1974 film by Michael Winner
Death Wish is a 1974 American vigilante action film directed by Michael Winner. The film, loosely based on the 1972 novel of the same title by Brian Garfield and the first film in the Death Wish film series, stars Charles Bronson as Paul Kersey, alongside Hope Lange, Vincent Gardenia, William Redfield, Kathleen Tolan and Christopher Guest. In the film, Paul Kersey, an architect leading a peaceful life, resorts to vigilantism after his wife Joanna is murdered and daughter Carol Kersey Toby is raped during a home invasion.
At the time of release, Death Wish was criticized for its apparent support of vigilantism and advocating unlimited punishment of criminals. The novel allegedly denounced vigilantism, whereas the film embraced the notion. The film was a commercial success and resonated with the public in the United States, which was experiencing increasing crime rates during the 1970s.
Plot summary adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.