Deathtrap (film)
| Deathtrap | |
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Theatrical poster by Bill Gold
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| Directed by | Sidney Lumet |
| Produced by | Burtt Harris |
| Written by |
Ira Levin (play) Jay Presson Allen (screenplay) |
| Starring |
Michael Caine Christopher Reeve Dyan Cannon |
| Music by | Johnny Mandel |
| Cinematography | Andrzej Bartkowiak |
| Edited by | Jack Fitzstephens |
| Distributed by | Warner Bros. |
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Release date
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Running time
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116 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $19,282,134 |
Deathtrap is a 1982 American thriller film based on Ira Levin's play of the same name, directed by Sidney Lumet from a screenplay by Levin and Jay Presson Allen, starring Michael Caine, Dyan Cannon and Christopher Reeve. Critics gave the film mostly favorable reviews while noting its plot similarities to Caine's 1972 film Sleuth.
Famed playwright Sidney Bruhl (Caine) debuts the latest in a series of Broadway flops and returns to his opulent Long Island home and his wife, Myra (Cannon). Although their financial situation is not dire, Sidney is hungry for a hit. He has received a manuscript of a play called Deathtrap written by one of his students, Clifford Anderson, that he considers near perfection. Clifford recently attended one of Sidney's writing workshops and now asks for input on his play. Sidney contemplates murdering Clifford and producing the play as his own. He invites Clifford to their secluded home, which is decorated with weapons from Sidney's plays, to discuss it.
Clifford (Reeve) arrives by train. Myra tries desperately over the course of an evening to convince Sidney to work with Clifford 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 (Irene Worth), a minor celebrity who is staying with the Bruhls' neighbors. 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 is beginning to come to terms with what Sidney has done. All is calm until Clifford bursts through the bedroom window and beats Sidney with a log. Clifford chases Myra through the house until her weak 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. The previous few hours had all been an elaborate ruse to kill Myra.
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