Film Snail

6.5

A Perfect Murder

R·1998·107m

Crime

Thriller

Drama

Crime

Thriller

Drama

Summary

Millionaire industrialist Steven Taylor is a man who has everything but what he craves most: the love and fidelity of his wife. A hugely successful player in the New York financial world, he considers her to be his most treasured acquisition. But she needs more than simply the role of dazzling accessory.

Cast

Michael Douglas

Steven Taylor

Gwyneth Paltrow

Emily Bradford Taylor

Viggo Mortensen

David Shaw

David Suchet

Mohamed Karaman

Sarita Choudhury

Raquel Martinez

Michael P. Moran

Bobby Fain

Novella Nelson

Ambassador Alice Wills

Constance Towers

Sandra Bradford

Will Lyman

Jason Gates

Maeve McGuire

Ann Gates

Stephen Singer

Effete Man at Met

Laurinda Barrett

Met Woman #1

Aideen O'Kelly

Met Woman #2

Reed Birney

Merchant Prince #1

Robert Vincent Smith

Merchant Prince #2

Bill Ambrozy

Merchant Prince #3

George Blumenthal

Merchant Prince #4

Iris Braydon

Guest at Met

Marion Blumenthal

Guest at Met

Andrew Sussman

Guest at Met

Robynn N. Sussmann

Guest at Met

Radney Tucker

Guest at Met

Beverly Tucker

Guest at Met

Bradford Billet

Guest at Met

Robert Bosco Cokljat

Croatian Delegate

Marat Yusim

Russian Delegate

Lee Wong

Japanese Diplomat

Roberta Orlandi

Italian Diplomat

Francis Dumaurier

French Delegate

Deen Badarou

African Delegate

Peter Hans Benson

Hansen

Jeff Williams

Nolan

David Eigenberg

Stein

Jean De Baer

Secretary

Michel Moinot

Maitre d'

Gerrit Vooren

Waiter

Monica Parker

Janice Moran

Michael H. Ingram

Albert

Scott Dillin

Detective Scott

Starla Benford

Police Technican

Bob Bowersox

Police Photographer

Joanna Adler

Vyczowski

James Georgiades

Policeman #2

José Ramón Rosario

Policeman #1

Gerry Becker

Roger Brill

William Bogert

Harrington

Adrian Martinez

Young Tough

Dexter Brown

Porter

Evis Xheneti

Student (uncredited)

Kelly AuCoin

Waiter at Met (uncredited)

Christian Chase

Passenger (uncredited)

Jason Cicardo

Subway Scene (uncredited)

Bill Corsair

Man In Taxi Dispute (uncredited)

Christopher Del Gaudio

Guest at Met (uncredited)

Marshall Factora

Patron in Coffee Shop (uncredited)

Barry Hirschberg

Background (uncredited)

Claude Jay

Forensic Detective (uncredited)

Spencer Kayden

Park Pedestrian (uncredited)

John E. Mack

Paramedic (uncredited)

Taylor McCall

Pedestrian In Park (uncredited)

George F. Miller

Businessman in the Diner (uncredited)

Josh Mowery

Gawker (uncredited)

Jack Mulcahy

Bartender (uncredited)

Davell J. Owens

Alley Drug Dealer (uncredited)

Antone Pagán

Taylor's Gardener (uncredited)

Todo Segalla

Waiter (uncredited)

Alex Ziwak

Blue Collar Worker (uncredited)

Crew

Director

Andrew Davis

Screenplay

Patrick Smith Kelly

Screenplay, Theatre Play

Frederick Knott

Reviews

John Chard

May 23, 2020

You should thank me. Artists are always appreciated more after they're dead!

A Perfect Murder is directed by Andrew Davis and written by Frederick Knott and Patrick Smith Kelly. It stars Michael Douglas, Gwyneth Paltrow, Viggo Mortensen, David Suchet and Sarita Choudhury. Music is by James Newton Howard and cinematography by Dariusz Wolski.

A powerful husband. An unfaithful wife. A jealous lover. All of them have a motive. Each of them has a plan.

A re-imaging of "Alfred Hitchcock's Dial M for Murder", which itself was by the great director's admission not one of his best, Andrew Davis' ("The Fugitive") film may not reach great heights, but it at least is its own animal. The twists and turns are solid enough for entertainment purpose, and suspense is never far away. The characterisations bring about differing and alternating responses from the viewers, which is a nice trick in the tale, and while the finale seems a touch "popcorn crowd appeasing", this rounds out as a satisfying suspense thriller. 7/10

Excellent performances, with interesting twists on the original film, and compelling direction by THE FUGITIVE‘s Andrew Davis highlight this intriguing suspense film. The film isn’t without it’s flaws, as you may find it difficult to resolve the fact that you’ll probably wind up rooting for the murderous Douglas not only due to his usually being the good guy in his films but because the lovers are severely flawed characters most will think deserving of getting offed, especially the lame-ass Mortensen as Paltrow’s love interest. With PSYCHO and REAR WINDOW also being made this year, I am left with mixed feelings about this latest trend. On the one hand, these remakes speak to the fact of Hitchcock’s timeless themes in his films, while on the other hand it points out that Hollywood has perhaps run out of ideas when even a remake of a middling Hitchcock film is one of the better thrillers to come out in recent years.