Death and the Maiden

R

Released Dec 23, 1994

1 hr. 43 min.

Drama

List

82%

51 Reviews

Tomatometer

81%

5,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

Paulina Escobar (Sigourney Weaver) is convinced that the guest (Ben Kingsley) her lawyer husband (Stuart Wilson) brings home is the same man who who kidnapped, tortured and raped her years ago. Holding him captive at gunpoint, she repeatedly attacks him and demands that he confess his crime. Her husband tries to stand by his wife and her claims, but he begins to doubt her story and the claims. She forces her husband to represent the guest in a mock trial that she devises.

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Critics Consensus

With its claustrophobic setting heightening the tension and seasoned stars doing excellent work, Death and the Maiden is prime Polanski.

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Dave C

I like Polanski, but this feels lacklustre. The writing is missing something, as there is no real depth or connection formed between the audience and SW's character, so the story lacks an integral empathy and shared anger at her experiences, which drastically impacts on everything that follows, despite the solid performances of the three actors. As such, there is no real sense of threat or suspense, with events being predictable, and the outcome fairly clear

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/11/24

Full Review

The Last S

Death and the Maiden (1994) ...so you were tied down, naked, blindfolded and being electrocuted in your average day, but then and only then did the unacceptable raping begin? Wow, that is abhorrently subversive and entirely unbelievable. Evidencing what type of planet we live on where this is a believable plot with an expected narrative and outcome, for general admission and entertainment. Because of course, who hasn't been blindfolded, naked, electrocuted, and thought yeah, this is certainly a rap-free environment where I feel my liberty is secure from exploitation in all regards.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

01/15/24

Full Review

Chris H

This is not for everyone and I won't feel like watching it again for a long time. It is unflinching in its description of cruelty, yet the characters all wear a veneer of sophistication and they try to reason with each other. The result is spellbinding.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

06/29/23

Full Review

Steve D

The script isn't quite as good as the acting but it holds your interest the entire time.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/19/23

Full Review

linda s

The art of film making 101. This movie has everything that is missing in movies today. Such an excellent script and top notch acting from all the cast. Weaver in particular was at her finest for all the world to see.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Eitan D

Another thriller that is pretty banal, there's nothing too complicated in it except the vivid descriptions of what the antagonist went through when she was interrogated. The ending is also what was expected but then there's the 'after ending'- this is the main point of the movie which makes it somewhat good, it's a very powerful twist but not worth watching the whole movie

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

05/18/21

Full Review

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Roman Polanski

Director

Sigourney Weaver

Paulina Escobar

Ben Kingsley

Dr. Roberto Miranda

Stuart Wilson

Gerardo Escobar

Karen Strassman

Actor

Carlos Moreno

Actor

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Kim Newman

Empire Magazine

Even by their high standards, the performances of Weaver and Kingsley here are impressive, and Polanski ratchetts up the tension nicely. A chilling and thought-provoking piece.

Rated: 4/5

Feb 19, 2010

Full Review

Jonathan Rosenbaum

Chicago Reader

Polanski certainly gets the maximum voltage and precision out of his story and actors, keeping us preternaturally alert to shifting power relationships and delayed revelations.

Feb 19, 2010

Full Review

Todd McCarthy

Variety

Kingsley shrewdly tantalizes the viewer about his identity, and gets to deliver the text's most riveting monologue at the end. The lesser-known Wilson may be the first among equals, impressing strongly as the equivocating husband.

May 26, 2008

Full Review

Quentin Crisp

Christopher Street

Miss Weaver plays the victim with quite astonishing intensity, and deals with Mr. Kingsley in a manner that is quite convincing.

Apr 21, 2022

Full Review

Yasser Medina

Cinefilia

Polanski manages to size the fundamental components of the mystery and suspense so that the atmosphere of the film is sinister in some scenes. But what I see hardly captivates me. [Full review in Spanish]

Rated: 6/10

Jul 20, 2020

Full Review

Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

It's based on the gripping three-character play by Ariel Dorfman.

Rated: B

Jul 10, 2011

Full Review

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Synopsis

Paulina Escobar (Sigourney Weaver) is convinced that the guest (Ben Kingsley) her lawyer husband (Stuart Wilson) brings home is the same man who who kidnapped, tortured and raped her years ago. Holding him captive at gunpoint, she repeatedly attacks him and demands that he confess his crime. Her husband tries to stand by his wife and her claims, but he begins to doubt her story and the claims. She forces her husband to represent the guest in a mock trial that she devises.

Director: Roman Polanski
Executive Producer: Jane Barclay, Sharon Harel
Screenwriter: Ariel Dorfman, Rafael Yglesias
Distributor: Fine Line Features
Production Co: Fine Line Features, Capitol Films
Rating: R
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 23, 1994, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 14, 2020
Box Office (Gross USA): $3.1M
Sound Mix: Surround, Stereo

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