A struggling playwright invites a young writer to his home to discuss a script, but the meeting spirals into a deadly game of deception and betrayal.A struggling playwright invites a young writer to his home to discuss a script, but the meeting spirals into a deadly game of deception and betrayal.A struggling playwright invites a young writer to his home to discuss a script, but the meeting spirals into a deadly game of deception and betrayal.
- Awards
- 6 nominations
Francis B. Creamer Jr.
- The Minister
- (as Rev. Francis B. Creamer Jr.)
Jon-Erik Hexum
- Theater audience
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaDirector Sidney Lumet once commented on the real stage-play scenes seen in this movie: "We used the original set of 'Deathtrap' as our set for Sidney Bruhl's flop play. The Music Box (Theatre) is dark on Mondays, so we shot there on a Monday, along with six hundred dress extras as first-nighters. Thus, the opening scene is a movie of a play-within-a-play which takes place within the play on which the movie is based. If that's not completely clear, it's at least a 'first'!"
- GoofsWhen Sidney has the Deathtrap script and threatens to throw it into the fireplace, the fire isn't lit.
- Quotes
Myra Bruhl: Is it really that good?
Sidney Bruhl: I'll tell you how good it is. Even a gifted director couldn't hurt it.
- Crazy creditsMurderous weapons by Eoin Sprott.
- Alternate versionsCBS added 4 minutes to this film for its 1986 network television premiere.
Featured review
Twisty Turny Thriller
A twisty turny thriller from Sidney Lumet that's a lot of fun.
Michael Caine is excellent as a blocked writer who hatches the diabolical scheme of murdering a young playwright (Christopher Reeve) so he can steal his terrific new play and pass it off as his own. But that's just the beginning. From there, it's a game of who's conning who and what's the next plot twist going to be?
Reeve is surprisingly fantastic in this. I say surprisingly because I never gave him much credit as a serious actor, but he's really good in this playing a wide range of emotions. Dyan Cannon rounds out the trio of stars, and while she's good with what she's given to do, I couldn't help but wish the original play upon which this movie is based (or the screen adaptation for that matter) had given her some plot twists of her own.
Just a really good bit of escapist fun.
Grade: A
Michael Caine is excellent as a blocked writer who hatches the diabolical scheme of murdering a young playwright (Christopher Reeve) so he can steal his terrific new play and pass it off as his own. But that's just the beginning. From there, it's a game of who's conning who and what's the next plot twist going to be?
Reeve is surprisingly fantastic in this. I say surprisingly because I never gave him much credit as a serious actor, but he's really good in this playing a wide range of emotions. Dyan Cannon rounds out the trio of stars, and while she's good with what she's given to do, I couldn't help but wish the original play upon which this movie is based (or the screen adaptation for that matter) had given her some plot twists of her own.
Just a really good bit of escapist fun.
Grade: A
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- evanston_dad
- Sep 28, 2020
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Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- Ira Levin's Deathtrap
- Filming locations
- Pathe Studios, New York City, New York, USA(Studio, interiors: house)
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $10,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $19,282,134
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $2,238,977
- Mar 21, 1982
- Gross worldwide
- $19,282,134
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