Dressed to Kill (1980)

A mysterious, tall, blonde woman, wearing sunglasses murders one of a psychiatrist's patients, and now she's after the prostitute who witnessed it.

Director:

Brian De Palma

Writer:

Brian De Palma

Stars:

Michael Caine, Angie Dickinson, Nancy Allen

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 1 win & 6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Michael Caine	...	Doctor Robert Elliott
Angie Dickinson	...	Kate Miller
Nancy Allen	...	Liz Blake
Keith Gordon	...	Peter Miller
Dennis Franz	...	Detective Marino
David Margulies	...	Dr. Levy
Ken Baker	...	Warren Lockman
Susanna Clemm	...	Betty Luce
Brandon Maggart	...	Cleveland Sam
Amalie Collier	...	Cleaning Woman
Mary Davenport	...	Woman in Restaurant
Anneka Di Lorenzo	...	Nurse (as Anneka De Lorenzo)
Norman Evans	...	Ted
Robbie L. McDermott	...	Man in Shower
Bill Randolph	...	Chase Cabbie

Storyline

While taking a shower, Kate Miller, a middle-aged, sexually frustrated New York housewife, has a rape fantasy while her husband stands at the sink shaving. Later that day, after complaining to her psychiatrist Dr. Robert Elliott about her husband's pathetic performance in bed, she meets a strange man at a museum and returns to his apartment where they continue an adulterous encounter that began in the taxicab. Before she leaves his apartment, she finds papers which certify that the man has a venereal disease. Panicked, Kate rushes into the elevator, but has to return to his apartment when she realizes she's forgotten her wedding ring. When the elevator doors open, she's brutally slashed to death by a tall blonde woman wearing dark glasses. Liz Blake, a high-priced call girl, is the only witness to the murder and she becomes the prime suspect and the murderess's next target. Liz is rescued from being killed by Kate's son Peter, who enlists the help of Liz to catch his mother's killer ...

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Plot Keywords:

apartment | elevator | psychiatrist | murder | sunglasses | 

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Taglines:

Every Nightmare Has A Beginning...This One Never Ends

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Genres:

Mystery | Thriller

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Certificate:

X

Details

Official Sites:

MGM

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 July 1980 (USA)

Also Known As:

Vestida para matar

Filming Locations:

162 East 70th Street, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$6,500,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$31,899,000 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Filmways Pictures, Cinema 77 Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

105 min 104 min (R-rated)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Brian De Palma specifically wrote the part of Liz Blake for his then wife Nancy Allen to play.

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Goofs

In the museum, Kate is wearing pantyhose. When she leaves and is inside the taxi, she is not.

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Quotes

Liz Blake: I'm sorry, am I bothering you?
Hood #1: Naw, you ain't bothering me.
Hood #2: But you're bothering ME.
Hood #1: You say she's bothering you?
Hood #2: That's right, this bitch is bothering me.
Hood #1: Well, what you gonna do 'bout that?
Hood #2: I'm gonna kick her ass.

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Connections

Referenced in Ti psyhi tha paradoseis mori?: Episode #1.3 (2000)

User Reviews

A modern classic

"Dressed to Kill" has been more or less forgotten in critical circles in the past 20 years, but it is a true American classic, a film which is much more than just a glossy thriller.

I sincerely hope the DVD release will give more people the chance to hear about it and see it.