The Postman Always Rings Twice (1981)

User Rating:

6.4/10   

Director:

Bob Rafelson

Writers:

James M. Cain (novel)
David Mamet (screenplay)

Release Date:

20 March 1981 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Thriller | Romance

Tagline:

You Will Feel The Heat.

Plot:

The sensuous wife of a lunch wagon proprietor and a rootless drifter begin a sordidly steamy affair and conspire to murder her Greek husband.

Plot Keywords:

Murder | Drifter | Cafe | Lunch Wagon | Remake

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Jack Nicholson	...	Frank Chambers
Jessica Lange	...	Cora Papadakis
John Colicos	...	Nick Papadakis
Michael Lerner	...	Mr. Katz
John P. Ryan	...	Kennedy
Anjelica Huston	...	Madge
William Traylor	...	Sackett
Thomas Hill	...	Barlow (as Tom Hill)
Jon Van Ness	...	Motorcycle Cop
Brian Farrell	...	Mortenson
Raleigh Bond	...	Insurance Salesman
William Newman	...	Man from Home Town
Albert Henderson	...	Art Beeman
Ken Magee	...	Scoutmaster
Eugene Peterson	...	Doctor

Also Known As:

Wenn der Postmann zweimal klingelt (West Germany)

Runtime:

122 min

Country:

USA | West Germany

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Finland:K-16 (1988) | Finland:K-18 (1981) | Singapore:PG (cut) | West Germany:18 (original rating) | Portugal:M/16 | France:-12 | Norway:15 | South Korea:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R | West Germany:16 | Australia:R

Filming Locations:

Santa Barbara, California, USA

Company:

CIP Filmproduktion GmbH

Trivia:

Meryl Streep rejected the part of Cora.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: When Cora walks to the door of the café after coming back from her mother's (1:38:25), her zipper and zipper pull show. What we see is an "invisible" zipper which were not invented until the early 1960s.

Quotes:

Sackett: Spit on the sidewalk and you'll die in jail!

Movie Connections:

Featured in Sex at 24 Frames Per Second (2003) (V)

Raw and aggressive romantic drama that's carried by it's erotic scenes and passionate script.

Again Nicholson teams up with director Bob Rafelson and while this isn't a classic like Five Easy Pieces or it doesn't even compare to other works of Jack, yet still this film has enough suspense and drama that's built up by passionate love and the erotic love scenes make the film one to see. As expected Jack Nicholson once again delivered a super and top notch performance as his role of drifter Frank Chambers would fit perfect for him as by 1981 when this film was released Jack was so used to playing the type of loners, rebels, and anti-establishment types that go against the grain(Examples: "Five Easy Pieces," and "Easy Rider", and "The Last Detail"). Nicholson too seems to enjoy his turn of womanizing and love making in this film also.

Nicholson is drifter and loner Frank Chambers who's headed nowhere yet he drifts into a job at a roadside diner, a job that's giving to him by owner Nick(John Colicos). His only way to a new way of life and to see freedom and feel good again is when he spots Nick's wife the blond and attractive Cora(Jessica Lange). And with Frank's shady and suspect past it would prove as evidence he will do anything to get this woman as a lover even if it means killing her husband Nick. Slowly but surely the two embark on a hot and steamy passionate love affair that sizzles up the screen as many of the love scenes are erotic and obsessive. As you the viewer feel the heat these die for lovers are only destined to head for a sad tragedy.

Really a pretty good film mostly carried by it's obsession and passionate love scenes that prove to be erotic they were really well done by Nicholson and Lange. Also look for good co staring appearances by Anjelica Huston, and Christopher Lloyd in this raw and hard pressed depression era film.