Never Talk to Strangers (1995)

Sarah Taylor, a criminal psychologist, embarks on a torrid affair with a seductive stranger. However, she begins doubting whether she can trust him when a mysterious stalker begins harassing her.

Director:

Peter Hall

Writers:

Lewis A. Green (as Lewis Green), Jordan Rush

Stars:

Rebecca De Mornay, Antonio Banderas, Dennis Miller

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Rebecca De Mornay	...	Dr. Sarah Taylor
Antonio Banderas	...	Tony Ramirez
Dennis Miller	...	Cliff Raddison
Len Cariou	...	Henry Taylor
Harry Dean Stanton	...	Max Cheski
Eugene Lipinski	...	Dudakoff
Martha Burns	...	Maura
Beau Starr	...	Grogan
Phillip Jarrett	...	Spatz
Tim Kelleher	...	Wabash
Emma Corosky	...	Young Sarah
Susan Coyne	...	Alison
Joseph R. Gannascoli	...	Carnival Attendant
Reg Dreger	...	Flight Attendant
Frances Hyland	...	Mrs. Slotnick

Storyline

Sarah Taylor, a police psychologist, meets a mysterious and seductive man, Tony Ramirez, and falls in love with him. As a result of this relationship, she changes her personality when she begins to receive anonymous telephone calls.

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Plot Keywords:

anonymous telephone call | love | sex in bed | female frontal nudity | breasts | 

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Taglines:

In A World Where Love Isn't Always Safe, Trust Can Be Deadly.

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Romance | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence, language and some strong graphic sexuality

Details

Country:

USA Canada Germany

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 October 1995 (USA)

Also Known As:

Nunca hables con extraños

Filming Locations:

Budapest, Hungary

Box Office

Budget:

$6,400,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$6,849,998

Company Credits

Production Co:

TriStar Pictures, Abaton Filmhauswertung GmbH, Alliance Communications Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

86 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Raoul Ruiz was originally slated to direct this film.

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Goofs

In one of the last scenes (1:22:30) Tony points a Beretta M9 at Susan, but when the shot changes from the front to side/back of Tony pointing the gun at her. On the front facing shots with the gun, the gun is in "Loaded Closed Receiver" form, but in the side/back shots the gun is in an "Empty Open Receiver" form.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Max Cheski: I think sex is overrated, Dr. Taylor. Don't you?
Max Cheski: No, I guess not. You'd be out of a job, wouldn't you?
Max Cheski: I love that little scar... on your mouth.

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Alternate Versions

An unrated version is available on laserdisc.

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Connections

Featured in Hollywood's Top Ten: Antonio Banderas Movies (2011)

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Soundtracks

Her Body Makes Vows
Performed by Exchange featuring Marc Jordan
Written by Gerald O'Brien, Steve Sexton and Marc Jordan
By Arrangement with Warner Special Products

User Reviews

Terrific De Mornay

A more or less typical thriller made special by Rebecca De Mornay's awesome performance. She is the executive producer of this picture and must have badly wanted to do this role -- I'm glad she did.

She plays a psychiatrist evaluating whether an accused serial killer is competent to stand trial. It becomes obvious early on that she was drawn to psychiatry because of her own severe emotional problems and difficult past. In the meantime, we are shown troubling relationships with men appearing in her personal life. An upstairs neighbor badly wants her, but she wants only to be friends. Her father shows up out of the blue seeking affection and assistance, but she resists him, and it is obvious that their relationship and her childhood were deeply troubled. A stranger (Banderas) she meets in a store ardently pursues her, and they begin an affair, but she has difficulty trusting him, both because he is something of a suspicious character and because, as she tells him, she has difficulty trusting anybody. Their relationship becomes volatile and angry, tinged with violent overtones. Then there is the issue of her ex-fiancé, who vanished abruptly and without explanation just before the scheduled wedding.

As happens in these kinds of films, she is sent a series of mysterious messages and packages with no return addresses. Then violent things start to occur. Someone is clearly trying to terrorize her, but who? So many suspects -- Banderas? The upstairs neighbor (who is of course jealous of Banderas)? The serial killer, acting through friends outside of prison? Her father? The ex-fiancée? I did not anticipate the answer to this question, revealed of course at the film's end, but it was not an especially unusual conclusion for films of this kind. What made this picture worthwhile was De Mornay's utterly believable portrayal of, let us say, a difficult character, reminiscent of what she did in "The Hand That Rocks The Cradle". She is simply great at this kind of thing, besides being classically gorgeous.

The other acting is fine, but no one stands out. Banderas is always good, but in this one he is mostly eye candy for the ladies. Harry Dean Stanton as the serial killer is suitably menacing and crazed, but this picture is really all De Mornay. I found it a bit slow at times, but the last 20 minutes or so made up for the weak spots. Definitely worth watching.