Deathtrap (1982)

7.0PG116 minDirector: Sidney Lumet

1982 film

Deathtrap is a 1982 American black comedy suspense film based on the 1978 play of the same name by Ira Levin. It was directed by Sidney Lumet from a screenplay by Levin and Jay Presson Allen, and stars Michael Caine, Christopher Reeve and Dyan Cannon. Critics gave the film mostly favorable reviews while noting its plot similarities to Caine's 1972 film Sleuth.

The film narrates the tale of famous playwright Sidney Bruhl, who has not had any hits in recent years. After his student Clifford Anderson entrusts him with the manuscript of a promising play, Sidney tells his wife Myra that if the student has not told anyone else about his play, he could kill Clifford and claim the manuscript as his own.

Plot summary adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

FAQ

What is Deathtrap about?
Deathtrap (1982) — 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
Is Deathtrap based on a true story?
See the production background and source material details on the official Wikipedia article.
Is Deathtrap scary?
Content rating: PG. See the reviews tab for parental guidance and tone notes.
What is Deathtrap (1982) about? Plot, synopsis and ending explained — Screencodex