Death Wish

Synopsis: Open-minded architect Paul Kersey returns to New York City from vacationing with his wife, feeling on top of the world. At the office, his cynical coworker gives him the welcome-back with a warning on the rising crime rate. But Paul, a bleeding-heart liberal, thinks of crime as being caused by poverty. However his coworker's ranting proves to be more than true when Paul's wife is killed and his daughter is raped in his own apartment. The police have no reliable leads and his overly sensitive son-in-law only exacerbates Paul's feeling of hopelessness. He is now facing the reality that the police can't be everywhere at once. Out of sympathy his boss gives him an assignment in sunny Arizona where Paul gets a taste of the Old West ideals. He returns to New York with a compromised view on muggers...
Genre: Action, Crime, Drama
Director(s): Michael Winner
Production: Paramount Pictures
  1 win & 1 nomination.
 
IMDB:
7.0
Metacritic:
51
Rotten Tomatoes:
65%
R
Year:
1974
93 min
1,037 Views


Hold it right there.

Hold it again.

Come on, Paul.

One more.

- You won't show those to anyone.

- Why? You've got a prime figure.

- You really have.

- That's a euphemism for "fat."

Wanna go back to the hotel?

What's wrong with right here?

We're too civilized.

I remember when we weren't.

But we'll go back to the hotel.

I don't wanna go back home.

Passengers on TW 76

from Honolulu to New York...

... should proceed from the check-in

counter to boarding.

Wanna know what was happening

while you were living it up in Maui?

There were 15 murders the

first week and 21 last week.

That's a lot.

Decent people will have to

live elsewhere.

You mean, people who can afford to.

Christ. You're such

a bleeding-heart liberal.

For the underprivileged, yeah.

The underprivileged

are beating our brains out.

I say, stick them

in concentration camps.

- Henry.

- Hello.

I'm running cost and profit on the

Jainchill development in Arizona.

Based on the figures, I don't see how

Blueridge can underwrite 50 percent.

Jainchill has been very successful

in a small way.

I suggest you send a man down from our

San Francisco office to step it out...

...redesign it if necessary.

Because that's a high risk

for the acreage involved.

I'll talk to Ing about it.

Thanks, Paul.

Oh, how does it feel to be back

in the war zone after Hawaii?

Good until I ran into Sam and he

delivered the crime rates statistics.

We need more cops than people.

You'll have to find other options.

No one could pay the taxes.

$2.17.

Would you have these delivered, Mary?

Hey, I'm gonna do a thing.

- Sh*t, man, got business.

- Let's go, man.

I'll get it.

Who is it?

Groceries, ma'am.

Nobody gets hurt. Don't move.

- What do you want?

- You know what we want.

- You won't hurt us?

- Not if you got money.

Nobody, nobody.

Look at the artiste doing his art.

Ain't that beautiful?

- My purse is in the kitchen.

- Stand still.

We'll do as they say, Carol.

Where's your purse?

You only got 4 bucks.

I got 3 and 2 bits.

You gonna get the sh*t

kicked out of you.

- It's all we have.

- Rich people like you? We want money!

It's true! That's all we have!

- Wanna get f***ed?

- No!

I'm gonna stab you in the ass.

Leave her alone!

Goddamn rich c*nt!

I kill rich c*nts!

Mother's getting the sh*t

kicked out of her.

Let's screw this one.

- No, man. Let's travel.

- No, man, let me paint her ass.

I'll show you how to paint.

I'm gonna pee into her mouth.

Pee into her mouth.

I hope she likes my paintbrush.

Swallow all that pink, honey.

Open her goddamn mouth!

Eat it, b*tch!

I'm gonna bust her mouth!

Mother's going for the phone!

Sh*t! Let's split.

Will you get my wife

on the phone, please?

Mr. Kersey's office.

- Is it my wife?

- No, sir, it's your son-in-law.

Hello, Jack.

Dad. Dad, we got trouble.

You and Carol?

Don't tell me about it.

No...

...it's Mom and Carol. They're taking

them to emergency receiving.

