Deathtrap **** (1982, Michael Caine, Christopher Reeve, Dyan Cannon, Irene Worth, Henry Jones) – Classic Movie Review 7811

Director Sidney Lumet’s 1982 hit Deathtrap is a hugely enjoyable film version of Ira Levin’s stage thriller, with Michael Caine as the has-been Broadway playwright Sidney Bruhl suffering from writer’s block who conceives one of his best, most devious plots – to murder talented up-and-coming young writer Clifford Anderson (Christopher Reeve) and steal his hit script.

Lumet does his usual smooth, professional job with the stage-to-film direction, stylish performers Caine and Reeve are good fun, while Dyan Cannon as Myra Bruhl, Henry Jones as Porter Milgrim and a delightfully over-the-top Irene Worth as a medium called Helga ten Dorp fill in the little gaps left by the stars.

Deathtrap has enough scares, shocks, surprises and twists to keep any thriller fan thoroughly entertained. Jay Presson Allen provides the super-smooth screenplay.

Also in the cast are Joe Silver, Tony DiBenedetto, Al LeBreton, Francis B Creamer Jr, Stewart Klein, Jeffrey Lyons, Joel Siegel and Jenny Lumet.

Deathtrap is directed by Sidney Lumet, runs 115 minutes, is made and released by Warner Bros, is written by Jay Presson Allen, is shot in Technicolor by Andrzej Bartkowiak, is produced by Burtt Harris, is scored by Johnny Mandel and is designed by Tony Walton.

RIP Christopher Reeve (September 25, 1952 – October 10, 2004). For ever Superman.

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 7811

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