Deathtrap (film)
| Deathtrap | |
|---|---|
Theatrical release poster by Bill Gold | |
| Directed by | Sidney Lumet |
| Screenplay by | Jay Presson Allen |
| Based on | Deathtrap 1978 play by Ira Levin |
| Produced by | Burtt Harris |
| Starring | Michael Caine Christopher Reeve Dyan Cannon |
| Cinematography | Andrzej Bartkowiak |
| Edited by | Jack Fitzstephens |
| Music by | Johnny Mandel |
| Distributed by | Warner Bros. Pictures |
Release date |
|
Running time | 116 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $10 million |
| Box office | $19 million |
Deathtrap is a 1982 American black comedy suspense film based on the 1978 play of the same name by Ira Levin. It was directed by Sidney Lumet from a screenplay by Levin and Jay Presson Allen, and stars Michael Caine, Christopher Reeve and Dyan Cannon. Critics gave the film mostly favorable reviews while noting its plot similarities to Caine's 1972 film Sleuth.
The film narrates the tale of famous playwright Sidney Bruhl, who has not had any hits in recent years. After his student Clifford Anderson entrusts him with the manuscript of a promising play, Sidney tells his wife Myra that if the student has not told anyone else about his play, he could kill Clifford and claim the manuscript as his own.