Nadine (1987)

In 1950s Texas, a woman trying to recover sexy photos of herself and divorce her husband witnesses a murder and uncovers corrupt land dealings.

Director:

Robert Benton

Writer:

Robert Benton

Stars:

Jeff Bridges, Kim Basinger, Rip Torn

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jeff Bridges	...	Vernon Hightower
Kim Basinger	...	Nadine Hightower
Rip Torn	...	Buford Pope
Gwen Verdon	...	Vera
Glenne Headly	...	Renée Lomax
Jerry Stiller	...	Raymond Escobar
Jay Patterson	...	Dwight Estes
William Youmans	...	Boyd
Gary Grubbs	...	Cecil
Mickey Jones	...	Floyd
Blue Deckert	...	Mountain
Harlan Jordan	...	Sheriff Rusk
Norman Bennett	...	Reverend
James N. Harrell	...	Deacon (as James Harrell)
John William Galt	...	Officer Lloyd

Storyline

Working in an Austin, Texas, beauty parlour in 1954, Nadine Hightower endeavours to retrieve some 'art studies' she injudiciously had taken. Her visit to the photographer leaves him dead and her in possession of highly valuable plans of a proposed new road. With both the police and the murderous villains after her she enlists the help of her (almost) ex-husband Vernon, the none too successful owner of the Bluebonnet Bar. Fortunately the thugs are as much no-hopers as the Hightowers.

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Plot Keywords:

texas | 1950s | murder | map | lingerie | 

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Taglines:

The cops want HER. The killers want HIM. THEY want a divorce. Ain't love grand!

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Genres:

Comedy

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

7 August 1987 (USA)

Also Known As:

Nadine - Eine kugelsichere Liebe

Filming Locations:

Austin, Texas, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$12,000,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$5,669,831 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

ML Delphi Premier Productions, TriStar Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

78 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Written specifically for Kim Basinger.

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Goofs

When Vernon Hightower (Jeff Bridges) is crawling across the wooden ladder to another roof and catches the rope thrown by Nadine Hightower (Kim Basiner) after being shaken off it by his pursuers, he swings down and into and through a window directly underneath the ladder. The only problem is, his trajectory is clearly carrying him so that his legs will hit the wall below the window but his upper body will hit the window, and the camera cuts away a fraction of a second before he hits and then switches to inside that room and he comes crashing through the window with his entire body fitting nicely through the window.

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Quotes

Buford Pope: I swear you two are living testimony to the fact that it's better to be lucky than smart!

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Connections

Referenced in Frame on the Wall: The Making of 'The Door in the Floor' (2004)

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Soundtracks

"SEVEN NIGHTS TO ROCK"
Written by Henry Glover, Louis Innis, Buck Trail
Performed by Moon Mullican
Courtesy of GML Inc.

User Reviews

Surprisingly fun

I say 'surprisingly' because the rating is so low, I didn't know what to expect.

But it's a delightful little caper movie, driven (as all good movies are) by the performers and a tight script by Robert Benton, not known for his enjoyable caper movies!

Jeff Bridges all but steals the film from a delightful Kim Basinger, and the two of them together set the screen on fire. They are surrounded by some of the best character actors working today, including Rip Torn. As I was watching this I thought how smart Robert Benton is for casting real actors, and having the comedy come out of their behaviour and talent, rather than casting 'wacky comedians' and reducing the story to little bits.

A lot of fun, and worth seeing.