Fatal Attraction (1987)

A married man's one night stand comes back to haunt him when that lover begins to stalk him and his family.

Director:

Adrian Lyne

Writers:

James Dearden (screenplay), James Dearden (short film)

Stars:

Michael Douglas, Glenn Close, Anne Archer

Nominated for 6 Oscars. Another 7 wins & 14 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Michael Douglas	...	Dan Gallagher
Glenn Close	...	Alex Forrest
Anne Archer	...	Beth Gallagher
Ellen Hamilton Latzen	...	Ellen Gallagher
Stuart Pankin	...	Jimmy
Ellen Foley	...	Hildy
Fred Gwynne	...	Arthur
Meg Mundy	...	Joan Rogerson
Tom Brennan	...	Howard Rogerson
Lois Smith	...	Martha
Mike Nussbaum	...	Bob Drimmer
J.J. Johnston	...	O'Rourke
Michael Arkin	...	Lieutenant
Sam Coppola	...	Fuselli (as Sam J. Coppola)
Eunice Prewitt	...	Receptionist

Storyline

Happily married New York lawyer Dan Callagher has an affair with his colleague Alex, and the two enjoy a love weekend while Dan's wife and kid are away. But Alex will not let go of him, and she will stop at nothing to have him for herself. Just how far will she go to get what she wants?.

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Plot Keywords:

new york | sexual obsession | cuckolded husband | fondling | wronged wife | 

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Taglines:

On the other side of drinks, dinner and a one night stand, lies a terrifying love story.

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Genres:

Drama | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

18 September 1987 (USA)

Also Known As:

Diversion

Filming Locations:

400 East 14th Street, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$14,000,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$156,645,693 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

119 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Dolby Digital (5.1 surround)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

While on a break from filming the fight scene in Alex's apartment, Glenn Close took her dog, Gaby, on a walk around the complex where the production was shooting on-location. Close, still wearing the film's iconic white dress, covered in dirt and sweat, with her hair unkempt, began to notice three girls approach her with curiosity. Thinking that the girls presumed she had just been mugged, due to her appearance, Close was about to explain to the girls that she was only shooting a movie. But the girls were really just interested in meeting her dog.

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Goofs

On the windshield of Dan and Beth's car before Beth and Ellen leave.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Beth Gallagher: [to Ellen] You better get going, kiddo. You're gonna be late.

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Crazy Credits

Barbara Harris is sometimes credited under the name Barbara Iley. In the final credits here, under 'Party Guests', she is credited under both names.

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Connections

Referenced in Siskel & Ebert: Pacific Heights/King of New York/Miller's Crossing/Texasville (1990)

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Soundtracks

"WHEN I FALL IN LOVE"
(1952)
Music by Victor Young
Lyrics by Edward Heyman
Performed by Bill Evans Trio
Courtesy of Riverside Records

User Reviews

good acting, ok movie

When watching this movie, my biggest problem was that I couldn't really sympathize with either one of the main characters, Michael Douglas' Dan, or Glenn Close's Alex. Douglas played a married man who had a weekend-long affair with a business associate, played by Glenn Close. Dan didn't know he was getting involved with a psychopath, but he shouldn't have cheated on his wife in the first place. It's never really clear why he cheats on his wife, other than a selfish attack of lust. Alex was trying to make a point that he couldn't just use her and then go back to his family, but she knew he was married, so she should have known what she was getting into. She seemed so mature and sophisticated in the beginning, and then we never find out why she is so crazy. I lost any bit of sympathy I might have felt for her during the rabbit scene. It's one thing to harass a grown man whom you feel has wronged you, but it's entirely different to take it out on his innocent 6-year old child. The final showdown with Dan's wife in the bathroom is very predictable, right down to the screaming teakettle in the kitchen that masks the screams from upstairs. I do think the ending was a little more than Douglas' character deserved. He didn't really seem sorry for what he did; it took terrible things happening to his family to make him confess to his wife. His family was so lovable and nice, and they definitely didn't deserve to be so poorly treated. Dan was very lucky to have home and family restored to him at the end; he didn't really deserve it. All in all though, this film wasn't a bad thriller. I must admit I was a little tense trying to guess what Alex would do next. I wasn't entirely sure what she was capable of, so it added to the suspense of the film. Close's acting was good; she was a very believable psycho. There was a lot of talent in this film, and everyone turned in good performances. Although it was relatively predictable, if you allow yourself to get swept up by it, it is made exciting by Close's performance. Not a bad film, but not the best thriller ever made.