Body Heat (1981)

Director:

Lawrence Kasdan

Writer:

Lawrence Kasdan (written by)

Release Date:

28 August 1981 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

It's a hot summer. Ned Racine is waiting for something special to happen. And when it does... He won't be ready for the consequences.

Plot:

In the midst of a searing Florida heat wave, a woman convinces her lover, a small-town lawyer, to murder her rich husband.

Plot Keywords:

Florida | Lawyer | Heat | Murder | Prenuptial Agreement

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 1 win & 3 nominations

Cast

William Hurt	...	Ned Racine
Kathleen Turner	...	Matty Walker
Richard Crenna	...	Edmund Walker
Ted Danson	...	Peter Lowenstein
J.A. Preston	...	Oscar Grace (as J. A. Preston)
Mickey Rourke	...	Teddy Lewis
Kim Zimmer	...	Mary Ann
Jane Hallaren	...	Stella
Lanna Saunders	...	Roz Kraft
Carola McGuinness	...	Heather Kraft
Michael Ryan	...	Miles Hardin
Larry Marko	...	Judge Costanza
Deborah Lucchesi	...	Beverly
Lynn Hallowell	...	Angela
Thom Sharp	...	Michael Glenn (as Thom J. Sharp)
Ruth Thom	...	Mrs. Singer
Diane Lewis	...	Glenda
Robert Traynor	...	Prison Trustee
Meg Kasdan	...	Nurse
Ruth P. Strahan	...	Betty The Housekeeper
Filomena Triscari	...	Hostess at Tulio's
Bruce A. Lee	...	Man on Beach
Ramiro Velasco	...	Cuban Trio
Tomas Choy	...	Cuban Trio
Servio T. Moreno	...	Cuban Trio

Directed by
Lawrence Kasdan

Writing credits
Lawrence Kasdan		(written by)

Produced by
Fred T. Gallo	....	producer
Robert Grand	....	associate producer
George Lucas	....	executive producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
John Barry

Cinematography by
Richard H. Kline		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Carol Littleton

Casting by
Wallis Nicita		(as Wally Nicita)

Production Design by
Bill Kenney

Set Decoration by
Rick Gentz		(as Rick T. Gentz)

Costume Design by
Renié		(as Renie Conley)

Makeup Department
Robert Sidell	....	makeup artist (as Robert A. Sidell)
Adele Taylor	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Robert Grand	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jeffrey Chernov	....	second assistant director
Michael Grillo	....	first assistant director
Bruce Humphrey	....	directors guild trainee

Art Department
Robert L. Anderson	....	construction coordinator
Dennis Butterworth	....	greens foreman
Ray Jarvis	....	stand-by painter
Richard McKenzie	....	set designer
Robert Planck	....	leadman
Sig Tingloff	....	set designer (as Sig Tinglof)
Sonny Van Hecke	....	assistant property master
Robert J. Visciglia Sr.	....	property master (as Robert Visciglia Sr.)
Doug Wilson	....	paint foreman
Joseph Musso	....	production illustrator (uncredited)

Sound Department
Jim Cook	....	re-recording mixer (as James Cook)
Patrick Drummond	....	sound editor
Robert Grieve	....	sound editor
Maury Harris	....	production sound mixer
Chris Jenkins	....	re-recording mixer (as Christopher Jenkins)
Richard Portman	....	re-recording mixer
David Sanucci	....	boom man

Special Effects by
Hal Bigger	....	special effects man
Howard Jensen	....	special effects supervisor

Stunts
William H. Burton	....	stunt coordinator (as Bill Burton)
Steven Chambers	....	stuntman (as Steve Chambers)
Gary Combs	....	stuntman
James M. Halty	....	stuntman (as Jim Halty)
Ron Stein	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Albert Bettcher	....	camera operator
Eric Engler	....	camera assistant
Larry D. Howard	....	gaffer
Pat King	....	second grip
Michael McGowan	....	camera operator
John Monte	....	still photographer
Ted Morris	....	electrical best boy
Ron Phillips	....	still photographer
Robert Sordal	....	key grip
William Tobin	....	camera assistant (as Bill Tobin)
Robert A. Wise	....	camera assistant

Casting Department
Pearl Kempton	....	extras casting
Deborah Lucchesi	....	casting coordinator

