A Perfect Murder

''A Perfect Murder'' is a 1998 American crime thriller film directed by Andrew Davis and written by Patrick Smith Kelly. Loosely based on Frederick Knott’s 1952 stage play ''Dial M for Murder'', the film stars Michael Douglas and Gwyneth Paltrow as a wealthy Manhattan couple whose marriage becomes entangled in deception, infidelity, and a murder plot. Viggo Mortensen co-stars as the wife's lover, whose secret affair is exploited in a deadly scheme by her husband.

Set in contemporary New York City, the film reimagines the premise of Alfred Hitchcock’s 1954 adaptation, altering character names and significantly revising the plot while retaining core elements of suspense and psychological manipulation. The supporting cast includes David Suchet, Sarita Choudhury, and Michael P. Moran.

Released theatrically in June 1998, ''A Perfect Murder'' received mixed reviews from critics, who praised its performances and production design but criticized its predictability. Despite this, the film emerged as a moderate commercial success, grossing over $128 million worldwide against a production budget of $60 million.

Plot

Wall Street financier Steven Taylor is married to the younger and wealthy Emily Bradford, who is secretly having an affair with artist David Shaw. Unknown to Emily, Steven has discovered the affair and investigates David’s background, uncovering that he is actually Winston Lagrange, a con artist with a criminal record who targets affluent women. Rather than turning him in, Steven proposes a deal: David is to murder Emily in exchange for $500,000.

Steven provides David with Emily’s house key, instructing him to enter their Manhattan apartment through the service door and stage the killing as a botched robbery. On the night of the planned attack, Steven ensures his alibi by placing a phone call during a card game while simultaneously calling Emily at home. As Emily answers the phone in the kitchen, a masked intruder attacks her. She fights back and kills the assailant with a meat thermometer. When Steven returns, he finds the body, secretly retrieves the key, and plants evidence to make the scene look like a break-in. However, when the police arrive, led by Detective Moe Karaman, they discover that the dead assailant is not David.

David soon contacts Steven, playing a recording of their conversation and threatening to turn him in unless he receives the full payment. They arrange to meet, and David demands the money.

Meanwhile, Emily grows suspicious of Steven, particularly after discovering that he would have inherited her $100 million fortune had she died. Her investigation reveals Steven’s precarious financial position and failed margin trades. When she recognizes the assailant's key on her keychain, she confronts Steven, who claims he had been trying to protect her from David’s threats and that he took the key to shield her from potential prosecution.

After handing over the money, Steven murders David aboard an Amtrak train and retrieves the tape and weapon. However, David had already mailed a copy of the tape to Emily. Back at home, Steven hides the evidence in a safe, unaware that Emily has already listened to the tape.

When Emily confronts him, Steven attacks her. During the struggle, she retrieves David’s gun from the safe and shoots Steven in self-defense. Detective Karaman arrives and reassures Emily that she acted out of necessity.

Cast

* Michael Douglas as Steven Taylor
* Gwyneth Paltrow as Emily Bradford Taylor
* Viggo Mortensen as David Shaw
* David Suchet as Detective Mohamed "Moe" Karaman
* Sarita Choudhury as Raquel Martinez
* Constance Towers as Sandra Bradford
* Novella Nelson as Ambassador Alice Wills
* Michael P. Moran as Bobby Fain
* Gerry Becker as Roger Brill
* Will Lyman as Jason Gates
* David Eigenberg as Stein

Comparisons to the original film

Setting and Socioeconomic Context

In '' Dial M for Murder'' (1954), Tony and Margot Wendice ( Ray Milland and Grace Kelly) reside in a modest London flat, reflecting a post-war British setting. Conversely, ''A Perfect Murder'' transposes the narrative to a luxurious Manhattan apartment, inhabited by Steven and Emily Taylor ( Michael Douglas and Gwyneth Paltrow), highlighting themes of wealth and modern urban life.

