Dead Again (1991)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

Kenneth Branagh

Writer (WGA):

Scott Frank (written by)

Release Date:

23 August 1991 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Mystery | Romance | Thriller

Tagline:

How many times can you die for love?

Plot:

Mike Church is a Los Angeles private detective who specialises in finding missing persons. He takes on the case of a mystery woman who he calls Grace...

Plot Keywords:

Church | Murder | Strauss | Hypnosis | Private

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 4 nominations

Cast

Kenneth Branagh	...	Roman Strauss / Mike Church
Andy Garcia	...	Gray Baker
Emma Thompson	...	Grace / Margaret Strauss
Lois Hall	...	Sister Constance
Richard Easton	...	Father Timothy
Jo Anderson	...	Sister Madeleine / Starlet
Patrick Montes	...	Pickup Driver
Raymond Cruz	...	Clerk
Robin Williams	...	Doctor Cozy Carlisle
Wayne Knight	...	'Piccolo' Pete Dugan
Patrick Doyle	...	Policeman in lift
Erik Kilpatrick	...	Cop #2
Gordana Rashovich	...	Handcuffed Woman
Derek Jacobi	...	Franklyn Madson
Obba Babatundé	...	Syd (as Obba Babatunde)

Runtime:

107 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White | Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Germany:12 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R | Argentina:13 | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

380 South San Rafael Avenue, Pasadena, California, USA

Company:

Mirage

Trivia:

When directing, Kenneth Branagh likes uninterrupted takes, and several can be seen throughout the movie. Also, the first hypnosis scene set at the Laughing Duke features an extremely complicated camera shot in 360 degrees. It involved a great deal of precise timing and technical know-how. Although a relatively short scene, it took 15 takes and a whole day to get right.

Goofs:

Errors in geography: The address on the driver's license Pete gives "Grace" has one street number on Hightower, then later, when Mike Church kicks in her door, the *real* address of the actual Hightower residence is on the exterior wall beside the door.

Quotes:

Pete: I've known Mike Church forever. He would never hurt her.
Franklyn Madson: This is fate we're talking about, and if fate works at all, it works because people think that THIS TIME, it isn't going to happen!

Movie Connections:

Featured in The 80th Annual Academy Awards (2008) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Isn't It Romantic

Kenneth Branagh is alive again.

Trying to work à la Hitchcock is a very perilous task:Kenneth Branagh walks out with honors.The numerous influences and nods are interesting:"Notorious" "Rebecca" "Spellbound" "Vertigo""dial M for murder" come to mind but there are certainly more...Brannagh is a pupil who assimilates things easily.He's helped by a stellar cast:his then-wife Emma Thompson,really beautiful,Hanna Shygulla ,in an underwritten part ,Robin Williams,Campbell Scott,Andy Garcia -You want to stop smoking?Have a look at his last scene!-.... The marvelously far-fetched plot grabs the audience till the very end as the two stories meet.Brannagh and Thompson succeeded in creating two characters each .The director cleverly uses in turn color (present) and black and white (past).The finale in the flat where the amnesic girl keeps her surrealist works (a la Dali,like in "spellbound" ) is grand guignol at its best.That's entertainment!