V.I. Warshawski (1991)

A female PI babysitting for a boyfriend gets stuck with his daughter and the case of her murdered father.

Director:

Jeff Kanew

Writers:

Sara Paretsky ('V.I. Warshawski' novels), Edward Taylor (screen story)

Stars:

Kathleen Turner, Jay O. Sanders, Charles Durning

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Kathleen Turner	...	Vic
Jay O. Sanders	...	Murray
Charles Durning	...	Lt. Mallory
Angela Goethals	...	Kat
Nancy Paul	...	Paige
Frederick Coffin	...	Horton
Charles McCaughan	...	Trumble
Stephen Meadows	...	Boom-Boom
Wayne Knight	...	Smeissen
Lynnie Godfrey	...	Sal
Anne Pitoniak	...	Lotty
Stephen Root	...	Mickey
Robert Clotworthy	...	Philip Pugh
Tom Allard	...	Big Eddie
Mike Hagerty	...	Babe (as Michael G. Hagerty)

Storyline

Victoria "V.I" Warshawski is a Chicago based private detective who agrees to babysit for her new boyfriend; then he is murdered. Being the detective type, she makes the murder her next case. In doing so she befriends the victim's daughter, Kat, and together they set out to crack the case.

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Plot Keywords:

camera shot of feet | foot closeup | female stockinged feet | pantyhose | chicago illinois | 

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Taglines:

Killer eyes. Killer legs. Killer instincts.

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Genres:

Action | Comedy | Crime | Mystery

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language and moments of violence

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 July 1991 (USA)

Also Known As:

V.I. Warshawski, Detective in High Heels

Filming Locations:

Chicago, Illinois, USA

Box Office

Gross USA:

$11,128,309

Company Credits

Production Co:

Hollywood Pictures,Silver Screen Partners IV,Chestnut Hill Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

89 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Among other changes, producers wanted to set the film in Baltimore and cast either Amy Madigan, Bette Midler or Jane Fonda as Warshawski. Paretsky, however, was thrilled with the selection of Kathleen Turner.

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Goofs

At the scene of the tugboat explosion, the fire engine is solid red. Chicago fire engines are painted a distinct black over red design.

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Quotes

[last lines]
Murray Ryerson: Vic, about that blonde.
Victoria "V.I." Warshawski: Murray, have you ever seen what I can do with a nutcracker?

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Connections

Featured in Siskel & Ebert: V.I. Warshawski/Trust/Life Stinks/Mobsters/Slacker (1991)

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Soundtracks

Sittin' On Top Of The World
Written by Renée Geyer and James Reyne
Performed by Saundra Alexander (as Saundra "Pan" Alexander)

User Reviews

Critical disaster that ended Kathleen Turner's string of hits

In the 1980's Kathleen Turner was a tremendous star. Several of her films were huge box-office hits:"Romancing the Stone"(1984), "Jewel of the Nile"(1986), "Peggy Sue Got Married"(Best Actress Oscar nomination,1986), and "The War of the Roses"(1989). Critics loved her in John Huston's "Prizzi's Honor"(1985) and "The Accidental Tourist"(1987). Her sexy voice helped make "Who Framed Roger Rabbit"(1988) an enormous blockbuster. And who can forget her star-making performance that made her quite the sex-symbol in "Body Heat"(1981). When "V.I. Warshawski" came out Turner was still at her peak. The huge success of "War of the Roses" made her the #1 female star at US BoxOffices in early 1990. But "V.I." opened to disastrous reviews. She is actually very good in it but the script is so mediocre and the direction is so flat. She is given nothing to work with but her vibrant personality and sultry looks keep it together. The film ended up pulling in only 12 million in the US. This disaster immediately derailed Turner's career. Male stars like Bruce Willis and Nicolas Cage can star in one flop after another pulling in huge salaries but it does not matter as long as they get an occasional blockbuster. But take a huge Female star like Turner- give her one colossal dud and she is more or less finished in Hollywood. Turner's career never recovered. A few more mediocre duds followed then her looks went so now she is stuck in supporting roles that make it hard to believe she was once among the greatest of female stars. Maybe she can make a comeback as a star character actress. WHo knows.