A Kiss Before Dying (1991)

A determined student murders his pregnant secret girlfriend and moves onto her twin sister who gradually becomes suspicious of her new lover.

Director:

James Dearden

Writers:

Ira Levin (novel), James Dearden (screenplay)

Stars:

Matt Dillon, Sean Young, James Bonfanti

2 wins.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
James Bonfanti	...	Young Jonathan
Sarah Keller	...	Lecturer
Sean Young	...	Ellen / Dorothy Carlsson
Martha Gehman	...	Patricia Farren
Lia Chang	...	Shoe Saleslady
Matt Dillon	...	Jonathan Corliss
Yvette Edelhart	...	Screaming Lady
Max von Sydow	...	Thor Carlsson
Jim Fyfe	...	Terry Dieter
Lachele Carl	...	Reporter
Briony Glassco	...	Waitress
Shane Rimmer	...	Commissioner Malley
James Russo	...	Dan Corelli
Diane Ladd	...	Mrs. Corliss
Adam Horovitz	...	Jay Faraday

Storyline

Realising his secret girlfriend Dorothy's pregnancy will sour her relations with her ultra-rich father, career-minded Philadelphia student Jonathan Corliss coolly murders her, making it look like suicide. He then moves to New York to woo her twin sister Ellen. All seems to go well for him, although Ellen's continued investigations into what she is convinced was not a suicide forces him to kill again.

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Plot Keywords:

neo noir | twin | industrialist | vertigo shot | female nudity | 

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Taglines:

From the Creators of FATAL ATTRACTION

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Genres:

Crime | Mystery | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for areas of strong violence, graphic sensuality, and some language

Details

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 April 1991 (USA)

Also Known As:

Un beso antes de morir

Filming Locations:

Brocket Hall, Lemsford, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$15,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$4,348,165, 28 April 1991, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$15,429,177

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures, Initial Pictures, Kellgate Limited

Technical Specs

Runtime:

94 min

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The original climax shot for the movie took place at the Carlsson Copper Factory, as it happens in Ira Levin's book, but it failed test screenings so the climax was changed to Jonathan's childhood home in Pennsylvania.

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Goofs

When Ellen and Jonathan take the injured homeless woman to the hospital, Ellen talks to a nurse and offers to pay the bill. First, the nurse is wearing a stiff white cap and uniform. Most nurses, especially in the ER, had stopped wearing this type of uniform by the time the film was set. Also, she gives the nurse the money for the bill. Nurses do not handle billing and collection in hospitals. Plus, she didn't seem to know how much the bill was. And no receipt?

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Quotes

Nurse: She's got two broken ribs, a broken jaw, and a bad concussion. We're going to keep her overnight for observation.

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Connections

Referenced in Siskel & Ebert: That's Entertainment III/3 Ninjas Kick Back/Being Human/Dream Lover/Kika (1994)

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Soundtracks

So What
Written by Miles Davis
Performed by Miles Davis
Courtesy of Columbia Records

User Reviews

Kiss this!

Sean Young gets a double Razzie nod for sleepwalking through her dual role in this journeyman thriller which sticks Matt Dillon out front as an upwardly mobile man who prefers to murder his way to the top of the corporate ladder. Full of contrivances and asking many questions while providing few answers, this mediocre rehash of a 1956 thriller makes for little more than a nominal couch potato no-brainer. Okay to zone to. (C+)