Dressed to Kill (1980) | Presenting Hitchcock Podcast

Gooooood evening. In this month’s episode of Presenting Hitchcock, Cory and Aaron are looking quite dapper as they discuss Dressed to Kill.

Written by: Brian De Palma

Starring: Michael Caine, Angie Dickinson, Nancy Allen, Kieth Gordon, Dennis Franz, and David Margulies

Directed by: Brian De Palma

Trailer:

Our Favourite Trivia:

Hitchcock comparisons:
Psycho
Vertigo
Rear Window
Torn Curtain

While acknowledging similarities to Alfred Hitchcock films (particularly Psycho), Brian De Palma claimed that he got the idea of the murderer from watching a transsexual on The Phil Donahue Show, and the show made an appearance in the film.

The film features doubles throughout: two women, two gloves, two shower scenes, two blondes following Liz around, split-screens and split diopter shots, hinting at the duality of Dr Elliott and Bobbi. Furthermore, when the screen is split between Dr. Elliott and Liz, The Phil Donahue Show is in the background for her while Elliott watches it intently.

Sean Connery was considered for Robert Elliott, but because of his previous commitments, Michael Caine ended up accepting the role. De Palma originally wanted Liv Ullmann to play Kate Miller, but she declined. Nancy Allen was drawn to Liz’s character, when her husband De Palma began developing the script, but kept it to herself, thinking that he would reject her. It was only when she was filming Steven Spielberg’s 1941 that she got a telephone call from De Palma telling her to take a look at Liz. She accepted the role immediately.

Dressed to Kill was shot primarily in New York City. De Palma scouted the Metropolitan Museum of Art, in hopes of shooting the museum scene there, but when the museum officials objected to the script, he chose to film it in the Philadelphia Museum of Art. It features many recognisable works from the museum collection, including West Interior (1979) by Alex Katz, and Reclining Nude Gorilla (1976) by Tommy Dale Palmore.

Bobbi was played uncredited by Susanna Clemm, who also played the police woman, Detective Luce. Bobbi’s voice was played by De Palma regular William Finley.

The naked body in the opening scene, taking place in a shower, was not that of Dickinson, but of 1977 Penthouse Pet of the Year model Victoria Lynn Johnson.

The Random Draw for Next Picture:

Next up, not so random (this month) but we’ll make good and be discussing Charade (1963)

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