The Hot Spot (1990)

Upon arriving to a small town, a drifter quickly gets into trouble with the local authorities- and the local women- after he robs a bank.

Director:

Dennis Hopper

Writers:

Charles Williams (book), Nona Tyson (screenplay)

Stars:

Don Johnson, Virginia Madsen, Jennifer Connelly

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Don Johnson	...	Harry Madox
Virginia Madsen	...	Dolly Harshaw
Jennifer Connelly	...	Gloria Harper
Charles Martin Smith	...	Lon Gulick
William Sadler	...	Frank Sutton
Jerry Hardin	...	George Harshaw
Barry Corbin	...	Sheriff
Leon Rippy	...	Deputy Tate
Jack Nance	...	Julian Ward
Virgil Frye	...	Deputy Buck
John Hawker	...	Uncle Mort
Margaret Bowman	...	Woman at Gas Station
Debra Cole	...	Irene Davey
Karen Culley	...	Cowgirl
Cody Haynes	...	Cowboy

Storyline

When the drifter Harry Madox reaches a small town in Texas, he gets a job as used car salesman with the dealer George Harshaw and settles down in a hotel room. During a fire, Harry observes that the local bank is left empty and open without any security. Soon he plots a scheme to rob the bank, provoking a fire in his room to distract the employees. When Harry meets George's wife Dolly Harshaw, the easy woman teases him and they have sex. Harry becomes the prime suspect of the bank heist and is arrested, but Dolly provides the necessary alibi to release him and then blackmails him into having a love affair with her. However, Harry falls in love with Gloria Harper, who works as an accountant at the dealership. He discovers that Gloria is being blackmailed by the despicable Frank Sutton, and he decides to press Sutton.

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Plot Keywords:

panties | breasts | menage a trois | neo noir | leg spreading | 

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Taglines:

There are only two things to do in this small town. One is watching TV . . .

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Romance | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 October 1990 (USA)

Also Known As:

Ardente Sedução

Filming Locations:

Austin, Texas, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$13,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$112,188, 12 October 1990, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$1,293,976

Company Credits

Production Co:

Orion Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

130 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Director Dennis Hopper described the movie in an interview with the 'Herald' in an article published on 18th April 1990 which was entitled 'Why Dennis Got Back on His Bike', as "Last Tango in Texas. Real hot, steamy stuff".

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Goofs

After Harry and Dolly come out of the pond after swimming and climb to the top of the tower Dolly is shown in an open shirt and white cotton panties. After she jumps off the tower and into the sand pile she is shown nude from the waist down.

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Quotes

[after having sex in a car lot]
Dolly Harshaw: That was more fun than eating cotton-candy barefoot.

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Alternate Versions

UK and US DVD versions are cut.

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Connections

Referenced in Scrubs: My Occurrence (2002)

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Soundtracks

Wall Flower Waltz
Performed by k.d. lang and the reclines
Written by k.d. lang and Ben Mink (as Benjamin Mink)
Courtesy of Sire Records
By Arrangement with Warner Special Products

User Reviews

An Unknown Gem and One of the Most Amoral Stories of the Cinema History

When the drifter Harry Madox (Don Johnson) reaches a small town in Texas, he gets a job as used car salesman with the dealer George Harshaw (Jerry Hardin) and settles down in a hotel room. During a fire, Harry observes that the local bank is left empty and open without any security. Sooner he plots a scheme to rob the bank, provoking a fire in his room to distract the employees. When Harry meets George's wife Dolly Harshaw (Virginia Madsen), the easy woman teases him and they have sex. Harry becomes the prime suspect of the bank heist and is arrested, but Dolly provided the necessary alibi to release him and blackmails him to have a love affair with her. However, Harry falls in love for Gloria Harper (Jennifer Connelly), who works as accountant in the dealership. He discovers that Gloria is blackmailed by the despicable Frank Sutton (William Sadler) and he decides to press Sutton. But in the end, Dolly gets what she wants.

"Hot Spot" is an unknown gem and one of the most amoral stories of the cinema history. With the exception of the sweet Gloria Harper and the cuckold George Harshow, the other three lead characters have no moral or ethical codes and Virginia Madsen performs one of the most despicable and Machiavellian femme fatale of the cinema. This masterpiece of Dennis Hopper is certainly the best work of Don Johnson and the soundtrack is stunning and among my favorites. I have just watched "Hot Spot" maybe for the sixth or seventh time and this film-noir has not aged. My vote is nine.

Title (Brazil): "Hot Spot – Um Local Muito Quente" ("Hot Spot – A Very Hot Spot")

Note: On 29 October 2011, I saw this film again.