element) cost the film $10 million in ticket sales.
The controversy over the kiss inspired the Tom Smith song "Two Guys Kissin' (Ruined My Life)."
DVD release
Deathtrap was released on Region 1 DVD on July 27, 1999. It was re-released on November 8, 2003 as half of a two-pack with the Henry Winkler/Michael Keaton buddy film Night Shift.