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Winnie D. Brown	....	costumer (as Winnie Brown)
Barbara Siebert	....	costume supervisor (as Barbara Siebert Bolticoff)

Editorial Department
Bruce Cannon	....	second assistant editor
Mia Goldman	....	assistant editor
Robert Raring	....	color timer

Music Department
John Barry	....	conductor
Cliff Kohlweck	....	music editor (as Clifford C. Kohlweck)
Dan Wallin	....	scoring mixer
Ronnie Lang	....	musician: saxophone (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Michael Antunez	....	transportation captain
James Antúnez	....	transportation coordinator (as James Antunez)
Sam Segal	....	transportation captain

Other crew
Pamela Alch	....	script supervisor
Celeste Angiolillo	....	assistant: Mr. Kasdan
Lynne Birdt	....	production coordinator
Wayne Fitzgerald	....	title design
Mark Indig	....	location manager: Florida
Art Schaefer	....	production accountant
Daniel Schneider	....	location manager
Peter J. Silbermann	....	unit publicist (as Peter Silbermann)
Bernie Styles	....	production assistant (as Bernard S. Styles)
Tad Tadlock	....	choreographer
Jim Bigham	....	location manager (uncredited)
Bundy Chanock	....	set medic (uncredited)
Shawn McAllister	....	stand-in (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Ladd Company, The (thru Warner Bros - A Warner Communications Company)

Distributors

• Warner Bros (1981) (USA) (theatrical) (as Warner Bros)
• Warner Bros. (1982) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (1982) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1984) (USA) (TV)
• Warner Home Video (1986) (USA) (VHS)
• Argentina Video Home (1999) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (1999) (Argentina) (VHS) (re-release)
• Warner Bros. (1999) (Argentina) (all media)
• Warner Home Vídeo (1999) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Audio Visual Enterprises (1987) (Greece) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2013) (Germany) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Warner Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera cranes (uncredited)
• City of Lake Worth  the producers wish to thank: for their cooperation in this production (as The City of Lake Worth)
• Creative Mobile Studio  location equipment by (as Creative Mobile Studios)
• Production Payments  production services by (as Production Payments, Inc.)
• State of Florida  the producers wish to thank: for their cooperation in this production (as The State of Florida)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

113 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Argentina:16 | Australia:MA | Finland:K-16 | Norway:15 | Peru:18 | Portugal:M/16 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 (re-rating) (1992) | USA:R (PCA #26275) | West Germany:12 | Ireland:18 | UK:X (original rating) | Iceland:16 | Australia:M (original rating) | Singapore:M18 | Canada:14+ (Ontario) | South Korea:18 | New Zealand:R16 | Philippines:R-18 | France:U | UK:18 (video rating) (1986) (1998) | UK:18 (tv rating)

Filming Locations:

Delray Beach, Florida, USA

Company:

Ladd Company, The

Trivia:

Kim Basinger turned down the role of Matty Walker.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Characters at outdoor concert fan themselves (presumably to show how hot it is), even though there is obviously a heavy breeze that would make such activity superfluous.

Quotes:

Ned:Can I buy you a drink?
Matty:I told you. I've got a husband.
Ned:I'll buy him one too.
Matty:He's out of town.
Ned:My favorite kind. We'll drink to him.
Matty:Only comes up on weekends.
Ned:I'm liking him better all the time.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "I Love the 80's 3-D: 1981 (#1.2)" (2005)

Soundtrack:

That Old Feeling

Loved it

I bought the DVD because it was cheap and because Kathleen Turner was in it. Since it's not a very famous film I was surprised how good it was. The camera-work was great. Check out an early scene in the film when the camera starts behind the bar and slides around to follow William Hurt outside where he lights up and strikes a perfect pose leaning against the doorway like Bogart or someone from one of those forties films. Wonder how many takes that took. Hurt puts in a great performance. The fact that his character is called Ned Racine gives him a head start but it's a very challenging role to portray a guy who is at the same time dynamic, lazy, naive, charming and likable. All the performances are top drawer. Kathleen Turner does a great job as the femme fatale. Mickey Rourke is in just two scenes but grabs your attention in both. Ted Danson and JA Preston are good as Ned's friends. Richard Crenna plays the kind of assertive character he played in Rambo,which fits in here as he delivers a pivotal line which sums up the story.('You've got to know the bottom line')