Rent Body Heat (1981)

A moder classic film noir - Body Heat review by PT

Kathleen Turner has never been better as the alluring femme fatale. Which is all the more remarkable given it's her feature film debut.

William Hurt is also superb as the man she entices as a companion with her addictive loving.

The plot is brilliant, with unforeseen twists and turns, and a most memorable ending. A gem of a film.

Sweaty stuff - Body Heat review by AS

Kathleen Turner sizzles and William Hurt steams as they bring their perfect murder plot to the boil. Latter-day noir as dark, sharp and classy as yesteryear's.

A masterpiece of a neo-noir thriller with William Hurt and Kathleen Turner - Body Heat review by Philip in Paradiso

During a heatwave in Florida, a local lawyer, Ned Racine (William Hurt), meets Matty Walker (Kathleen Turner). The lawyer is not very good at his job and is an unrepentant womanizer. He is struck by the beauty of Matty Walker - a rich, mysterious and seemingly lonely woman, who lives in a mansion by the coast. N Racine becomes obsessed with her.

The film has been described as neo-noir in that it is in the style of the noir thrillers of the 1940s: in the movie, which launched her career at the time, K Turner is stunningly attractive, oozing sex appeal, and her classy beauty is in the style of Lauren Bacall. The way she dresses is elegant and her hairstyle is that of L Bacall in the iconic photos you can find on the internet of the actress.

The film was made in 1981, but it almost feels like the 1950s. At the same time, the story is not dated at all: the plot works every step of the way, without implausible complications or unnecessary twists, and with remarkable precision; the atmosphere is tense and heady - tension which is, to a large extent, of a sexual nature, between the 2 lead characters; the music is engrossing and poignant; the acting and the dialogues are excellent - everything in the film works, and works to perfection.

Within the parameters of the genre, to me, this is a masterpiece. I am surprised the movie is not mentioned in anthologies more often and has not attained cult status. You will enjoy it. [The only regret one may have is that the title is not good: it does not do justice to the movie, which is intelligently constructed from start to finish and well-acted.]