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Death and the Maiden

Play trailer Poster for Death and the Maiden R Released Dec 23, 1994 1h 43m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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82% Tomatometer 51 Reviews 81% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings
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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Death and the Maiden

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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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Critics Reviews

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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 Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Sams K Perfect performance by the actors. A great movie that keeps the tension high! Rated 4 out of 5 stars 09/02/24 Full Review Alex L Impressive performance from the main cast. Thrilling story Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 06/14/24 Full Review 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 Read all reviews
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Death and the Maiden

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Movie Info

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
Producer
Josh Kramer, Thom Mount
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
Runtime
1h 43m
Sound Mix
Surround, Stereo
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