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:

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

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Taglines:

Film Noir Like You've Never Seen.

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Romance | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Did You Know?

Trivia

Dennis Hopper replaced Mike Figgis as director.

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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

Frank Sutton: So you're a tough guy, huh?
Harry Madox: No, you're the tough guy. I'm worse.

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Alternate Versions

UK cinema and video versions were cut by the BBFC by 5 secs to remove a brief shot from the building of an incendiary device, as the details shown (matches, an alarm clock etc) were considered to be a dangerous imitable technique. The 2003 DVD release features the same cut print.

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Connections

Referenced in At the Movies: Dying Young/Kickboxer 2/The Rocketeer/Tatie Danielle (1991)

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Soundtracks

Love MD
Performed by Hank Williams Jr.
Written by Tony Joe White and Leanne White
Courtesy of Warner Bros. Records Inc.
By Arrangement with Warner Special Products

User Reviews

A very good Don Johnson movie and performance. Really, it is!

If you are like me, you might have turned on HBO late the other night, and thought.... "Damn, a Don Johnson movie". Luckily I gave this film a chance and found a real winner. Don's performance is not just good, but I think it is his best ever. Jennifer Connelly is just perfect in the role of the frail and beautiful girl next door. But Virginia Madsen steals the show. She is that woman you just love to hate, but just can't keep your hands off of. Just watch the flick to see what I mean.

As the credits rolled across the screen at the end, I realized that Dennis Hopper directed this "Red Rocks West" like film. No wonder I enjoyed it. I give it a solid 7 out of 10.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 October 1990 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Hot Spot

Filming Locations:

117 N Main St Taylor, Texas, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$13,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$112,188, 14 October 1990

Gross USA:

$1,293,976

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$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