Black Widow (1987)

A federal investigator tracks down a gold digging woman who moves from husband to husband, kills them and collects the inheritance.

Director:

Bob Rafelson

Writer:

Ronald Bass

Stars:

Debra Winger, Theresa Russell, Sami Frey

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Debra Winger	...	Alexandra
Theresa Russell	...	Catharine
Sami Frey	...	Paul
Dennis Hopper	...	Ben
Nicol Williamson	...	William
Terry O'Quinn	...	Bruce
James Hong	...	Shin
Diane Ladd	...	Etta
D.W. Moffett	...	Michael
Lois Smith	...	Sara
Leo Rossi	...	Ricci
Danny Kamekona	...	Detective
Rutanya Alda	...	Irene
Mary Woronov	...	Shelley
Wayne Heffley	...	Etta's Husband

Storyline

Catherine is a black widow. "She mates and then she kills". Black Widow is the story of a lady (Catherine) who marries lonely millionaires, waits until they've changed their will to leave all to their beloved wives and then murders them to inherit the fortune. With each man Catherine marries, she changes her appearance to suit the mans personality. Only there's one problem. Alexandra is a smart cookie and has found a link between these unexplained mysterious deaths and the partners wives. But now her only problem is proving that a killer is on the loose and saving herself from the deadly Black Widow.

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Plot Keywords:

erotic thriller | widow | black widow | millionaire | inheritance | 

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Taglines:

She Mates and She kills. No Man Can Resist Her. Only One Woman Can Stop Her.

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

6 February 1987 (USA)

Also Known As:

Borgia

Filming Locations:

Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$10,500,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$3,426,831, 8 February 1987, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$25,205,460

Company Credits

Production Co:

Amercent Films,American Entertainment Partners L.P.,Twentieth Century Fox

Technical Specs

Runtime:

102 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Many movie posters for the film featured a long text preamble that read: "Every man she marries is mysteriously murdered. One woman has uncovered the truth. But proving it could be fatal". This thriller film noir actually debuted around six months prior to the same 1987 year's big box-office suspenser hit Fatal Attraction (1987).

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Goofs

When they're making love in front of the fireplace in the log cabin, in long-shot McCoy rolls over on top of Margaret. Jump-cut to close-up, and McCoy again rolls over on top of Margaret, hitting her in the mouth with his medic-alert.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Sara: When he didn't come to the office, 10:30, 11:00, I called the house. Catherine... he went in his sleep, peacefully. The doctor said if you'd been sleeping right next to him, you wouldn't have even known. You couldn't have done anything.

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Connections

Referenced in Mystery Science Theater 3000: Monster A-Go Go (1993)

User Reviews

Hugely entertaining (feminist?) film

Debra Winger is great as always as the FBI backroom researcher allowed out for a change to pursue her theory that the widows of several millionaires who have all died of the same rare disease are in fact the same woman.

She finds herself fascinated as well as repelled by Theresa Russell's glamour, lifestyle and ability to use men for her own ends. Russell in her turn sees her as a worthy opponent (unlike all those men she takes in so easily).

In fact all the men are just part of the background to the play between Winger and Russell.

Its a terrific film all round and I may be alone in this, but I think the ending works.