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IMDbPro

Silkwood

  • 19831983
  • RR
  • 2h 11m
IMDb RATING
7.1/10
21K
YOUR RATING
Cher, Kurt Russell, and Meryl Streep in Silkwood (1983)
Watch Official Trailer
Play trailer2:16
1 Video
95 Photos
BiographyDramaHistory
A worker at a plutonium processing plant is purposefully contaminated, psychologically tortured and possibly murdered to prevent her from exposing worker safety violations at the plant.A worker at a plutonium processing plant is purposefully contaminated, psychologically tortured and possibly murdered to prevent her from exposing worker safety violations at the plant.A worker at a plutonium processing plant is purposefully contaminated, psychologically tortured and possibly murdered to prevent her from exposing worker safety violations at the plant.
IMDb RATING
7.1/10
21K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Mike Nichols
  • Writers
    • Nora Ephron
    • Alice Arlen
  • Stars
    • Meryl Streep
    • Kurt Russell
    • Cher
  • Director
    • Mike Nichols
  • Writers
    • Nora Ephron
    • Alice Arlen
  • Stars
    • Meryl Streep
    • Kurt Russell
    • Cher
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 98User reviews
    • 44Critic reviews
    • 64Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 5 Oscars
      • 2 wins & 18 nominations total

    Videos1

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 2:16
    Watch Official Trailer

    Photos95

    Meryl Streep in Silkwood (1983)
    Meryl Streep in Silkwood (1983)
    Kurt Russell and Meryl Streep in Silkwood (1983)
    Meryl Streep in Silkwood (1983)
    Silkwood (1983)
    Cher, Kurt Russell, and Meryl Streep in Silkwood (1983)
    Cher, Kurt Russell, and Meryl Streep in Silkwood (1983)
    Cher, Kurt Russell, and Meryl Streep in Silkwood (1983)
    Cher, Kurt Russell, and Meryl Streep in Silkwood (1983)
    Meryl Streep in Silkwood (1983)
    Meryl Streep in Silkwood (1983)
    Meryl Streep in Silkwood (1983)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Meryl Streep
    Meryl Streep
    • Karen Silkwood
    Kurt Russell
    Kurt Russell
    • Drew Stephens
    Cher
    Cher
    • Dolly Pelliker
    Craig T. Nelson
    Craig T. Nelson
    • Winston
    Diana Scarwid
    Diana Scarwid
    • Angela
    Fred Ward
    Fred Ward
    • Morgan
    Ron Silver
    Ron Silver
    • Paul Stone
    Charles Hallahan
    Charles Hallahan
    • Earl Lapin
    Josef Sommer
    Josef Sommer
    • Max Richter
    Sudie Bond
    Sudie Bond
    • Thelma Rice
    Henderson Forsythe
    • Quincy Bissell
    E. Katherine Kerr
    E. Katherine Kerr
    • Gilda Schultz
    Bruce McGill
    Bruce McGill
    • Mace Hurley
    David Strathairn
    David Strathairn
    • Wesley
    J.C. Quinn
    J.C. Quinn
    • Curtis Schultz
    Kent Broadhurst
    Kent Broadhurst
    • Carl
    Richard Hamilton
    Richard Hamilton
    • Georgie
    Les Lannom
    Les Lannom
    • Jimmy
    • Director
      • Mike Nichols
    • Writers
      • Nora Ephron
      • Alice Arlen
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The scene where Karen sets off the radiation alarms actually happened. Her level of contamination was forty times the safe limit.
    • Goofs
      In a scene set in Washington, D.C. in 1974, a marching band can be heard in the background performing Kool and the Gang's "Celebration". The song was released in 1980.
    • Quotes

      Karen Silkwood: You think I contaminated myself, you think I did that?

      Mace Hurley: I think you'd do just about anything to shut down this plant.

    • Connections
      Edited into The Clock (2010)
    • Soundtracks
      Silkwood Main Titles
      Written and Performed by Georges Delerue Et Son Orchestre

    User reviews98

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    Whistle-Blowing Could Be Hazardous to Your Health.
    Intense 1980s flick that is based on the true story of Karen Silkwood (Meryl Streep in an Oscar-nominated role), a woman at a plutonium plant who began to talk about what really went on at the facility where she was employed. It seems that nuclear tampering would lead to the poisoning of the plant's employees and the pollution of the environment. Silkwood was about to talk to the New York Times about the Oklahoma plant when she died under mysterious circumstances in a car accident. The audience knows what is going to happen, but it is getting there that is the fascinating part. Mike Nichols' Oscar-nominated direction is arguably the best of his career, with the exception of his work on "The Graduate". Cher (also Oscar-nominated) proved that she was a legitimate actress as Streep's lesbian co-worker. Kurt Russell also gives his finest performance as Streep's on-again-off-again boyfriend. However with all that said, it is Meryl Streep who gives one of her finest performances in this memorable, remarkable and important motion picture. 4.5 out of 5 stars.
    helpful•36
    6
    • tfrizzell
    • Jul 3, 2002

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • January 27, 1984 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • MGM (United States)
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Chain Reaction
    • Filming locations
      • Dallas, Texas, USA
    • Production companies
      • ABC Motion Pictures
      • ABC Motion Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $10,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $35,615,609
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $1,218,322
      • Dec 18, 1983
    • Gross worldwide
      • $35,615,609
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 11 minutes
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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