Movie Type: Psychological Thriller, Romantic Mystery
Themes: Woman In Jeopardy, Femmes Fatales, Serial Killers
Main Cast: Steve Guttenberg, Elizabeth McGovern, Isabelle Huppert, Paul Shenar, Frederick Coffin, Wallace Shawn
Release Year: 1987
Country: US
Run Time: 113 minutes
Plot
In director/writer Curtis Hanson's 1987 chiller The Bedroom Window, architect Terry Lambert (Steve Guttenberg) experiences a most disorienting turn of events when his French lover, Sylvia (Isabelle Huppert) - the wife of his boss - walks over to the titular window in-between lovemaking sessions and witnesses a mysterious man strangling a helpless victim (Elizabeth McGovern). By the time Guttenberg comes to the window, he can see only a crowd of spectators. Because Sylvia wants to avoid a messy involvement in the case (which would soil her reputation, ruin her marriage and cost Lambert his job), Guttenberg agrees to pretend that he witnessed the attack. The ruse, of course, leads to a myriad of complications. And meanwhile, with the psycho still on the loose, Lambert sets out to find him. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Review
The Bedroom Window is a diligent, suspenseful thriller from Curtis Hanson, who started as a proficient director of genre films (The River Wild, The Hand That Rocks the Cradle) before receiving widespread acclaim for L.A. Confidential. Hanson's trademark narrative efficiency is on display, making for a tense, focused story that mostly steers clear of predictability. In keeping with the director's minimal flash, leads Steve Guttenberg and Elizabeth McGovern exude comfort and competence, but little of the personality or charisma that would distract from his tight screenplay. Brad Greenquist does, however, make a menacing suspect, sporting a mixture of baby-faced innocence and deep-seated perversion. In one of the film's many nods to Hitchcock, Greenquist's eyes refocus with a murderous new understanding when he makes courtroom eye contact with the woman who witnessed his attack (Isabelle Huppert) -- a bit like the moment in Rear Window when Raymond Burr finally stares back at James Stewart's binoculars. Although the third act loses some steam from its promising predecessors, and there are some noticeably loose plot threads, these elements are too unimportant to undermine this smart little piece of noir entertainment. ~ Derek Armstrong, All Movie Guide
Carl Lumbly - Detective Quirk; Brad Greenquist - Henderson; Penelope Allen - Judge; Michael Burgess - Assistant State's Attorney; Sara Carlson - Dancing Girl; Maury Chaykin - Pool Player; Francis V. Guinan, Jr. - Bartender At Edgar's; Winston Hemingway - Bailiff; J. Michael Hunter - Pool Player; Myvanwy Jenn - Maid; Jodi Long - Jeanne; Terry Lambert; Mark Margolis - Man in Phone Booth; Kate McGregor-Stewart - Blowsy Neighbor; Richard Olsen - Late Night Shopper; Leon Rippy - Seedy Bartender; Robert Schenkkan - State's Attorney Peters; Scott Colson - Usher; Sydney Conrad - First Victim; Joyce Greer - Police Receptionist; Craig Jahelka - TV Newsman; Kerry Lang - Waitress at Edgar's; J. Richard Leonard - Court Clerk; John Patrick Maloney - Pool Player's Friend; Libra Marrian - Secretary; Tobi Marsh - TV Newswoman; Richard McGough - 2nd Policeman; Kevin O'Rourke - 1st Policeman; Joyce Flick Wendl - Henderson's Mother; Carl Whitney - Man in Theater; Wendy Womble - Receptionist
Credit
Rafael Caro - Art Director, Mary Colquhoun - Casting, Michael Owens - Choreography, Clifford Capone - Costume Designer, Curtis Hanson - Director, Scott Conrad - Editor, Robert Towne - Executive Producer, Michael Shrieve - Composer (Music Score), Patrick Gleeson - Composer (Music Score), Jon Butcher - Songwriter, Raun Butcher - Songwriter, W.C. Clark - Songwriter, Lamont Dozier - Songwriter, Tony Haynes - Songwriter, Mildred J. Hill - Songwriter, Patty S. Hill - Songwriter, Brian Holland - Songwriter, Edward Holland - Songwriter, Richard James - Songwriter, Mike Kendred - Songwriter, Dennis Nelson - Songwriter, Robert Palmer - Songwriter, Danny Wilde - Songwriter, Stefano Fava - Makeup, Ron Foreman - Production Designer, Gilbert Taylor - Cinematographer, Martha Schumacher - Producer, Martha de Laurentiis - Producer, Robert Towne - Producer, Hilton Rosemarin - Set Designer, Bill Daly - Sound/Sound Designer, Erik Cord - Stunts, Jeff Ramsey - Stunts, Bill Hart - Stunts, Thomas Rosaies - Stunts, Jeff Smolek - Stunts, Lincoln Simonds - Stunts, Thomas Rosaies - Stunts Coordinator, Curtis Hanson - Screenwriter, Robert Towne - Screenwriter, Felix Mendelssohn - Featured Music, Anne Holden - Book Author
Terry (Steve Guttenberg) is having an affair with his boss' wife Sylvia (Isabelle Huppert). One night after an office party, they are together and Sylvia witnesses an attack on Denise (Elizabeth McGovern) from Terry's bedroom window. She doesn't want to expose their relationship and so is reluctant about talking to the police. Terry, wanting to help, gives the police the description of the attacker. He soon becomes the main suspect in the case. He then sets out to find the real rapist/killer with some help from Denise.
