Sleeping with the Enemy (1991 film)
Encyclopedia
Sleeping with the Enemy is a 1991 psychological thriller
film directed by Joseph Ruben
and starring Julia Roberts
. The film is based on Nancy Price's 1987 novel of the same name
. Roberts plays a woman who escapes from her abusive, obsessive husband from Cape Cod
to Cedar Falls, Iowa
, where she captures the attention of a kindly college drama teacher.
) lives in a beautiful home by the beach on Cape Cod
with her husband, Martin (Patrick Bergin
), a charmingly handsome and wealthy investment counselor who is also possessive, abusive, and controlling. It becomes clear that he has OCPD (obsessive-compulsive personality disorder)
, and while she tries to abide by his needs, she seems to suffer under the strain. Martin believes Laura has been flirting with an attractive neighbor, and he physically assaults her as punishment. The abuse is an ongoing routine, which began immediately after their wedding. To escape Martin, Laura, whom Martin believed to be a non-swimmer, plans and fakes her own death at sea in a storm while the couple are boating. Unbeknownst to Martin, she swims to safety, having recently taken swimming lessons at the YWCA
. She secretly returns home, retrieves some clothing and cash she had hidden away in preparation, disguises herself, and leaves home after flushing her wedding ring
down the toilet.
Laura moves to Cedar Falls, Iowa
. In preparation, she has told Martin that her mother, Chloe Williams (Elizabeth Lawrence), died, and pretended to attend the funeral, but secretly she had moved her to a nursing home in Iowa. She rents a modest house and adopts the name Sara Waters. In Cedar Falls, she meets Ben Woodward (Kevin Anderson), who teaches drama at the local college. A relationship develops, but suffers a setback when Ben discovers that her real name is not Sara. After a date, Laura is unable to be physically intimate with Ben, and the next day, she confesses that she is on the run from an abusive husband. Martin receives a chance phone call from a friend of Laura's from the YWCA, learning of Laura's swimming lessons. His suspicions aroused, Martin heads home and finds the ring in the toilet bowl, where it failed to flush. From the Cape Cod nursing home, he learns that Laura's mother is alive, and has her traced to the nursing home in Iowa. He visits the blind woman without revealing his identity and learns from her that Laura is seeing a college drama teacher in Cedar Falls.
Martin finds Laura and Ben at a local fair, then follows her to her home. After leaving idiosyncratic clues around the house for Laura to find, Martin confronts Laura. Ben appears at the door and Martin, brandishing a gun, threatens to kill Ben if she doesn't make him leave. Laura talks to Ben and he appears to leave, but then breaks down the door and struggles with Martin, who knocks him unconscious. As he aims the gun at Ben, Laura distracts and attacks Martin, who drops the gun, and she manages to take control of it; she fires at Martin but misses. Martin dares her to call the police; Laura calls the police saying that she just killed an intruder. She shoots him three times, Martin falls to the ground, and she drops the pistol. Laura collapses, sobbing, but Martin grabs her and points the gun at her. He pulls the trigger but the gun only clicks empty and Martin sags lifelessly. Ben is revived by Laura and they embrace as Martin's dead body lies on the ground with Laura's wedding ring inches from his hand.
.
Famed critic Roger Ebert
gave the film 1.5 stars upon its release.
s 11-week #1 run as the box office. By the end of its run, the film had grossed $101,599,005 in the domestic box office; with an international total of $73,400,000, the film's worldwide gross was $174,999,005; based on a $19 million budget, the film was a box office success.
won the BMI
Film Music Award, 1992, and the film was nominated for the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films Saturn Award
for 1992 in four categories: Best Actress
(Roberts), Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor
(Bergin), Best Horror Film
and Best Music
(Goldsmith).
. The film has been remade in India
four times, as Yaraana
(1995), Daraar
(1996), Agni Sakshi (1996) and Koi Mere Dil Se Poochhe
(2002), all in Hindi
. The Tamil
film Aval Varuvala
and Telugu film "Pelli" also seem to be inspired by Sleeping with the Enemy. There is also a remake in Pakistan
called Khilona
(1997) starring Meera and Shaan
.
