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Black Widow (1987 film)
Encyclopedia
Black Widow is a 1987 film starring Debra Winger
, Theresa Russell
, Sami Frey
, Nicol Williamson
and Dennis Hopper
.
It is a crime drama about two women: one who murders wealthy men whom she marries for their money, and the other an agent with the Department of Justice
who grows obsessed with bringing her to justice. It was directed by Bob Rafelson
, from a screenplay by Ronald Bass
.
Catherine (Theresa Russell
) whose true name is never revealed. She preys on wealthy middle-aged men, seducing them into marriage and killing them by a mysterious means of poisoning. Each death is misdiagnosed as Ondine's curse
, a condition by which seemingly healthy middle-aged men die in their sleep. The other woman is Justice Department
agent Alexandra Barnes (Debra Winger
) who stumbles onto the first murder while investigating another case. As Alexandra delves further into the case, she uncovers a pattern which she believes ties the same woman to several similar murders.
Using exhaustive research, elaborate disguises, and identity changes, Catherine weaves her web anew with each murder, killing a publishing magnate, a toy maker (Dennis Hopper
), and a museum curator (Nicol Williamson
), and is moving quickly to her next victim: Paul Nuytten (Sami Frey
), an international hotel tycoon. Later in the film she reveals she has been married six times, which suggests that she may have committed as many murders.
Receiving grudging permission from her boss Bruce (Terry O'Quinn
), Alexandra decides to go undercover to track down first Catherine's background and then her next potential victim. She trails the murderer to Seattle, where Catherine kills husband number three (the museum curator), and finally to Hawaii
, where the two women meet and eventually engage in a sexually intense war of wits and wills.
They both compete for the affection of wealthy Paul Nuytten, and Catherine eventually marries him. Alexandra is arrested for Paul's murder when the police find a poison in her room. Catherine visits Alexandra in prison, and while they talk, Paul shows up with Alexandra's colleagues. Alexandra tells the shocked Catherine, "yes, we know — we found the poison before he did."
Debra Winger
Mary Debra Winger is an American actress. Three-times an Oscar nominee, she received awards for acting in Terms of Endearment, for which she won the National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actress in 1983, and in A Dangerous Woman, for which she won the Tokyo International Film Festival...
, Theresa Russell
Theresa Russell
Theresa Russell is an American actress.-Biography:Russell was born Theresa Paup in San Diego, California, the daughter of Carole Platt and Jerry Russell Paup. She attended Burbank High School, but did not graduate. She married English film director Nicolas Roeg , in 1982...
, Sami Frey
Sami Frey
Sami Frey, born Samuel Frei is a French actor. Perhaps his most famous films are En compagnie d'Antonin Artaud and Bande à part...
, Nicol Williamson
Nicol Williamson
Nicol Williamson is a Scottish-born English actor who was described by English playwright John Osborne as "the greatest actor since Marlon Brando".-Early life:...
and Dennis Hopper
Dennis Hopper
Dennis Lee Hopper was an American actor, filmmaker and artist. As a young man, Hopper became interested in acting and eventually became a student of the Actors' Studio. He made his first television appearance in 1954 and appeared in two films featuring James Dean, Rebel Without a Cause and Giant...
.
It is a crime drama about two women: one who murders wealthy men whom she marries for their money, and the other an agent with the Department of Justice
United States Department of Justice
The United States Department of Justice , is the United States federal executive department responsible for the enforcement of the law and administration of justice, equivalent to the justice or interior ministries of other countries.The Department is led by the Attorney General, who is nominated...
who grows obsessed with bringing her to justice. It was directed by Bob Rafelson
Bob Rafelson
Robert "Bob" Rafelson is an Emmy Award winning American film director, writer and producer. He was an early member of the New Hollywood movement in the 1970s and is most famous for directing and co-writing the film Five Easy Pieces, starring Jack Nicholson, as well as being one of the creators of...
, from a screenplay by Ronald Bass
Ronald Bass
Ronald Jay Bass , sometimes credited as Ron Bass, is an American screenwriter. Also a film producer, Bass's work is characterized as being highly in demand, and he is thought to be among the most highly paid writers in Hollywood. He is often called the "King of the Pitches"...
.
Plot
The story revolves around two women, one the femme fataleFemme fatale
A femme fatale is a mysterious and seductive woman whose charms ensnare her lovers in bonds of irresistible desire, often leading them into compromising, dangerous, and deadly situations. She is an archetype of literature and art...
Catherine (Theresa Russell
Theresa Russell
Theresa Russell is an American actress.-Biography:Russell was born Theresa Paup in San Diego, California, the daughter of Carole Platt and Jerry Russell Paup. She attended Burbank High School, but did not graduate. She married English film director Nicolas Roeg , in 1982...
) whose true name is never revealed. She preys on wealthy middle-aged men, seducing them into marriage and killing them by a mysterious means of poisoning. Each death is misdiagnosed as Ondine's curse
Ondine's curse
Ondine's Curse, also called congenital central hypoventilation syndrome or primary alveolar hypoventilation, is a respiratory disorder that is fatal if untreated...
, a condition by which seemingly healthy middle-aged men die in their sleep. The other woman is Justice Department
United States Department of Justice
The United States Department of Justice , is the United States federal executive department responsible for the enforcement of the law and administration of justice, equivalent to the justice or interior ministries of other countries.The Department is led by the Attorney General, who is nominated...
agent Alexandra Barnes (Debra Winger
Debra Winger
Mary Debra Winger is an American actress. Three-times an Oscar nominee, she received awards for acting in Terms of Endearment, for which she won the National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actress in 1983, and in A Dangerous Woman, for which she won the Tokyo International Film Festival...
) who stumbles onto the first murder while investigating another case. As Alexandra delves further into the case, she uncovers a pattern which she believes ties the same woman to several similar murders.
