Body Heat (1981)

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

Director:

Lawrence Kasdan

Writer:

Lawrence Kasdan

Stars:

William Hurt, Kathleen Turner, Richard Crenna

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 5 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
William Hurt	...	Ned Racine
Kathleen Turner	...	Matty Walker
Richard Crenna	...	Edmund Walker
Ted Danson	...	Peter Lowenstein
J.A. Preston	...	Oscar Grace
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)

Storyline

Ned Racine is a seedy small town lawyer in Florida. During a searing heatwave he's picked up by married Matty Walker. A passionate affair commences but it isn't long before they realise the only thing standing in their way is Matty's rich husband Edmund. A plot hatches to kill him but will they pull it off?

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Plot Keywords:

femme fatale | fatal attraction | con | scantily clad female | utilization | 

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Taglines:

She taught him everything she knew - about passion and murder.

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Romance | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Did You Know?

Trivia

Included among the American Film Institute's 2001 list of the top 100 Most Heart-Pounding American Movies.

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Goofs

When Ned and Matty are arguing in the entry way, the ceiling fan behind Matty changes speeds between shots.

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Quotes

Ned: I need someone to take care of me, someone to rub my tired muscles, smooth out my sheets.
Matty: Get married.
Ned: I just need it for tonight.

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Alternate Versions

Strange as it may seem, at least one commercial television print completely eliminates the key sequence where Richard Crenna's character is killed!

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Connections

Referenced in Gossip Girl: The Undergraduates (2010)

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Soundtracks

That Old Feeling
(1937) (uncredited)
Music by Sammy Fain
Played in the score in a bar and at a concert

User Reviews

Kathleen Turner is quite astonishing in this her first film.

Writer/director Kasden got just about everything right in this his first feature. The dialogue crackles as befits a neo noir and John Barry's score is always there to to support or promote some wondrous visuals. Kathleen Turner is quite astonishing in this her first film. Her boldness and bravery in the sex scenes ensure that this sizzles from the off and I guess helps to draw attention away from what is really going on. William Hurt hasn't made many films before this and he too seems very relaxed and easy with regard to the nude and non nude sequences. His banter with his colleagues is as believable as his smouldering tete-a-tetes with his co-star. Mickey Rourke is effective in a key small role and the whole thing moves very well. Having seen this upon its original theatrical release, I have always held it in high regard, feeling upon this Blu-ray viewing that it didn't quite race throughout as I had 'remembered' and there seemed to be a slight imbalance on the sound. But hey - excellent film with fine performances.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

28 August 1981 (USA)

Also Known As:

Body Heat

Filming Locations:

Lake Avenue, Lake Worth, Florida, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$564,593, 30 August 1981

Gross USA:

$24,058,838

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$24,058,838

Company Credits

Production Co:

The Ladd Company

Technical Specs

Runtime:

113 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1