Psychological thriller
Psychological thriller is a specific sub-genre of the broad ranged thriller with heavy focus on characters. However, it often incorporates elements from the mystery and drama genre, along with the typical traits of the thriller genre...
film directed by Joseph Ruben
Joseph Ruben
Joseph Paul Ruben is an American film director, screenwriter, and producer.-Movie career:Most of his earlier films are B movies, of which some, such as The Stepfather have become cult classics...
and starring Julia Roberts
Julia Roberts
Julia Fiona Roberts is an American actress. She became a Hollywood star after headlining the romantic comedy Pretty Woman , which grossed $464 million worldwide...
. The film is based on Nancy Price's 1987 novel of the same name
Sleeping with the Enemy (novel)
Sleeping with the Enemy is a novel written by Nancy Price and published in 1987. It served as the basis for Sleeping with the Enemy, a 1991 film starring Julia Roberts....
. Roberts plays a woman who escapes from her abusive, obsessive husband from Cape Cod
Cape Cod
Cape Cod, often referred to locally as simply the Cape, is a cape in the easternmost portion of the state of Massachusetts, in the Northeastern United States...
to Cedar Falls, Iowa
Cedar Falls, Iowa
Cedar Falls is a city in Black Hawk County, Iowa, United States, and it is home to one of Iowa's three public universities, the University of Northern Iowa. The population was 39,260 in the 2010 census, an increase from the 36,145 population in the 2000 census...
, where she captures the attention of a kindly college drama teacher.
Plot
Laura Burney (Julia RobertsJulia Roberts
Julia Fiona Roberts is an American actress. She became a Hollywood star after headlining the romantic comedy Pretty Woman , which grossed $464 million worldwide...
) lives in a beautiful home by the beach on Cape Cod
Cape Cod
Cape Cod, often referred to locally as simply the Cape, is a cape in the easternmost portion of the state of Massachusetts, in the Northeastern United States...
with her husband, Martin (Patrick Bergin
Patrick Bergin
Patrick Connolly Bergin is an Irish actor and singer. He may be best-known internationally for playing the menacing husband of Julia Roberts' character in the thriller Sleeping with the Enemy and is also known for his role as Irish terrorist Kevin O'Donnell in the film adaption of Patriot Games....
), a charmingly handsome and wealthy investment counselor who is also possessive, abusive, and controlling. It becomes clear that he has OCPD (obsessive-compulsive personality disorder)
Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder
Obsessive–compulsive personality disorder is a personality disorder characterized by a pervasive pattern of preoccupation with orderliness, perfectionism, and mental and interpersonal control at the expense of flexibility, openness, and efficiency.- Signs and symptoms :The primary symptoms of OCPD...
, and while she tries to abide by his needs, she seems to suffer under the strain. Martin believes Laura has been flirting with an attractive neighbor, and he physically assaults her as punishment. The abuse is an ongoing routine, which began immediately after their wedding. To escape Martin, Laura, whom Martin believed to be a non-swimmer, plans and fakes her own death at sea in a storm while the couple are boating. Unbeknownst to Martin, she swims to safety, having recently taken swimming lessons at the YWCA
YWCA
The YWCA USA is the United States branch of a women's membership movement that strives to create opportunities for women's growth, leadership and power in order to attain a common vision—to eliminate racism and empower women. The YWCA is a non-profit organization, the first of which was founded in...
. She secretly returns home, retrieves some clothing and cash she had hidden away in preparation, disguises herself, and leaves home after flushing her wedding ring
Wedding ring
A wedding ring or wedding band is a metal ring indicating the wearer is married. Depending on the local culture, it is worn on the base of the right or the left ring finger. The custom of wearing such a ring has spread widely beyond its origin in Europe...
down the toilet.
