V.I. Warshawski (1991)

User Rating:

4.3/10   

Director:

Jeff Kanew

Writers (WGA):

Sara Paretsky ('V.I. Warshawski' novels)
Edward Taylor (screen story)

Release Date:

26 July 1991 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime

Tagline:

V.I. Warshawski: A private detective with a name as tough as she is.

Plot:

A female PI babysitting for a boyfriend gets stuck with his daughter and the case of her murdered father.

Plot Keywords:

Detective | Murder | Personal Computer | Blood | Egg

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Kathleen Turner	...	Victoria 'V.I.' Warshawski
Jay O. Sanders	...	Murray Ryerson
Charles Durning	...	Det. Lt. Bobby Mallory
Angela Goethals	...	Kat Grafalk, Bernard's Daughter
Nancy Paul	...	Paige Wilson Grafalk
Frederick Coffin	...	Horton Grafalk
Charles McCaughan	...	Trumble Grafalk
Stephen Meadows	...	Bernard 'Boom-Boom' Grafalk
Wayne Knight	...	Earl 'Bonehead' Smeissen
Lynnie Godfrey	...	Sal, Golden Glow Bartender
Anne Pitoniak	...	Dr. Lotty Herschel
Stephen Root	...	Mickey
Robert Clotworthy	...	Philip Pugh, Attorney
Tom Allard	...	Big Eddie, Earl's Thug
Mike Hagerty	...	Babe (as Michael G. Hagerty)

Also Known As:

V.I. Warshawski, Detective in High Heels (USA)

Runtime:

89 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Netherlands:12 | Finland:K-14 | Germany:12 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R | Australia:M | New Zealand:R | Canada:14A (Ontario)

Filming Locations:

Chicago, Illinois, USA

Company:

Hollywood Pictures

Trivia:

Among other changes, producers wanted to set the film in Baltimore and cast either Amy Madigan, Bette Midler or Jane Fonda as Warshawski. Paretsky, however, was thrilled with the selection of Kathleen Turner.

Quotes:

Victoria "V.I." Warshawski: My face got betrayed by my mouth.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Homestarrunner.com: Everything Else, Volume 1 (2005) (V)

Soundtrack:

Chopin: Waltz G Flat Major, Or 70, No. 1

Good flick, better if truer to Paretsky's novel

For the time this movie was released, it really is a solid film. One I stop and watch anytime I catch it on cable. I like Kathleen Turner as Vic and see her as Vic when I read Paretsky's Blacklist (2004) and Indemity Only (1982). Paretsky is such a skilled writer that I read all 332 pages of Indemity Only completely in one Saturday. This would have been a good vehicle/series for Ms. Turner if the movie had followed the novels closer. They should have hired Paretsky to write the screen play.

The screenwriters, Edward Taylor, David Aaron Cohen, & Nick Thiel, I believe are responsible for this film being unsuccessful at the box office. It appears they did not read the books or believe themselves that a women could be a private investigator. Paretsky gave them a well rounded, gritty, thorough character. The screenwriters tried to make it a comedy/action film and dishonored Paretsky in their representation of her character. The screen play should have been written as an action/thriller along the lines of Patriot Games (1992), an action/crime like the Italian Job (2003), or a mystery along the lines of the Thomas Crown affair (1999). All have comedic moments in them and would be better genres for the V.I. Warshawki novels.

Maybe if Ms. Turner is up to it she could revive the character or perhaps Charlize Theron would take a shot at it.