Death Wish (1974)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

Michael Winner

Writers:

Brian Garfield (novel)
Wendell Mayes (writer)

Release Date:

24 July 1974 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime

Tagline:

Vigilante, city style -- Judge, Jury, and Executioner

Plot:

A New York City architect becomes a one-man vigilante squad after his wife is murdered by street punks in which he randomly goes out and kills would-be muggers on the mean streets after dark.

Plot Keywords:

New York | Gun | City | Architect | Police

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Charles Bronson	...	Paul Kersey
Hope Lange	...	Joanna Kersey
Vincent Gardenia	...	Detective Frank Ochoa
Steven Keats	...	Jack Toby
William Redfield	...	Sam Kreutzer
Stuart Margolin	...	Ames Jainchill
Stephen Elliott	...	Police Commissioner
Kathleen Tolan	...	Carol Toby
Jack Wallace	...	Hank
Fred J. Scollay	...	District Attorney
Chris Gampel	...	Ives
Robert Kya-Hill	...	Joe Charles
Edward Grover	...	Lt. Briggs (as Ed Grover)
Jeff Goldblum	...	Freak #1
Christopher Logan	...	Freak #2

Also Known As:

The Sidewalk Vigilante (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Italian | German

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-18 (2003) (uncut) | Finland:K-18 (1974) (cut) | Iceland:16 | UK:18 (re-rating) (2006) (uncut) | West Germany:18 (f) | New Zealand:R16 | Argentina:16 | Australia:R | Brazil:14 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:R (Ontario) | France:-16 | Netherlands:16 | Norway:18 | Singapore:M18 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 (video rating) | UK:X (original rating) | USA:R

Filming Locations:

2 Park Avenue, Murray Hill, East Side, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Dino De Laurentiis Company

Trivia:

Film debut of Jeff Goldblum.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: When Kersey chases the last robber at the end of the film, you can clearly see spotlights in the background.

Quotes:

Paul Kersey: Any chance of catching these men?
Lt. Briggs: There's a chance, sure.
Paul Kersey: Just a chance?
Lt. Briggs: I'd be less than honest if I gave you more hope, Mr. Kersey. In the city, that's the way it is.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Crow: Stairway to Heaven: Death Wish (#1.10)" (1998)

The Way Action Movies Should Be

Just a few quick facts presented in Death Wish:

1. All violent criminals are the scum of the earth. 2. Deep down, we're all conservatives. 3. Charles Bronson will never be equaled. 4. Death Wish is an underrated film.

Disclaimer: This is not sarcasm. It's just the way things are.