Character Dynamics and Motivations

Hitchcock's version portrays Tony as a retired tennis player orchestrating his wife's murder to maintain his lifestyle. In the remake, Steven is a high-powered financier facing financial ruin, adding layers of desperation and greed to his motives. Emily, unlike Margot, is depicted as more independent and resourceful, ultimately confronting and overcoming her husband's machinations.

Plot Structure and Thematic Elements

While both films revolve around a husband's plot to murder his wife, ''A Perfect Murder'' introduces modern elements such as financial fraud and technological surveillance. The remake delves deeper into themes of manipulation and betrayal, reflecting the cynicism of the late 20th century. Notably, the method of murder and the ensuing investigation are more elaborate in the remake, incorporating modern forensic techniques and plot twists absent from the original.

Stylistic Homages and Symbolism

''A Perfect Murder'' pays homage to its predecessor through various stylistic choices. For instance, Emily carries an Hermès Kelly bag, a nod to Grace Kelly, who was often photographed with the same model of purse.

Production

Principal photography for ''A Perfect Murder'' commenced on October 14, 1997, and concluded on January 13, 1998. Filming primarily took place in and around New York City. The apartment of Steven and Emily Taylor was portrayed using a combination of locations, including the Otto H. Kahn Mansion and the adjacent James Burden Mansion, both situated at 1 and 7 East 91st Street in Manhattan. These historic buildings now house the Convent of the Sacred Heart school. The interiors of the Taylors' apartment were constructed on a set at the Jersey City Armory in New Jersey.

The Bradford family estate was depicted using the Salutation House, a 45-room Georgian Colonial mansion located on West Island in Glen Cove, Long Island.

Alternate ending

An alternate ending is available on the film's Blu-ray release, accompanied by optional commentary from director Andrew Davis. In this version, Steven returns after discovering the key has been moved and is confronted by Emily in the kitchen, rather than the foyer. The dialogue remains largely the same; however, Steven does not physically attack Emily. After he asserts that the only way she'll leave him is through death, Emily shoots him. As he dies, Steven tells her, "You won't get away with this." Emily then deliberately injures herself to make the incident appear as self-defense.

Reception

Box office

''A Perfect Murder'' opened in second place at the North American box office, behind '' The Truman Show'', grossing $16.6 million in its opening weekend. The film went on to earn a total worldwide gross of $128 million, marking it a moderate commercial success.

Critical response

''A Perfect Murder'' received mixed reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, it holds a 54% approval rating based on 56 reviews, with an average rating of 6.0/10. The website's consensus reads: "A slick little thriller that relies a bit too much on surprise events to generate suspense." On Metacritic, the film has a score of 50 out of 100 based on 22 reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews."

Stephen Holden of ''The New York Times'' praised the film as a "skillfully plotted update of Frederick Knott's play." Roger Ebert of the ''Chicago Sun-Times'' awarded it three out of four stars, writing that it "works like a nasty little machine to keep us involved and disturbed; my attention never strayed."

Other critics were more reserved. Owen Gleiberman of ''Entertainment Weekly'' remarked that the film was "more competent than it is pleasurable," while Rita Kempley of ''The Washington Post'' felt that the characters lacked emotional engagement, though she singled out David Suchet's performance as the standout. Paul Clinton of '' CNN'' commented on the film's stylish production but critiqued Michael Douglas' casting opposite significantly younger actresses.

Conversely, James Berardinelli of ''ReelViews'' was notably negative, stating that the film "has inexplicably managed to eliminate almost everything that was worthwhile about '' Dial M for Murder'' (1954), leaving behind the nearly-unwatchable wreckage of a would-be '90s thriller."

References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Perfect Murder, A
1998 films
1990s English-language films
1998 crime thriller films
American films based on plays
Remakes of American films
American crime thriller films
Films about adultery in the United States
Films about con artists
Films about contract killing in the United States
Films directed by Andrew Davis
Films produced by Arnold Kopelson
Films scored by James Newton Howard
Films set in Brooklyn
Films set in Manhattan
Films shot in New York City
Warner Bros. films
Films produced by Peter MacGregor-Scott
1990s American films
English-language crime thriller films