The controversial directorial debut of The Empire Strikes Backand Raiders Of The Lost Arkwriter Lawrence Kasdan, Body Heat generated powerful and divergent reactions upon its initial release.
The film makes no attempt to hide its indebtedness to noir tradition.
Ned Racine (William Hurt) is a seedy, womanising lawyer who works in a small town in Florida. In the midst of a terrible heatwave, he accidentally meets Matty Walker (Kathleen Turner), a rich married woman from a nearby suburb. A steamy affair quickly develops.
Soon enough, Matty has convinced Ned to murder her husband (Richard Crenna) so they can be together (and rich) forever – and to think it’s his idea.
After the murder, Ned gets double-crossed in various ways, discovering he was picked out and set up by Matty from the very beginning.
After Matty fakes her own death, Ned is sent to jail, where he does some research and learns that she had actually taken on another woman’s identity. But it’s too late to do anything.
The last shot shows Matty sunbathing on an anonymous tropical island.
The extended soft-core sex scenes between Hurt and Turner are shocking and risqué even by today’s more promiscuous standards.
Ned Racine
William Hurt Matty Walker
Kathleen Turner Edmund Walker
Richard Crenna Peter Lowenstein
Ted Danson Oscar Grace
JA Preston Teddy Lewis
Mickey Rourke Mary Ann
Kim Zimmer Stella
Jane Hallaren Roz Kraft
Lanna Saunders Heather Kraft
Carola McGuinness Miles Hardin
Michael Ryan Judge Costanza
Larry Marko Beverly
Deborah Lucchesi Angela
Lynn Hallowell Michael Glenn
Thom Sharp