- What the hell for?

- I don't know.

The police just called.

- What's happening?

- I don't know any more.

I'm going to the hospital.

Meet me there.

- How are they?

- I don't know, I just got here.

You know anything?

Were they cut, stabbed, what?

No, sir. Just beat up.

This is Officer Joe Charles.

He came in the ambulance.

- They gonna be all right?

- I told him all I know.

If there's anything I can do,

ask for me at the 21st Precinct.

Come on, Dad.

What did they tell you?

- Not much.

- Well, what?

- They beat them both up.

- Who did? Why?

Take it easy.

I'm just as rattled as you.

The officer said

Carol wasn't making sense.

Maybe three men. She opened the door

thinking it was the delivery boy.

Jesus. God.

When are we gonna know something?

They know we're here?

The nurses know.

I spoke to one of them.

There's a man over there,

he's bleeding and nobody comes.

Nurse, what happened

to my wife and daughter?

- A doctor will see you after his exam.

- We've been waiting a long time.

It hasn't been that long.

Just two or three minutes.

- Mr. Toby?

- Yes.

Your wife is all right.

We've sedated her.

My name is Paul Kersey.

How's my wife?

I'm sorry, she died

a few minutes ago, Mr. Kersey.

Almighty God, we commend to you

our neighbor, Joanna...

...trusting your mercy and believing

in the resurrection to eternal life...

...through our

Lord Jesus Christ, amen.

Almighty God, Father of the whole

family in heaven and on earth...

...stand by those who sorrow...

...that on your strength,

they may be upheld...

...and believe the good news

of life beyond life...

...through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Amen.

I'm going back with Sam and Adel.

They go right by my place.

- Don't you wanna come to our apartment?

- It's time I went to my own.

Baby?

Baby?

I'm going back with Sam.

You get plenty of rest.

She'll be all right, Dad.

Residents will need time to dig

themselves out of a snowstorm...

... that's taking many counties

by surprise.

In New York City, light snow flurries

lingering till midnight...

- Turn that off.

- Why haven't you found my dog?

He's vital to my income. He paints

marvelous pictures with his paws.

- Yes?

- Where can I find Officer Charles?

- What's your business?

- I'm Paul Kersey.

Couple days ago my wife and daughter

were attacked. He was on the scene.

Is Joe Charles there,

or has he gone on duty yet?

Someone out here

wants to talk to him.

Have a seat, he'll be right out.

- Came up from behind me.

Do I have a description?

- The man came from behind me.

- You didn't see who it was?

- Hello, Mr. Kersey.

- Officer Charles.

Any information on the people

who attacked my family?

I'll take you

to the detective in charge.

Lieutenant, this is Paul Kersey, case

Mr. Kersey.

I'm going on duty now,

so I'll leave you.

Will you have a seat?

Have you found out anything?

Supermarket security and one of the

checkers remembers three characters.

But they haven't been able

to pick the faces out of a mug book.

- How is your daughter, Mr. Kersey?

- She's under doctor's sedation.

But today I had the funeral for

my wife and she was able to make that.

Your daughter

didn't give much information.

We wish she would take a look

at the mug books.

Did she refuse?

Her husband asked us to wait. But

the sooner she looks at the books...

...the better chance she has

of recalling their faces.

I'll talk to my son-in-law,

see what can be done.

I'd appreciate that.

Is there any chance

of catching these men?

There's a chance, sure.

Just a chance?

I'd be less than honest

if I gave you more hope.

In the city, that's the way it is.

I thought you were asleep.

Are you getting

the most out of life?

Are you satisfied,

fulfilled, happy?

Our bank has helped many

to a better future.

- Morning, Mr. Kersey.

- Morning.

Give me $20 in quarters, please.

- Morning, Paul.

- Morning.

You really are tough.

I told Ives you'd come in.

I said you're not the kind to leave

pieces of his life lying around.

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Wendell Mayes

Wendell Curran Mayes (July 21, 1919 – March 28, 1992) was a Hollywood screenwriter. more…

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Submitted on August 05, 2018

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