Using exhaustive research, elaborate disguises, and identity changes, Catherine weaves her web anew with each murder, killing a publishing magnate, a toy maker (Dennis Hopper
Dennis Hopper
Dennis Lee Hopper was an American actor, filmmaker and artist. As a young man, Hopper became interested in acting and eventually became a student of the Actors' Studio. He made his first television appearance in 1954 and appeared in two films featuring James Dean, Rebel Without a Cause and Giant...
), and a museum curator (Nicol Williamson
Nicol Williamson
Nicol Williamson is a Scottish-born English actor who was described by English playwright John Osborne as "the greatest actor since Marlon Brando".-Early life:...
), and is moving quickly to her next victim: Paul Nuytten (Sami Frey
Sami Frey
Sami Frey, born Samuel Frei is a French actor. Perhaps his most famous films are En compagnie d'Antonin Artaud and Bande à part...
), an international hotel tycoon. Later in the film she reveals she has been married six times, which suggests that she may have committed as many murders.
Receiving grudging permission from her boss Bruce (Terry O'Quinn
Terry O'Quinn
Terry O'Quinn is an American actor, most famous for playing John Locke on the TV series Lost. He made his debut in a 1980 television movie called F.D.R.: The Last Year. Since then, O'Quinn has had minor supporting roles in films and TV movies such as Young Guns, All the Right Moves, Silver Bullet,...
), Alexandra decides to go undercover to track down first Catherine's background and then her next potential victim. She trails the murderer to Seattle, where Catherine kills husband number three (the museum curator), and finally to Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
, where the two women meet and eventually engage in a sexually intense war of wits and wills.
They both compete for the affection of wealthy Paul Nuytten, and Catherine eventually marries him. Alexandra is arrested for Paul's murder when the police find a poison in her room. Catherine visits Alexandra in prison, and while they talk, Paul shows up with Alexandra's colleagues. Alexandra tells the shocked Catherine, "yes, we know — we found the poison before he did."
Cast
- Debra WingerDebra WingerMary Debra Winger is an American actress. Three-times an Oscar nominee, she received awards for acting in Terms of Endearment, for which she won the National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actress in 1983, and in A Dangerous Woman, for which she won the Tokyo International Film Festival...
as Alexandra Barnes - Theresa RussellTheresa RussellTheresa Russell is an American actress.-Biography:Russell was born Theresa Paup in San Diego, California, the daughter of Carole Platt and Jerry Russell Paup. She attended Burbank High School, but did not graduate. She married English film director Nicolas Roeg , in 1982...
as Catherine Petersen - Sami FreySami FreySami Frey, born Samuel Frei is a French actor. Perhaps his most famous films are En compagnie d'Antonin Artaud and Bande à part...
as Paul Nuytten - Dennis HopperDennis HopperDennis Lee Hopper was an American actor, filmmaker and artist. As a young man, Hopper became interested in acting and eventually became a student of the Actors' Studio. He made his first television appearance in 1954 and appeared in two films featuring James Dean, Rebel Without a Cause and Giant...
as Ben Dumers - Nicol WilliamsonNicol WilliamsonNicol Williamson is a Scottish-born English actor who was described by English playwright John Osborne as "the greatest actor since Marlon Brando".-Early life:...
as William McCrory - Terry O'QuinnTerry O'QuinnTerry O'Quinn is an American actor, most famous for playing John Locke on the TV series Lost. He made his debut in a 1980 television movie called F.D.R.: The Last Year. Since then, O'Quinn has had minor supporting roles in films and TV movies such as Young Guns, All the Right Moves, Silver Bullet,...
as Alexandra's boss Bruce - James HongJames HongJames Hong is an American actor and former president of the Association of Asian/Pacific American Artists . A prolific acting veteran, Hong's career spans over 50 years and includes more than 350 roles in film, television, and video games.-Early life:Hong was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota. His...
as H Shin - Honolulu private investigator - Diane LaddDiane LaddDiane Ladd is an American actress, film director, producer and published author. She has appeared in over 120 roles, on television, and in miniseries and feature films, including Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore , Wild at Heart , Rambling Rose , Ghosts of Mississippi, Primary Colors, 28 Days , and...
as Etta - DW Moffett as Michael
- Lois SmithLois SmithLois Smith is an American actress whose career in theater, film, and television has spanned five decades.Smith was born Lois Arlene Humbert in Topeka, Kansas, the daughter of Carrie Davis and William Oren Humbert, who was a telephone company employee...
as Sara - Leo RossiLeo RossiLeo Rossi is an American actor and writer. He is known for his role as Budd in the 1981 horror film Halloween II and as Turkell from the 1990 horror sequel Maniac Cop 2. His other films include Heart Like a Wheel , River's Edge , The Accused , Relentless and Analyze This...
as Detective Ricci - Danny Kamekona as FBI security
- Rutanya AldaRutanya Alda-Life:Rutanya Alda was born as Rutanya Alda Skrastiņa in Riga, Latvia, the daughter of Vera , a businesswoman, and Jānis Skrastiņš, a poet...
as Irene - Mary WoronovMary WoronovMary Woronov is an American actress and writer. She is primarily known for her roles in independent and cult films. Woronov has appeared in over 80 movies, as well as numerous appearances in mainstream television series, such as Charlie's Angels and Knight Rider.-Early life:Woronov was born in the...
as Shelley - Wayne Heffley as Etta's husband
External links
- http://www.channel4.com/film/reviews/film.jsp?id=101238 Black Widow from Channel 4 Film
- http://www.fast-rewind.com/ The 80s Movies Rewind website
- http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/collective/A3393146 BBC - collective
- http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1002531-black_widow/ Rotten Tomatoes website