The Last Seduction
| The Last Seduction | |
|---|---|
 The Last Seduction theatrical poster | |
| Directed by | John Dahl |
| Written by | Steve Barancik |
| Produced by | Jonathan Shestack |
| Starring | Linda Fiorentino Bill Pullman |
| Cinematography | Jeff Jur |
| Edited by | Eric L. Beason |
| Music by | Joseph Vitarelli |
| Distributed by | October Films |
Release dates | October 26, undefined1994 |
Running time | 110 minutes |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $2,500,000 USD |
The Last Seduction is a neo-noir 1994 film directed by John Dahl.
The movie features Linda Fiorentino as the femme fatale, Peter Berg as a small town man whose one night affair turns into more than he wanted, and Bill Pullman as Fiorentino's husband who is chasing her and running from loan sharks at the same time. Fiorentino's performance generated talk of a possible Oscar nomination but she was disqualified because the film was shown on cable television (HBO) before it was released to theatres.
The movie was distributed by October Films. The direct to video sequel The Last Seduction II followed in 1999 featuring none of the original cast and starring Joan Severance as the character Fiorentino originated.
Plot
The Last Seduction is a story about a sociopath[citation needed] femme-fatale, Bridget Gregory, who steals a bag of money ($700,000) from her drug-dealing husband Clay. Bridget drives off headed to Chicago when she happens to stop at a small town, Beston, and meets Mike, who is back in town after a whirlwind marriage and divorce in Buffalo. The two immediately hook up. Bridget is just looking for sex while Mike is trying to find a way out of the small town.
Meanwhile, drug dealer Clay gets his thumb broken by the loan shark who is looking for repayment for his loan. Clay, with the help of a private detective, frantically searches for his plotting wife and the money. In the small town Bridget changes her name and gets a job at the same insurance company Mike works for. (Her alias "Wendy Kroy" is essentially "New York" spelled backwards; Clay knows of her penchant for backwards spelling and writing and eventually tracks her down through this alias).
When Mike tells her how she can read credit reports to find out if a man is cheating on his wife, Bridget invents a plan based on selling murders to cheated wives. She then pretends to travel to Florida to murder a cheating husband (when she in fact went to Buffalo to meet Mike's ex-wife, Trish). She shows Mike the money she stole from Clay to convince him she has taken a cut from the life insurance payout from the new widow as payment for the supposed killing. She tells him she has done it so they can live together from the proceeds, then persuades him that he must also commit a similar murder so they will be even, and to prove that he loves her.
She tries to talk Mike into killing a tax lawyer cheating old ladies out of their homes. At first he rejects the idea, then later agrees after receiving a letter from his ex saying she is moving to Beston. But the letter was really written by Bridget to change his mind.
Mike goes to New York and breaks into the apartment of the attorney, who in reality turns out to be Clay. After Clay is tied up by Mike, he manages to work out what is happening when Mike mentions her alias, and convinces him of the truth by showing him a photo of himself and Bridget together.
They then hatch a plot to double cross her, but she turns the tables by killing Clay herself. She tells a stunned Mike to rape her. When he refuses, she tells him she knows the truth about Trish who is a transsexual. She then tricks an enraged Mike into having rough sex with her while she has 911 on the line. Mike ends up in jail facing rape and murder charges while she escapes with the cash.
Featured cast
- Linda Fiorentino–Bridget Gregory/Wendy Kroy
- Bill Pullman–Clay Gregory
- Peter Berg–Mike Swale
- Bill Nunn–Harlan
- J. T. Walsh–Frank Griffith
- Brien Varady–Chris
Awards
| Year | Award/Category | Recipient | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| BAFTA Awards | |||
| 1995 | BAFTA Film Award - Best Actress | Linda Fiorentino | Nominated |
| Chlotrudis Awards | |||
| 1995 | Chlotrudis Award - Best Actress | Linda Fiorentino | Nominated |
| Cognac Festival du Film Policier | |||
| 1994 | Critics Award | John Dahl | Won |
| Directors Guild of America | |||
| 1995 | DGA Award – Outstanding Achievement in Dramatic Specials | John Dahl | Nominated |
| Edgar Allan Poe Awards | |||
| 1995 | Edgar - Best Motion Picture | Steve Barancik | Nominated |
| Independent Spirit Awards | |||
| 1995 | Independent Spirit Award - Best Female Lead | Linda Fiorentino | Won |
| London Film Critics Circle Awards | |||
| 1995 | ALFS Award – Actress of the Year | Linda Fiorentino | Won |
| Mystfest | |||
| 1994 | Best Film | John Dahl | Nominated |
| National Board of Review, USA | |||
| 1994 | NBR Award – Best TV Film | Won | |
| New York Film Critics Circle Awards | |||
| 1994 | NYFCC Award - Best Actress | Linda Fiorentino | Won |
Bibliography
- Linda Ruth Williams (2005) The Erotic Thriller in Contemporary Cinema Edinburgh University Press
External links
