Fatal Attraction

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Template:Infobox Film

Fatal Attraction is a 1987 thriller about a married man who has an affair with a woman who refuses to allow it end and becomes obsessed with him. It stars Michael Douglas, Glenn Close and Anne Archer.

The film was adapted by James Dearden and Nicholas Meyer from an earlier script by Dearden for British television entitled Diversion. It was directed by Adrian Lyne.

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Synopsis

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

Dan Gallagher appears to be a happily married New York attorney living in Manhattan with his beautiful wife and his young daughter whom he adores. They have a wonderful life until the day he becomes acquainted with Alex Forrest, an editor from a publishing company, at a business party where he and Alex immediately connect and strike up a conversation. Dan and his wife, Beth, are interested in buying a house in Bedford where she and her daughter travel for the weekend. Dan spends the weekend with Alex while his wife and daughter are away. What Dan thought would be a simple fling turns into a dangerous affair when Alex begins to cling to him obsessively, and she will stop at nothing to win Dan over from his family.

Alex Forrest's obsession for Dan becomes evident initially when she attempts suicide after Dan explains to her that he must go home and get on with his normal life. She then begins to continuously call Dan's office until he finally tells his secretary he no longer wants her phone calls. Alex eventually brings herself to calling Dan's home, which is only a minute beginning of her getting his family involved in the situation. As if that's not enough, Alex informs Dan that she is carrying their child, and she plans on keeping the baby. Although Dan wants nothing to do with her, she insists that he must take responsibility for what is partly his. She says, "You play fair with me, I'll play fair with you." As Alex continues to stalk Dan and his family, she has a voice recording delivered to Dan and follows him home that night only to see how happy Dan and his family are which literally makes her sick to her stomach. Alex's apparent obsession, which seems to become stronger as time goes on, drives her in the direction of madness, and constantly reminds Dan of the terrible mistake he made.

Because of Alex Forrest's immense obsession, her determination becomes extremely excessive. Her strong willpower is first evident when she asks Dan to spend the day with her after their first night together, and she will not take "no" for an answer. Dan replies, "You just don't give up do you? You just don't give up." After their affair is over, Dan thinks it is forgotten, but Alex begins to randomly show up at places to see Dan. She is waiting for him at his office one day to apologize and invite him to an opera with her; however, he refuses to go and again tries to forget about the affair, which meant nothing to him. In addition, after Dan changes his phone number, she later comes to his home and speaks to his wife, pretending to be interested in purchasing his Manhattan apartment. When he confronts her about her mindless actions she replies, "Well, what am I supposed to do? You won't answer my calls, you change your number, what am I supposed to do?" Alex even kills Dan's daughter Ellen's pet rabbit while they are away from their home. She goes on to kidnap Ellen from school one day; however, she takes her home after they spend the afternoon together. Finally, at the end of the movie, Alex is so determined to get rid of Dan's family that she goes overboard and feels she has no other choice but to attempt to kill the main thing that is standing in her way - Dan's wife, Beth. While Beth is in the bathroom, Alex's reflection appears in the mirror. She has come with a butcher knife, ready for murder. She has definitely reached the point of insanity, and as Alex begins to cut her own leg with the knife she says to Beth, "Don't you think I understand what you're doing? You're trying to move him into the country...and you're keeping him away from me. And you're playing happy family. Aren't you? ... You wouldn't understand that because you're so...so selfish. He told me about you. He was very honest. If you weren't so stupid, you'd know that. But you're so stupid. You're so stupid... you're a stupid, selfish bitch!" She attacks Beth, and when Dan hears the screaming he comes in wrestles Alex to the bathtub and drowns her...or so he thought. She emerges out of the water, swinging her butcher knife, and Beth immediately shoots her before anything else happens. Alex Forrest is finally dead and out of their lives forever.

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Awards

The film was nominated for Academy Awards for Best Actress in a Leading Role (Glenn Close), Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Anne Archer), Best Director, Best Film Editing, Best Picture and Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium.

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Finances

The film grossed US$156.6 million.

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Main cast

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Trivia

  • The film gave rise to the expression "Bunny boiler" as the scorned woman (Glenn Close) boils her ex-lover's (Michael Douglas) daughter's pet rabbit.
  • Forrest was originally scripted to commit suicide at the end of the movie, but it was realized that audiences would desire a more satisfying end, thus creating the action-filled final sequence. However, this scene was shot and used as the ending in the Japanese version of the film. Also, it is available as a bonus feature on DVD.
  • Actress Glenn Close asked a psychologist to analyze Alex Forrest's character. The psychologist concluded that Forrest must have suffered sexual abuse as a child. Template:Fact
  • At the beginning of the film, Close's character is almost always clad in white. By the end of the movie, she is almost always dressed in black.
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External links

es:Atracción fatal fr:Liaison fatale nl:Fatal Attraction ja:危険な情事 ru:Роковое влечение (фильм)

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