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MONEY
Did you know
Earned back only 67% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.
MoodPlayr · trivia#01
Death and the Maiden
"Prepare yourself for the moment of truth."
1994 1h 43m EN
👍
7.1
SOLID
★7.1TMDB · 587
DramaThriller
Synopsis
Spoiler shield
A political activist is convinced that her guest is a man who once tortured her for the government.
“Prepare yourself for the moment of truth.”
Cast
Sigourney Weaver
Paulina Escobar
Ben Kingsley
Dr. Roberto Miranda
Stuart Wilson
Gerardo Escobar
Krystia Mova
Dr. Miranda's Wife
Jonathan Vega
Dr. Miranda's Son
Rodolphe Vega
Dr. Miranda's Son
Gilberto Cortés
String Quartet Player
Jorge Cruz
String Quartet Player
Credits
Behind the camera
- Director
- Roman Polanski
- Writers
- Rafael Yglesias, Ariel Dorfman
- Languages
- English
- Countries
- France, United Kingdom
Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.
Did you know?
Fun facts 🍿
2 / 8
ERA
Did you know
32 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
MoodPlayr · trivia#02
3 / 8
WORLD
Did you know
International production across 2 countries: France, United Kingdom.
MoodPlayr · trivia#03
4 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Directed by Roman Polanski, shot by Tonino Delli Colli. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
MoodPlayr · trivia#04
5 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Original score by Wojciech Kilar. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
MoodPlayr · trivia#05
6 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Editor Hervé de Luze shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
MoodPlayr · trivia#06
7 / 8
CAST
Did you know
Sigourney Weaver and Ben Kingsley and Stuart Wilson carry the top of the cast.
MoodPlayr · trivia#07
8 / 8
FACT
Did you know
Marketing tagline: "Prepare yourself for the moment of truth.".
MoodPlayr · trivia#08
Cinephile deep dive
The take
Roman Polanski directs. Tonino Delli Colli behind the camera. Wojciech Kilar scores. Hervé de Luze cuts. A commercial under-performer on release. Produced in France, United Kingdom. Dialogue in English.
Trivia
Things worth knowing
- 1Earned back only 67% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.
- 232 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
- 3International production across 2 countries: France, United Kingdom.
- 4Directed by Roman Polanski, shot by Tonino Delli Colli. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
- 5Original score by Wojciech Kilar. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
- 6Editor Hervé de Luze shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
- 7Sigourney Weaver and Ben Kingsley and Stuart Wilson carry the top of the cast.
- 8Marketing tagline: "Prepare yourself for the moment of truth.".
- 9IMDB entry: tt0109579 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
- 10Classified under 8 themes, including "married couple", "based on play or musical", "chile", "pinochet regime".
The technical file
- Cinematography
- Tonino Delli Colli
- Original score
- Wojciech Kilar
- Editing
- Hervé de Luze
- Production design
- Pierre Guffroy
- Costume design
- Milena Canonero
- Sound
- Anne Le Campion
- Runtime
- 103 min · 1h 43m
- Aspect ratio (typical)
- 1.37:1 (Academy)
- Status
- Released
- Budget
- $12,000,000
- Box office
- $8,003,716
- Return
- 67% of budget
- Original language
- EN
- Certification (US)
- R
Also by
Roman Polanski
Stills · wallpapers
Selected frames
Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.
Trailers & featurettes
Watch the pieces
Production companies
Who made it
Capitol Films
GB
- MO
Mount/Kramer Productions
- LE
Les Films de l'Astre
FR
Key crew
- Theatre PlayAriel Dorfman
- Executive ProducerJane Barclay
- Executive ProducerSharon Harel-Cohen
- ProducerJosh Kramer
- ProducerThom Mount
- EditorHervé de Luze
- Co-ProducerAriel Dorfman
- Co-ProducerSergio Gobbi
- Co-ProducerJean-François Lepetit
- Co-ProducerBonnie Timmermann
- CastingPatsy Pollock
- CastingMary Selway
- Production DesignPierre Guffroy
- Art DirectionClaude Moesching
- Costume DesignMilena Canonero
- CarpenterYves Blanchard
- Script SupervisorSylvette Baudrot
- Camera OperatorJean Harnois
- Steadicam OperatorNicola Pecorini
- Still PhotographerLuc Roux
- Sound Re-Recording MixerAnne Le Campion
- Sound Re-Recording MixerJean-François Auger
- Assistant CameraLaurent Barès
Themes & keywords
What it's about, really
- married couple
- based on play or musical
- chile
- pinochet regime
- revenge
- doctor
- torture
- humiliation
Release history · US
When it landed
- Theatrical1994-12-23R
Also known as
International titles
- La jeune fille et la mortFR
- Смерть і дівчинаUA
- 진실KR