Laura moves to Cedar Falls, Iowa
Cedar Falls, Iowa
Cedar Falls is a city in Black Hawk County, Iowa, United States, and it is home to one of Iowa's three public universities, the University of Northern Iowa. The population was 39,260 in the 2010 census, an increase from the 36,145 population in the 2000 census...
. In preparation, she has told Martin that her mother, Chloe Williams (Elizabeth Lawrence), died, and pretended to attend the funeral, but secretly she had moved her to a nursing home in Iowa. She rents a modest house and adopts the name Sara Waters. In Cedar Falls, she meets Ben Woodward (Kevin Anderson), who teaches drama at the local college. A relationship develops, but suffers a setback when Ben discovers that her real name is not Sara. After a date, Laura is unable to be physically intimate with Ben, and the next day, she confesses that she is on the run from an abusive husband. Martin receives a chance phone call from a friend of Laura's from the YWCA, learning of Laura's swimming lessons. His suspicions aroused, Martin heads home and finds the ring in the toilet bowl, where it failed to flush. From the Cape Cod nursing home, he learns that Laura's mother is alive, and has her traced to the nursing home in Iowa. He visits the blind woman without revealing his identity and learns from her that Laura is seeing a college drama teacher in Cedar Falls.
Martin finds Laura and Ben at a local fair, then follows her to her home. After leaving idiosyncratic clues around the house for Laura to find, Martin confronts Laura. Ben appears at the door and Martin, brandishing a gun, threatens to kill Ben if she doesn't make him leave. Laura talks to Ben and he appears to leave, but then breaks down the door and struggles with Martin, who knocks him unconscious. As he aims the gun at Ben, Laura distracts and attacks Martin, who drops the gun, and she manages to take control of it; she fires at Martin but misses. Martin dares her to call the police; Laura calls the police saying that she just killed an intruder. She shoots him three times, Martin falls to the ground, and she drops the pistol. Laura collapses, sobbing, but Martin grabs her and points the gun at her. He pulls the trigger but the gun only clicks empty and Martin sags lifelessly. Ben is revived by Laura and they embrace as Martin's dead body lies on the ground with Laura's wedding ring inches from his hand.
Cast
- Julia RobertsJulia RobertsJulia Fiona Roberts is an American actress. She became a Hollywood star after headlining the romantic comedy Pretty Woman , which grossed $464 million worldwide...
as Laura Burney (nee Williams) - Patrick BerginPatrick BerginPatrick Connolly Bergin is an Irish actor and singer. He may be best-known internationally for playing the menacing husband of Julia Roberts' character in the thriller Sleeping with the Enemy and is also known for his role as Irish terrorist Kevin O'Donnell in the film adaption of Patriot Games....
as Martin Burney - Kevin Anderson as Ben Woodward
- Elizabeth Lawrence as Chloe Williams
- Kyle SecorKyle SecorKyle Ivan Secor is an American television and movie actor, best known for his role as Detective Tim Bayliss on the crime drama Homicide: Life on the Street.-Early years:...
as Fleishman - Claudette Nevins as Dr. Rissner
Critical reception
Sleeping with the Enemy received mixed to negative reviews; the film currently holds a 23% 'Rotten' rating on Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
.
Famed critic Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert
Roger Joseph Ebert is an American film critic and screenwriter. He is the first film critic to win a Pulitzer Prize for Criticism.Ebert is known for his film review column and for the television programs Sneak Previews, At the Movies with Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, and Siskel and Ebert and The...
gave the film 1.5 stars upon its release.
Box office
The film's opening ($13,777,943) ended Home AloneHome Alone
Home Alone is a 1990 American Christmas comedy film written and produced by John Hughes and directed by Chris Columbus. The film stars Macaulay Culkin as Kevin McCallister, an eight-year-old boy, who is mistakenly left behind when his family flies to Paris for their Christmas vacation...
s 11-week #1 run as the box office. By the end of its run, the film had grossed $101,599,005 in the domestic box office; with an international total of $73,400,000, the film's worldwide gross was $174,999,005; based on a $19 million budget, the film was a box office success.
