To make Sidney’s slump all the more painful, Clifford Anderson, a student of one of Sidney’s writing seminars, has recently sent his mentor a copy of his first attempt at playwrighting for Sidney’s review and advice. The play, “Deathtrap,” is a five character, two act thriller so perfect in its construction that, as Sidney says, “A gifted director couldn’t even hurt it.” Using his penchant for plot, and out of his desperate desire to once again be the toast of Broadway, Sidney, along with Myra, cook up an almost unthinkable scheme: They’ll lure the would-be playwright to the Bruhl home, kill him, and market the sure-fire script as Sidney’s own. But shortly after Clifford arrives, it’s clear that things are not what they seem! Indeed, even Helga Ten Dorp, a nosey psychic from next door, and Porter Milgram, Sidney’s observant attorney, can only speculate where the line between truth and deception lies.

Deathtrap (1982)
  • Rating: (5,272 votes)
  • Taglines:Join us for an evening of lively fun...and deadly games. [UK Theatrical] » When a man has murder on his mind be sure you don't fall into a...Deathtrap. [Video] »
  • Runtime:116 minutes
  • Director: Sidney Lumet
  • Country:USA
  • Actors:
    Sidney Bruhl
    Michael Caine
    Clifford Anderson
    Christopher Reeve
    Myra Bruhl
    Dyan Cannon
    Helga ten Dorp
    Irene Worth
    Porter Milgrim
    Henry Jones
    Seymour Starger
    Joe Silver
    Burt - the Bartender
    Tony DiBenedetto
    Handsome Actor
    Al LeBreton
    The Minister (as Rev. Francis B. Creamer Jr.)
    Francis B. Creamer Jr.
    Himself
    Stewart Klein
  • Genres:Comedy, Crime, Mystery, Thriller
  • Producers:
    Alfred De Liagre Jr.
    associate producer  
    Burtt Harris
    producer  
    Jay Presson Allen
    executive producer  
  • Plot: To make Sidney's slump all the more painful, Clifford Anderson, a student of one of Sidney's writing seminars, has recently sent his mentor a copy of his first attempt at playwrighting for Sidney's review and advice. The play, "Deathtrap," is a five character, two act thriller so perfect in its construction that, as Sidney says, "A gifted director couldn't even hurt it." Using his penchant for plot, and out of his desperate desire to once again be the toast of Broadway, Sidney, along with Myra, cook up an almost unthinkable scheme: They'll lure the would-be playwright to the Bruhl home, kill him, and market the sure-fire script as Sidney's own. But shortly after Clifford arrives, it's clear that things are not what they seem! Indeed, even Helga Ten Dorp, a nosey psychic from next door, and Porter Milgram, Sidney's observant attorney, can only speculate where the line between truth and deception lies. Written by Craig C. Bailey
Deathtrap
  • User's comment:An excellent mystery movie soaked in wit by Lawson

    Deathtrap runs like a play within a movie about who did what to whom, as it primarily takes place on one set. The premise is that an accomplished playwright, whose star is falling, receives a magnificent manuscript from a former student and so he plans to off his protege and appropriate his play, to the (loud) protests of his wife. Or so you think, for the first half of the movie. Past the halfway mark, Deathtrap begins to throw in twists and surprises that turn its premise on its head, then right around, and then in a mad spin, all the time keeping its title appropriate. It's an excellent mystery movie soaked in wit.

    Michael Caine, as the senior playwright, plays himself in this movie - a slightly loony and very dramatic Brit. No surprises here - he does his usual good work. He gets the best line of Deathtrap, which he executes perfectly: "What is your definition of success, being gang-banged in a state penitentiary?"

    Christopher Reeve, on the other hand, juggles comedy and drama in a surprisingly strong performance playing the ambitious (and psychopathic) young playwright. He also gets to show off his very toned body, which he must've retained coming off the Superman movies.

    Caine and Reeve have collaborated in another movie that's one of my favorite comedies - Noises Off. It similarly revolves around a play as well, although this time Caine is the director and Reeve is an actor. They are joined by comic veterans Carol Burnett, John Ritter, Marilu Henner (Taxi) and Mark Linn-Baker (Perfect Strangers). Together, they demonstrate the calamities that befall the bed-hopping cast and crew of a play. On the surface, the movie looks to be mostly slapstick but upon watching you find that they are many subtle jokes that require more than one viewing to catch. Wish this underrated movie was available on DVD.


  • Quotes: Stewart Klein: Sidney Bruhl's new play, which opened at the Music Box is billed as a comedy-thriller. So much for truth in advertising. Myra Bruhl: Is it really that good? Sidney Bruhl: I'll tell you how good it is. Even a gifted director couldn't hurt it.
  • Also known as: Armadilha Mortal (Brazil), Armadilha Mortal (Portugal - imdb display title), Ira Levin's Deathtrap (UK - complete title), Ira Levin's Deathtrap (USA - complete title), Piège mortel (Canada - French title), Piège mortel (France), Dödsfällan (Sweden), Dødsfælden (Denmark), Das Mörderspiel (West Germany), Death Trap (International - alternative spelling, English title), Deathtrap (International - informal short title, English title), Halálcsapda (Hungary), La trampa de la muerte (Spain), Moordkuil (Netherlands - informal literal title), Murhaleikki (Finland), Smiertelna pulapka (Poland - imdb display title), Thanasimi pagida (Greece - transliterated ISO-LATIN-1 title), Trampa mortal (Argentina - imdb display title), Trappola mortale (Italy),

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