To Die For (1995)
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An ambitious woman's desperate quest for television fame leads her into a web of manipulation and murder.
The story
In Little Hope, New Hampshire, ambitious Suzanne Stone is obsessed with becoming a world-famous broadcast correspondent. Her life takes a dramatic turn when she is labeled a 'Blonde Temptress' by the tabloids following the death of her husband, Larry Maretto. The narrative weaves between her past and present, utilizing a mix of traditional drama, direct-to-camera monologues, and mockumentary interviews. As Suzanne navigates the media's intense scrutiny, the film explores her relentless pursuit of fame and the lengths she is willing to go to climb the network ladder, all while the truth of her actions remains obscured by the spectacle of the media.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In Little Hope, New Hampshire, Suzanne Stone is a woman obsessed with becoming a television star. After her husband Larry is killed, she is branded a 'Blonde Temptress' by the media. The film reveals that Suzanne orchestrated Larry's murder, manipulating a local teen, Jimmy, and a girl named Lydia to commit the crime so she could escape his demands and pursue her career. While she initially escapes conviction through legal technicalities, she fabricates a story about his death to gain even more fame. However, her actions trigger a deadly retaliation from Larry's family, who use mafia connections to have her killed and hidden under a frozen lake. The story concludes with the teenagers facing prison, Lydia becoming a media sensation, and Suzanne's sister, Janice, dancing over Suzanne's corpse.
- First release year
- 1995
- Runtime (minutes)
- 106
- Production countries
- United States; United Kingdom
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Gus Van Sant
- Writers
- Buck Henry · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Nicole Kidman · Suzanne Stone; Joaquin Phoenix · Jimmy Emmett; Matt Dillon · Larry Maretto
- Genres
- black comedy; satire
- Themes
- obsession with fame; media sensationalism; manipulation
- Tone and mood
- darkly comic; satirical
- Setting
- Little Hope, New Hampshire; Florida
- Premise and plot tags
- true crime; media satire
- Source material / true-story basis
- novel by Joyce Maynard
- Reception
- The film was well received by critics, particularly for Nicole Kidman's performance, and was noted for its satire of tabloid media and the true crime genre.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 88% · scale: percentage · review count: 67; Metacritic · score: 86 · scale: 100 · review count: 23
- Awards and nominations
- Golden Globe Award · Best Actress · win; Critics' Choice Award · Best Actress · win; Best Actress Award · 1st Empire Awards · win; BAFTA · Best Actress · nomination
- Production trivia
- Based on the true story of Pamela Smart; Original music by Danny Elfman
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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