Awards
The score by Jerry GoldsmithJerry Goldsmith
Jerrald King Goldsmith was an American composer and conductor most known for his work in film and television scoring....
won the BMI
Broadcast Music Incorporated
Broadcast Music, Inc. is one of three United States performing rights organizations, along with ASCAP and SESAC. It collects license fees on behalf of songwriters, composers, and music publishers and distributes them as royalties to those members whose works have been performed...
Film Music Award, 1992, and the film was nominated for the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films Saturn Award
Saturn Award
The Saturn Award is an award presented annually by the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films to honor the top works in science fiction, fantasy, and horror in film, television, and home video. The Saturn Awards were devised by Dr. Donald A. Reed in 1972, who felt that films within...
for 1992 in four categories: Best Actress
Saturn Award for Best Actress (Film)
The following are a list of Saturn Award winners for Best Actress :-References:*http://www.saturnawards.org/past.html#filmactress...
(Roberts), Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor
Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor (Film)
The following are a list of Saturn Award winners for Best Supporting Actor :...
(Bergin), Best Horror Film
Saturn Award for Best Horror Film
The following are a list of Saturn Award winners for Best Horror Film:-References:...
and Best Music
Saturn Award for Best Music
The following is a list of Saturn Award winners for Best Music.-Multiple Winners:*John Williams - 7 awards*Danny Elfman - 5 awards*James Horner - 3 awards*Alan Silvestri - 3 awards*Alan Menken - 2 awards*John Ottman - 2 awards*Miklós Rózsa - 2 awards...
(Goldsmith).
Remakes
Sleeping with the Enemy had the same storyline of the 1980 Malayalam film Manjil Virinja PookkalManjil Virinja Pookkal
Manjil Virinja Pookkal is a 1980 Malayalam film produced by Navodaya Appachan and directed by Fazil, starring Shankar, Poornima Jayaram, and Mohanlal in the main roles. This film was one of the biggest hits of the year and was a major landmark in the career of director Fazil. The songs were...
. The film has been remade in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
four times, as Yaraana
Yaraana (1995 film)
Yaraana is a 1995 Bollywood film which stars Rishi Kapoor, Madhuri Dixit, Raj Babbar, Kader Khan and Shakti Kapoor. The film is a remake of the American film Sleeping with the Enemy starring Julia Roberts...
(1995), Daraar
Daraar
Daraar is a 1996 Hindi thriller film directed by Abbas-Mustan starring Juhi Chawla, Rishi Kapoor and Arbaaz Khan in his film debut. The film is an unofficial remake of Sleeping with the Enemy starring Julia Roberts. Khan received the Filmfare Best Villain Award for his portrayal as a possessive...
(1996), Agni Sakshi (1996) and Koi Mere Dil Se Poochhe
Koi Mere Dil Se Poochhe
Koi Mere Dil Se Poochhe is a Bollywood romance/thriller movie directed by Vinay Shukla released on January 11, 2002, starring Jaya Bachchan, Aftab Shivdasani, Sanjay Kapoor and Esha Deol in her film debut...
(2002), all in Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
. The Tamil
Tamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
film Aval Varuvala
Aval Varuvala
Aval Varuvala is a 1998 Tamil film directed by Raajkapoor based on the successful Telugu film, Pelli. The film stars Ajith Kumar and Simranin the main roles with Babloo Prithviraj in another significant role...
and Telugu film "Pelli" also seem to be inspired by Sleeping with the Enemy. There is also a remake in Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
called Khilona
Khilona
Khilona is a 1970 Indian film directed by Chander Vohra and recipient of the Filmfare Best Movie Award. Mumtaz won the Filmfare Best Actress Award....
(1997) starring Meera and Shaan
Shaan (singer)
Shaan , is an Indian playback singer, and television host. He hosted the shows Sa Re Ga Ma Pa, Sa Re Ga Ma Pa L'il Champs, Star Voice of India and "Star Voice of India 2"...
.