A Perfect Murder (1998) [+alternative ending]

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A Perfect Murder (1998) [+alternative ending]

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A Perfect Murder is a 1998 American thriller film directed by Andrew Davis and starring Michael Douglas, Gwyneth Paltrow and Viggo Mortensen. It is a modern remake of Alfred Hitchcock's 1954 film, Dial M for Murder, though the characters' names are all changed, and over half the plot is completely rewritten and altered. Loosely based on the play by Frederick Knott, the screenplay was written by Patrick Smith Kelly.

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A Perfect Murder (1998) [+alternative ending]

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Plot: Steven Taylor (Michael Douglas) is a Wall Street hedge fund manager whose investments and speculations allow him to live an extravagant upper class lifestyle with his much younger wife, Emily (Gwyneth Paltrow). Unfortunately for Taylor, his investments are unraveling, so he will need his wife's personal fortune (roughly 100 million dollars) to maintain that status and lifestyle. Emily seems a faithful wife, but, in reality, she is having an affair with a painter, David Shaw (Viggo Mortensen), and is considering leaving her husband. Emily thinks she is safe, but Steven knows everything about the affair. He has also been able to uncover David’s past as an ex-convict who's real name is Winston Lagrange and who has a habit of playing con games on rich women. Steven goes to David's loft, where Emily accidentally left her wedding ring. Once there he confronts the con man and reveals his knowledge of David's past. Steven then makes him an offer of $500,000 in cash to murder his wife.

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At first David wants nothing to do with the plan claiming instead that Emily and he are in love. David asks what is to stop him from going straight to Emily or to the police with this information. Steven replies by saying that it would be his word against David's and that he knows of a previous crime David committed in Boca Raton, Flordia. David took off with a lady's bearer bonds and Steven has an acquaintance who has a photograph of the suspect and all they would need is David's real name. Steven then reminds David that he already has two strikes against him and this third arrest would be enough to send him to prison for 15 years with no parole. He asks David if he has a box big enough to hold $100,000 in cash and then instructs him to come by his apartment at around 12 o' clock the following day. Steven has already laid out a detailed plan, which will supply him with a firm alibi. He will hide Emily's latchkey outside the service entrance to his apartment. Steven then will go out for his regular card game, during which time his wife usually stays in and takes a bath. David is to sneak in and, at 10 pm when Steven phones Emily, kill her and make it look like a robbery.

–from wikipedia

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A Perfect Murder (1998) [+alternative ending]

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A Perfect Murder (1998) [+alternative ending]

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A Perfect Murder (1998) [+alternative ending]

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A Perfect Murder (1998) [+alternative ending]

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A Perfect Murder (1998) [+alternative ending]

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