Basic Instinct

Synopsis: A former rock star, Johnny Boz, is brutally killed during sex, and the case is assigned to detective Nick Curran of the SFPD. During the investigation, Nick meets Catherine Tramell, a crime novelist who was Boz's girlfriend when he died. Catherine proves to be a very clever and manipulative woman, and though Nick is more or less convinced that she murdered Boz, he is unable to find any evidence. Later, when Nilsen, Nick's rival in the police, is killed, Nick suspects of Catherine's involvement in it. He then starts to play a dangerous lust-filled mind game with Catherine to nail her, but as their relationship progresses, the body count rises and contradicting evidences force Nick to start questioning his own suspicions about Catherine's guilt.
Director(s): Paul Verhoeven
Production: Artisan Entertainment
  Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 5 wins & 21 nominations.
 
IMDB:
6.9
Metacritic:
41
Rotten Tomatoes:
53%
R
Year:
1992
127 min
4,896 Views


- Here we go, Nick.|- All right

- Good morning, Detective.|- I want a shot of the two detectives.

Keep it back, folks.

- Howdy.|- Morning.

Up there.

- How's it going, Gus?|- Morning, Pete.

- Who was this f***ing guy?|- Rock and roll, Gus. Johnny Boz.

- Never heard of him.|- Before your time, cowboy.

- Hey, Ronny, where they hiding?|- Upstairs, to the right.

Mid '60s, had five or six hits.|Got a club down on Fillmore now.

Not now, he don't.

- Do we have a time of death?|- Almost.

- Do you guys know Captain Tallcott?|- Sure.

- What's the Chief's office doing here?|- Observing.

- You get that stuff out of the wall?|- I got it.

- What's it say, Doc?|- Ninety-two degrees. About six hours.

Puts time of death|at around 2:00 a.m.

Can somebody close|the drapes over there?

Maid came in about an hour ago|and found the body.

- She's not a live-in.|- Maybe the maid did it.

She's 54 years old|and weighs 240 pounds.

- No bruises on the body.|- It ain't the maid.

Never know.

Sorry.

He was last seen leaving the club|with his girlfriend about midnight.

- What was it?|- Ice pick. Left it in the living room.

There's come stains|all over the sheets.

- Very impressive.|- He got off before he got off.

Gentlemen, this is sensitive.

Mr. Boz was a major contributor|to the mayor's campaign.

He was chairman of the board|of the Palace of Fine Arts.

I thought he was a rock and roll star.

He was a retired|rock and roll star.

A civic-minded, very respectable|rock and roll star.

Then, what's that over there?

Looks like civic-minded,|very respectable cocaine.

Listen to me, Curran.|I'm gonna get a lot of heat on this.

I don't want any mistakes.

What's Boz's girlfriend's name?

"Catherine Tramell, 162 Divisadero."

Tied up like that,|he didn't stand a chance.

- Always a pleasure, Captain.|- He's up bright and early.

He doesn't usually punch in|'til after his 18 holes.

Johnny and the mayor|must have been very tight.

Nick, keep your 3:00.

You want me to work the case...

- I said, keep it!|- All right.

I'll keep it.

Good morning. I'm Detective Curran.|This is Detective Moran.

San Francisco Police Department.|I'd like to speak to Catherine Tramell.

Come in.

Sit, please.|Just a moment.

Ain't that cute?|They got his and hers Picasso's.

- I didn't know you knew a Picasso.|- Sure I do. It says right here.

Hers is bigger.

Sorry to bother you.|We just got a couple of questions.

- Are you vice?|- No, we're homicide.

What do you want?

When was the last time|you saw John Boz?

Is he dead?

Why do you think he's dead?

Well, you wouldn't be here|otherwise, would you?

Were you with him last night?

You're looking for Catherine, not me.

- Who are you?|- I'm Roxy.

I'm her friend.

Well, Roxy, do you know|where your friend is?

She's out at the beach house|at Stenson. Seadrift 1402.

Thanks.

You're wasting your time.

Catherine didn't kill him.

Miss Tramell?

Good afternoon. I'm Detective Curran.|This is Detective Moran.

- We're with the San Francisco Police...|- I know who you are.

So, how did he die?

He was murdered.

Obviously.

- How was he murdered?|- With an ice pick.

How long were you dating him?

I wasn't dating him.|I was f***ing him.

What are you, a pro?

No, I'm an amateur.

How long were you|having sex with him?

