The Morning After (1986)

A washed up, alcoholic actress who is prone to blackouts wakes up next to a murdered man. Did she kill him and, if not, is she in danger?

Director:

Sidney Lumet

Writer:

James Cresson (as James Hicks)

Stars:

Jane Fonda, Jeff Bridges, Raul Julia

Nominated for 1 Oscar.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jane Fonda	...	Alex Sternbergen
Jeff Bridges	...	Turner Kendall
Raul Julia	...	Joaquin Manero
Diane Salinger	...	Isabel Harding
Richard Foronjy	...	Sergeant Greenbaum
Geoffrey Scott	...	Bobby Korshack
James 'Gypsy' Haake	...	Frankie
Kathleen Wilhoite	...	Red
Don Hood	...	Hurley
Fran Bennett	...	Airline Clerk
Michael Flanagan	...	Airline Supervisor
Bruce Vilanch	...	Bartender
Michael Prince	...	Mr. Harding
Frances Bergen	...	Mrs. Harding
José Angel Santana	...	Driver (as José Santana)

Storyline

Alex Sternberg wakes up with a hangover and no memory of how she ended up in bed with a dead man. She flees, convinced that she has had another blackout and stabbed someone. Her only support, Turner, an ex cop and recovering alcoholic who is unsympathetic to her plight. She could believe that it is as simple as a violent act committed while drunk, except that the body keeps re-appearing.

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Plot Keywords:

neo noir | three word title | blood | stabbed to death | alcoholic | 

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Taglines:

Last night she drank to forget. Today she woke up to a murder. Is he her last hope or the last man she should trust?

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Genres:

Crime | Mystery | Romance | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Did You Know?

Trivia

Both Jane Fonda and Jeff Bridges have a father and a brother who are also actors. Fonda's father is Henry Fonda and her brother is Peter Fonda, while Bridges' father is Lloyd Bridges and his brother is Beau Bridges.

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Goofs

The taxi driver tells Alex that it is Thursday November 28, 1986. However, November 28, 1986 was a Friday.

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Quotes

[last lines]
Turner Kendall: Never did see that damn trick done right.
Alex Sternbergen: And you never will.
Turner Kendall: Whatever makes you happy.
Alex Sternbergen: You, oh you make me happy.

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Connections

Referenced in By Sidney Lumet (2015)

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Soundtracks

CAN'T STOP GIVING IT
Composed & performed by The Earons
Courtesy of Island Records

User Reviews

Fonda looks good as a has been

While Jane's last Oscar nominated performance (before she retired from films) has its moments, the film falls apart after she takes off her blonde wig. I thought she looked like a knockout with it on. Some really well photographed scenery pops up near the first half and there's a long extended sequence that has her clean up the dead man's apartment, which is filled with many sly touches; alas the beginning is ten times better and more developed than the weak conclusion. Jeff Bridges adds a nice touch to the story but was it really wise for the Fonda character to place all her trust in a total stranger? Kathy Bates has a cameo as a neighbor before she hit the big time scaring everyone in Misery. She's on the screen maybe 10 seconds to a minute, tops. Overall, the parts, as other reviewers have stated, are juicier than the whole.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English French

Release Date:

25 December 1986 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Morning After

Filming Locations:

Nate Starkman & Son Building - 544 Mateo St, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$15,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$5,069,926, 28 December 1986

Gross USA:

$25,147,055

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$25,147,055

Company Credits

Production Co:

American Filmworks, Lorimar Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

103 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1