deathtrap

if you were a famed mystery playwright with a devastating string of recent flops what would you do for a can t miss thriller script beg for it pay for it or would you kill for it you would if you were sidney bruhl the leading character in ira levin s dazzlingly funny deliciously scary broadway smash turned movie hit deathtrap michael caine starts as bruhl and christopher reeve stars as bruhl s one time student who s written a play so flawless even a gifted director couldn t ruin it and who requests bruhl s production help and dyan cannon is bruhl s loving wife who doesn t want the student helped to an early grave sydney lumet directs deathtrap s hairpin twists with such drop dead wit and delightful dread that you ll stop laughing only long enough to gasp in surprise