Fatal Beauty (1987)

Rita is a tough narc cop with a wig for every occasion. Outside a drug heist scene with several bodies and a hardly cut fatal drug, Fatal Beauty, she finds a Kroll Construction van with a dead Kroll employee in it. Who is Kroll?

Director:

Tom Holland

Writers:

Bill Svanoe (story), Hilary Henkin (screenplay)

Stars:

Whoopi Goldberg, Sam Elliott, Rubén Blades

2 wins.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Whoopi Goldberg	...	Rita Rizzoli
Sam Elliott	...	Mike Marshak
Rubén Blades	...	Carl Jimenez (as Ruben Blades)
Harris Yulin	...	Conrad Kroll
John P. Ryan	...	Lt. Kellerman
Jennifer Warren	...	Cecile Jaeger
Brad Dourif	...	Leo Nova
Mike Jolly	...	Earl Skinner
Charles Hallahan	...	Deputy Getz
David Harris	...	Raphael
James Le Gros	...	Zack Jaeger
Neill Barry	...	Denny Miflin
Mark Pellegrino	...	Frankenstein
Clayton Landey	...	Jimmy Silver
Fred Asparagus	...	Delgadillo

Storyline

Rita Rizzoli is a narcotics police officer with a plethora of disguises. When a drug shipment is hijacked, the thieves don't know that the drug is unusually pure, and packs of "Fatal Beauty" begin turning up next to too many dead bodies. Mike Marshak works for the original owner of the drugs and tries to tell himself that since he does not handle the drugs, he is "clean". Mike becomes Rita's constant companion as the drug hijackers (who are nearly psychotic and very well armed) are hunted, while more and more bodies continue to turn up.

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Plot Keywords:

woman punches a woman | wound | falling into a pool | woman wearing pasties and a g string | bankroll | 

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Taglines:

An earthquake is about to hit L.A. It's called Detective Rita Rizoli.

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Genres:

Action | Comedy | Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Did You Know?

Trivia

Cher was initially signed to star.

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Goofs

Earl Skinner switches the jungle style clips on his Ruger AC556K three times during the final shootout. Essentially loading his gun with an empty clip before he tries to shoot a pinned Rizzoli.

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Quotes

Deputy Getz: [a witness is speaking Chinese] What is she saying?
Shigeta: I told you, I speak *Japanese* not *Chinese*.
Deputy Getz: Is there a difference?

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Connections

Featured in At the Movies: Fatal Beauty/The Hidden/Cry Freedom/Dark Eyes (1987)

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Soundtracks

Make It My Night
Written by Danny Sembello and Tony Haynes
Performed by Donna Allen
Courtesy of Atlantic Records

User Reviews

Witty, But Gritty Knock-Down, Drag-Out, Shoot-Em-Up Cop Flick!

Fatal Beauty has the advantage of allowing Whoopie Goldberg to bounce her keen and cutting wit off Sam Elliott's straight and penetrating gaze. The action is bone-crunching gang-banging blended with South of the Border stylized gun battles, Corporate money, and big drugs.

I particularly like this one for Sam Elliott's prominence. He portrays hired muscle for a corporate big wig, who has no idea what his boss is up to. He also has a hint of a love interest with the star, and I found that delightful. His down to earth personality is perfectly cast, and wittingly executed.

This one always surprises me.

It rates a 7.8/10 on the Buddy Cop Scale from...

the Fiend :.

Details

Country:

USA Japan

Language:

English

Release Date:

30 October 1987 (USA)

Also Known As:

Fatal Beauty

Filming Locations:

Beverly Hills, California, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$2,693,714, 1 November 1987

Gross USA:

$12,046,526

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$12,046,526

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), CST Telecommunications

Technical Specs

Runtime:

104 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1