Obsession

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Obsession

PG

Released Aug 1, 1976

1h 38m

Mystery & Thriller

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Popcornmeter

77%

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31 Reviews

58%

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2,500+ Ratings

Michael Courtland (Cliff Robertson) is a husband and father whose wife, Elizabeth (Geneviève Bujold), and daughter, Amy (Wanda Blackman), have been kidnapped. When a rescue attempt fails, Elizabeth and Amy are killed, leaving Michael devastated and alone. After years of mourning, Michael travels to Italy and meets Sandra Portinari, a woman with a familiar face. Deeply in love and still haunted by the memory of Elizabeth and Amy, Michael fears that Sandra may face a similar fate.

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Critics Consensus

Obsession suffers in comparison to the Alfred Hitchcock masterpiece that it mirrors, but director Brian De Palma's unique preoccupations give this thriller its own compulsive, twisted fingerprint.

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John Simon

New York Magazine/Vulture

De Palma's direction has its splashy slickness, but the people serve as mere props for the effects.

Jan 1, 2020

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Walter Goodman

New York Times

Whatever shred of credibility the movie retains is dispersed by the final, dead serious directorial hocus‐pocus.

Dec 13, 2017

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Lou Lumenick

New York Post

Subtlety is a not a term that can often be applied to DePalma's work, but it's this uncharacteristic restraint that helps make "Obsession" his masterpiece.

Rated: 4/4

Apr 24, 2015

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Tony Sloman

Radio Times

Star Wars editor Paul Hirsch consolidated his reputation on this movie, which is nearly, but not quite, as clever as it thinks it is.

Rated: 3/5

Jul 2, 2025

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Eddie Harrison

film-authority.com

…Cliff Robertson is rather stolid, but Bujold and Lithgow excel in difficult roles… no split screens, but lots of atmosphere, rushing, whirling camerawork and a wonderfully OTT Bernard Hermann soundtrack that elevates Obsession to real cinematic heights…

Rated: 3/5

Apr 4, 2025

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Noah Berlatsky

Splice Today

The truth that’s revealed by De Palma is a core of wrongness that can neither be undone, assimilated, nor confronted.

Feb 7, 2025

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Insomniac X

Convoluted kidnapping thriller which progresses from contrived to absurd. The true cautionary tale here is that of DePalma's obsession with "Vertigo," which spawned this bizarre misfire.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

02/03/25

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CodyZamboni Z

Wow, Stunning, Highly emotional, Stirring, haunting, memorable music, Riveting performances, One of De Palma's best movies.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

08/10/24

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Alec B

Extremely silly, even by De Palma standards but the real issue is that the movie lacks the kind of tension fueled set pieces that elevate his other work.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

01/10/24

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Steve D

Too much like a million others despite the talent involved.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

08/10/23

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Shioka O

Undoubtedly it's not his best, but still a decent thriller. I think the plot is kinda cliche, it is said a homage to "Vertigo" by Hitchcock, though. Good photography especially some scenes in Italy. John Lithgow stands out.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

12/03/22

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isla s

This is quite a suspenseful film - a real chilly thriller of sorts. It features a heavy use of stringed instruments to really bring home the Hitchcockian tension. Its, needless to say, quite claustrophobic and I noticed towards the end there appeared to be a mistiness around the bottom of the screen, which gives it a bit of a dream like sense. I felt John Lithgow gave a particularly good performance in this film and its somewhat memorable - certainly not a bad film, I'd recommend it.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

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Brian De Palma

Director

Cliff Robertson

Michael Courtland

Geneviève Bujold

Elizabeth Courtland

John Lithgow

Robert Lasalle

Sylvia `Kuumba' Williams

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Wanda Blackman

Amy Courtland

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Synopsis

Michael Courtland (Cliff Robertson) is a husband and father whose wife, Elizabeth (Geneviève Bujold), and daughter, Amy (Wanda Blackman), have been kidnapped. When a rescue attempt fails, Elizabeth and Amy are killed, leaving Michael devastated and alone. After years of mourning, Michael travels to Italy and meets Sandra Portinari, a woman with a familiar face. Deeply in love and still haunted by the memory of Elizabeth and Amy, Michael fears that Sandra may face a similar fate.

Director: Brian De Palma
Producer: George Litto, Harry N. Blum
Screenwriter: Paul Schrader
Distributor: Columbia Pictures
Production Co: Columbia
Rating: PG
Genre: Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 1, 1976, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jul 27, 2010
Runtime: 1h 38m

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