To Die For (1995)

Director:

Gus Van Sant

Writers (WGA):

Joyce Maynard (book)
Buck Henry (screenplay)

Release Date:

6 October 1995 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

All she wanted was a little attention.

Plot:

Suzanne Stone is an aspiring TV personality who will do anything to be in the spotlight- including enlisting 3 teenagers to kill her husband.

Plot Keywords:

Panties Hit The Floor | Extramarital Affair | Hit Man | Beautiful Woman | Winter

Awards:

Won Golden Globe. Another 6 wins & 9 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Thur. May 29

8:40 AM

MAX

Cast

Nicole Kidman	...	Suzanne Stone Maretto
Matt Dillon	...	Larry Maretto
Joaquin Phoenix	...	Jimmy Emmett
Casey Affleck	...	Russel Hines
Illeana Douglas	...	Janice Maretto
Alison Folland	...	Lydia Mertz
Dan Hedaya	...	Joe Maretto
Wayne Knight	...	Ed Grant
Kurtwood Smith	...	Earl Stone
Holland Taylor	...	Carol Stone
Susan Traylor	...	Faye Stone
Maria Tucci	...	Angela Maretto
Tim Hopper	...	Mike Warden
Michael Rispoli	...	Ben DeLuca
Buck Henry	...	Mr. H. Finlaysson

Runtime:

106 min | Argentina:110 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR | SDDS

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Philippines:R-18 | South Korea:18 | Argentina:16 | Australia:MA | Finland:K-15 (DVD rating) | Finland:K-16 (original rating) | Germany:12 | Peru:14 | Portugal:M/16 | Singapore:M18 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Brampton, Ontario, Canada

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

Patricia Arquette, Jodie Foster, Bridget Fonda, Holly Hunter, Mary-Louise Parker and Jennifer Jason Leigh were all considered for the lead before the role was offered to Meg Ryan. She, however, later changed her mind and left the project, which made director Gus van Sant fear the film would be shelved without its top-line star. At this point, Nicole Kidman stepped in.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Suzanne Stone removes the video tape from her camera just after recording her self-interview the tape is already fully rewound.

Quotes:

Suzanne Stone Maretto: [to Lydia in the dressing room] Well, you grow up, you know? You think it's all gonna be like a fairytale. Like you're Sleeping Beauty, and along comes this Prince Charming, and he looks at you, and it's night time, and he smiles at you and kisses you.
Lydia Mertz: Yeah, I - I know that story.
Suzanne Stone Maretto: And then... then you wake up... and it's daylight... and you look at him. It's just when you work all day, trying to perfect yourself and create something meaningful, you expect some support. Does anyone ever say "Did you have a good shoot today?" or "How's the editing going?" or *anything* of that nature?
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Making of 'The Frighteners' (1998) (V)

Soundtrack:

LIVE IT COOL

You aren't really anybody in America if you're not on TV.

Buck Henry is a great screenwriter. He was nominated for an Academy Award for The Graduate, and he wrote one of the funniest movies I have ever seen, The Owl and the Pussycat. He can add this film to the list of great adaptations (Joyce Maynard's book).

Oscar-nominated director Gus Van Sant does some great films like Finding Forrester and Good Will Hunting. He did a great job here keeping the action moving along towards the inevitable, but cleverly disguised ending.

Now, to the dessert: Nicole Kidman. Yes, I know some think she is one-dimensional, but that dimension was perfect for this role. This was her finest hour and she was fantastic. A real beauty, she looked fantastic in this film, and the wardrobe enhanced her beauty to a dimension no other film has done for her.

Kidman was supported with some fine actors: Matt Dillon (Crash) as her husband, Joaquin Phoenix (Walk the Line, Gladiator) as her lover, and a favorite, Illeana Douglas (Grace of My heart) as the suspicious sister-in-law.

Hey, Suzanne, did you really think that some goombah wasn't going to come knocking on your door?