The Hot Spot (1990)

When the drifter Harry Madox reaches a small town in Texas, he gets a job as used car salesman with the dealer George Harshaw and settles down in a hotel room. During a fire, Harry observes... See full summary »

Director:

Dennis Hopper

Writers:

Charles Williams (book), Nona Tyson (screenplay)

Stars:

Don Johnson, Virginia Madsen, Jennifer Connelly

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Don Johnson	...	Harry Madox
Virginia Madsen	...	Dolly Harshaw
Jennifer Connelly	...	Gloria Harper
Charles Martin Smith	...	Lon Gulick
William Sadler	...	Frank Sutton
Jerry Hardin	...	George Harshaw
Barry Corbin	...	Sheriff
Leon Rippy	...	Deputy Tate
Jack Nance	...	Julian Ward
Virgil Frye	...	Deputy Buck
John Hawker	...	Uncle Mort
Margaret Bowman	...	Woman at Gas Station
Debra Cole	...	Irene Davey
Karen Culley	...	Cowgirl
Cody Haynes	...	Cowboy

Storyline

When the drifter Harry Madox reaches a small town in Texas, he gets a job as used car salesman with the dealer George Harshaw and settles down in a hotel room. During a fire, Harry observes that the local bank is left empty and open without any security. Sooner he plots a scheme to rob the bank, provoking a fire in his room to distract the employees. When Harry meets George's wife Dolly Harshaw, the easy woman teases him and they have sex. Harry becomes the prime suspect of the bank heist and is arrested, but Dolly provided the necessary alibi to release him and blackmails him to have a love affair with her. However, Harry falls in love for Gloria Harper, who works as accountant in the dealership. He discovers that Gloria is blackmailed by the despicable Frank Sutton and he decides to press Sutton.

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Plot Keywords:

menage a trois | neo noir | sex | bare breasts | female removes her clothes | 

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Taglines:

There are only two things to do in this small town. One is watching TV . . .

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Romance | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 October 1990 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Hot Spot - Spiel mit dem Feuer

Filming Locations:

Austin, Texas, USA

Box Office

Gross:

$1,293,976 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Orion Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

130 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Dennis Hopper, at the time of the film's release, blamed stars Don Johnson and Virginia Madsen for the poor box office performance of the film. Hopper said of Johnson: "He says he's not going to do anything for this picture until he reads the reviews." Johnson claimed he was so busy shooting Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man (1991) with Mickey Rourke that he did not have time to promote "The Hot Spot". Madsen, Hopper explained, was "very embarrassed" by her amount of on-screen nudity.

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Goofs

After Harry and Dolly come out of the pond after swimming and climb to the top of the tower Dolly is shown in an open shirt and white cotton panties. After she jumps off the tower and into the sand pile she is shown nude from the waist down.

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Quotes

Harry Madox: If you fall out of bed again the cockroaches are gonna start talkin.

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Connections

Referenced in Easy Riders, Raging Bulls: How the Sex, Drugs and Rock 'N' Roll Generation Saved Hollywood (2003)

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Soundtracks

LONESOME TRAVELER
Performed by Roosevelt Williams (as Roosevelt Williams, The Grey Ghost)
Written by Roosevelt Williams
Courtesy of Catfish Records

User Reviews

A tightly crafted, sun-drenched film noir

Dennis Hopper delivers the goods in this meticulously conventional tale of a charismatic underachiever finding his level. Harkening back to the gender and class warfare sensibilities of the Forties, The Hot Spot excels across the board, in acting, dialogue, plotting, music, and cinematography.