When a brilliant surgeon is accused of savage medical malpractice by his beautiful patient, it's not certain whether he's a competent physician or a malicious monster in this plot-twisting "quadruple indemnity." MALICE is a stylish and sexy thriller, with fine acting from Alec Baldwin and Nicole Kidman.
Andy Safian and his new wife, Tracy, reside in a quiet pastoral town where he's a well-respected professor and college dean. To offset the financial costs of renovations to their home, Andy and Tracy take in a boarder--Dr. Jed Hill, a brilliant young physician who's somewhat reckless and pleasure-driven.
Lately there have been some very disturbing events in this New England hamlet: Two of Andy's female students were brutally assaulted, and he's viewed as a suspect. Meanwhile, when Tracy goes to the hospital with abdominal cramps, the physician on call happens to be Jed, who operates prematurely. Soon all three characters will find themselves trying to sort out the serious consequences of their actions.
Filmed over four weeks in October/November 1992 in Boston and at Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts. Smith is one of the oldest women's colleges. It was last featured in the 1967 film WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF?
Theatrical release: October 1993.
Harold Becker also directed SEA OF LOVE.
Actress Nicole Kidman was raised in Australia. Enrolling in drama school at age 10, Kidman made her acting debut in the Australian picture BUSH CHRISTMAS when she was 14. Kidman secured one role after another, including a part in the 1985 hit miniseries VIETNAM, which made her an Australian success story. At the age of 17 she was voted Best Actress of the Year by the Australian populace. She catapulted to success after her performance in the film DEAD CALM, which gave her a solid starring role opposite Sam Neill and helped her win the lead role in Tom Cruise's DAYS OF THUNDER.
Screenwriter Aaron Sorkin won a Golden Globe nomination for A FEW GOOD MEN, a story based on his play, which earned him an Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding American Playwright.
Rated BBFC 15 by the British Board of Film Classification.
DVD Features:
Region 1
Keep Case
Anamorphic Widescreen - 1.85
Full Frame - 1.33
Audio:
Dolby Digital Stereo - English
Additional Release Material:
Trailer - 1. Original Theatrical
Director of Photography
Gordon Willis: Cinematographer famous for use of B&W
Production Designer
Philip Harrison: Production Designer
Costume Designer
Michael Kaplan: Costume Designer, BLADE RUNNER (1982)
Review 1:
"...Deviously entertaining....[Baldwin is] simultaneously comic and scary..."
Source: New York Times
p.C5 10/01/1993
Review 2:
"...The key film in [Baldwin's] anti-hero oeuvre....A vastly entertaining hunk of bologna..." -- Rating: B
Source: Entertainment Weekly
pp.80-83 07/19/1996
Review 3:
"...Immaculately crafted....Kidman, who uses a flawless American accent, proves her strengths as an actress, and Baldwin mixes menace, sex and humor in another terrific performance..."
Source: Variety
10/04/1993
Review 4:
"[A] stormy suspense thriller of multiple twists and bluffs..."
Source: Uncut
p.61 02/01/2005