Blue Steel (1990)

A rookie in the police force must engage in a cat-and-mouse game with a pistol-wielding psychopath who becomes obsessed with her.

Director:

Kathryn Bigelow

Writers:

Kathryn Bigelow, Eric Red

Stars:

Jamie Lee Curtis, Ron Silver, Clancy Brown

2 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jamie Lee Curtis	...	Megan Turner
Ron Silver	...	Eugene Hunt
Clancy Brown	...	Nick Mann
Elizabeth Peña	...	Tracy Perez (as Elizabeth Pena)
Louise Fletcher	...	Shirley Turner
Philip Bosco	...	Frank Turner
Kevin Dunn	...	Asst. Chief Stanley Hoyt
Richard Jenkins	...	Attorney Mel Dawson
Markus Flanagan	...	Husband (as Markus Flannagan)
Mary Mara	...	Wife
Skipp Lynch	...	Instructor
Mike Hodge	...	Police Commissioner
Mike Starr	...	Superintendant
Chris Walker	...	Officer Jeff Travers
Tom Sizemore	...	Wool Cap

Storyline

On her first day on the job, NYPD officer Megan Turner, the lone officer on the scene, shoots and kills the perpetrator of a supermarket hold-up. Since no gun was found on the perpetrator's person or at the scene and none of the witnesses could corroborate Megan's story definitively that the perpetrator was indeed wielding a gun, she is suspended from active duty. She is quickly albeit temporarily reinstated to the position of homicide detective because the spent shell casing from the bullet used in a subsequent murder had her name carved on it. This murder ends up being only the first in a series. Working on the case with fellow homicide detective Nick Mann, Megan initially has no idea who in her life could be the murderer. In short order, the murderer does show himself to her. He is commodities trader Eugene Hunt who she met immediately following her suspension and who she has since dated. He also implies to her that he was in the supermarket at the time of the hold-up and that he ...

---

Plot Keywords:

new york city | neo noir | police | female cop | woman wearing only a man's shirt | 

---

Taglines:

A psychological action thriller as cold as... Blue Steel!

---

Genres:

Action | Crime | Drama | Thriller

---

Certificate:

R

Did You Know?

Trivia

Philip Bosco plays the father of policewoman Jamie Lee Curtis. In real life, he's the son of policewoman Margaret Raymond Thek Bosco.

---

Goofs

When the grocery store robber is shot and thrown through the window it shatters like tempered glass but when Megan looks down at the robber on the ground broken pane glass is clearly shown.

---

Quotes

Eugene Hunt: I want you to see it... the light... then nothing.
Nick Mann: Up yours you fucking freak.

---

Connections

References The Wizard of Oz (1939)

User Reviews

I agree.

I agree with the reviewer prior to me. I am actually taking a film class at my college and we brought up the same points the last reviewer did.

It wasn't the best coherent film I seen.

The fact that the killer "mysteriously" knew where the protagonist was all the time and also knew all about her parents and friends was pretty absurd.

Not to sound redundant, but I agree that a little more info on the history of the murderer would have helped the audience when it came to perceiving and understanding the movie.

In the other side, when it comes to suspense I guess the movie is okay. If you're the type of person that doesn't care about how coherent a plot is and just like to see action, then you will like this film.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

16 March 1990 (USA)

Also Known As:

Blue Steel

Filming Locations:

Le Boeuf a la Mode, 539 East 81st St, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$2,895,744, 18 March 1990

Gross USA:

$8,217,997

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$8,217,997

Company Credits

Production Co:

Lightning Pictures, Precision Films, Mack-Taylor Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

102 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Stereo

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1