About a year and a half.

- Were you with him last night?|- Yes.

Did you leave the club with him?

- Yes.|- Did you go home with him?

No. We had a drink at the club.|We left together.

He went home,|and I came out here.

Was there anyone|with you last night?

No. I wasn't in the mood|last night.

Let me ask you something,|Miss Tramell.

Are you sorry he's dead?

Yeah.

I liked f***ing him.

Look, I don't really|feel like talking anymore.

Listen, lady, we can do this|downtown, if you want.

So read me my rights and arrest me...

and then I'll go downtown.

Otherwise, get the f*** out of here.

Please.

Nice girl.

I'm sorry, Beth.|I got hung up in Stenson.

- How are you, Nick?|- I'm fine.

Come on, Beth. You know I'm fine.|How long do we have to keep doing this?

As long as Internal Affairs|wants you to, I suppose.

- Have a seat.|- It's bullshit. You know it is.

I know it is. But sit down, anyway,|so we can get it over with, okay?

So, how are things?

Things are fine.

I told you, all right?|Things are fine.

How is your personal life?

My sex life is fine.

My sex life is actually pretty shitty|since I stopped seeing you.

I started developing calluses.

Sorry.

How's the booze?

Haven't had a drink in three months.

- What about the coke?|- No.

No. I'm working my ass off.|I'm off the sauce.

I even stopped smoking.

How is not smoking?

It sucks.

Now, will you tell I.A.|I'm just your average...

healthy,|totally f***ed up cop...

and let me out of here, please?

Yes.

Thank you.

I still miss you, Nick.

- How are you doing?|- Fine.

Tallcott's in there.|They're waiting. How did it go?

She misses me.

Boy, when that girl mates,|it's for life.

All right, let's start.|Harrigan.

Well, we got 31 stab wounds,|neck and the chest.

No usable prints,|no forceable entry, nothing missing.

No prints on the ice pick, either.|You can pick it up at any KMart.

The scarf was Hermes.|It's expensive.

They sell about 20,000 a year,|worldwide.

Bottle was cocaine. High quality,|high content. He inhaled it.

There were minute quantities|on his lips and penis.

Mr. Boz leaves $5 million.

No direct survivors.|No criminal record.

He liked his drugs. He liked his girls.|He liked his rock and roll.

He liked the mayor too, right?

What about his girlfriend?

- Is she relevant here? Is she a suspect?|- She's a suspect.

On what basis?

"Girlfriend:
Catherine Tramell. Age 30.|No priors. No convictions.

Magna cum laude at Berkeley, 1983.

Double major:
|Literature and psychology.

Daughter, sole survivor,|Marvin and Elaine Tramell...

killed in a boating accident, 1979.

Catherine Tramell, sole heir.|Estimated assets: $110 million."

You're shitting me.

"Formerly engaged|to Manuel Vasquez, deceased."

Whoa, whoa! Manny Vasquez?

Former middleweight contender.|Killed in the ring, Atlantic City, 1984.

I love it.|She's got 100 million bucks.

She fucks fighters|and rock and roll stars...

and she's got a degree|in screwing with people's heads.

You forgot about her degree|in literature. She's a writer.

She published a novel under a pen name.|Want to know what it's about?

It's about a retired rock and roll star|who gets murdered by his girlfriend.

Page 67, cowboy.

You know how she does the boyfriend?

With an ice pick, in bed...

his hands tied|with a white silk scarf.

Dr. Garner.

I've asked Dr. Lamont to consult|with us. This isn't really my turf.

Dr. Lamont teaches the pathology|of psychopathic behavior at Stanford...

and also on the Justice Department|Psychological Profile Team.

Dr. Lamont.

I see two possibilities.

One:
The person who wrote this book|is your murderer...

and acted out the killing described|in ritualistic, literal detail.

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Joe Eszterhas

József A. "Joe" Eszterhas (; Hungarian: [ˈjoːʒɛf ˈɛstɛrhaːʃ]; born November 23, 1944) is a Hungarian-American writer. He wrote the screenplays for the films Flashdance, Jagged Edge, Basic Instinct and Showgirls. He has also written several books, including an autobiography entitled Hollywood Animal, American Rhapsody and Crossbearer: A Memoir of Faith. more…

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Submitted on August 05, 2018

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    "Basic Instinct" Scripts.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 5 Nov. 2024. <https://www.scripts.com/script/basic_instinct_3643>.

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