Movie Type: Post-Noir (Modern Noir), Psychological Thriller
Themes: Femmes Fatales, Mind Games, Blackmail
Main Cast: Don Johnson, Virginia Madsen, Jennifer Connelly, Charles Martin Smith, Bill Sadler
Release Year: 1990
Country: US
Run Time: 120 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Plot
This hard-boiled throwback to the film noir dramas of the 1940s and '50s is directed by filmmaker and actor Dennis Hopper, based on the novel Hell Hath No Fury by Charles Williams. Don Johnson stars as Harry Madox, a drifter who settles in a small Texas town and begins secretly setting small fires, setting up his planned heist of the local bank run by eccentric Julian Ward (Jack Nance). To pay the bills while he puts his robbery scheme in motion, Harry gets a job working at a used car lot owned by the ailing George Harshaw (Jerry Hardin), whose promiscuous vamp of a wife, Dolly (Virginia Madsen), immediately begins a torrid affair with Harry. Harry's also powerfully attracted to the gorgeous Gloria Harper (Jennifer Connelly), an innocent, virginal secretary at the car dealership with a dark secret involving a creepy blackmailer, Frank Sutton (William Sadler). The Hot Spot also stars Charles Martin Smith, Barry Corbin, and Leon Rippy. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
Barry Corbin - Sheriff; Jerry Hardin - George Harshaw; Jack Nance - Julian Ward; Leon Rippy - Deputy Tate; Virgil Frye - Deputy Buck; John Hawker - Uncle Mort; Margaret Bowman - Woman at Gas Station; Debra Cole - Irene Davey; Karen Culley - Cowgirl; James Harrell - Elderly Man; Cody Haynes - Cowboy; George Haynes - Mr. Haynes; Shannon Quinlan - Table Dancer; Roosevelt Williams - Grey Ghost; Edith Mills - Elderly Woman
Credit
John Frick - Art Director, Lauren Lloyd - Casting, Gail Levin - Casting, Mary Kay Stolz - Costume Designer, Dennis Hopper - Director, Wende Phifer Mate - Editor, Derek Power - Executive Producer, Stephen Ujlaki - Executive Producer, Bill Gavin - Executive Producer, Jack Nitzsche - Composer (Music Score), Michael Hoenig - Musical Direction/Supervision, k.d. lang - Songwriter, Johnny Noble - Songwriter, Billy Squier - Songwriter, Tony Joe White - Songwriter, Scott Wilk - Songwriter, Charles Balasz - Makeup, Charles Balazs - Makeup, Jay Cannistraci - Makeup, Gigi Coker - Makeup, Patty York - Makeup, Cary White - Production Designer, Michael Sullivan - Production Designer, Ueli Steiger - Cinematographer, Paul Lewis - Producer, Dennis Dion - Special Effects, Jim Halty - Stunts, Monty Cox - Stunts, Eddy Donno - Stunts, Nona Tyson - Screenwriter, Fryderyc Chopin - Featured Music, Charles Williams - Book Author
