Douglas, a record salesman, is an obsessive fan of actress Sally Ross. When his letters are rejected, he strikes out at her and her loved ones.Douglas, a record salesman, is an obsessive fan of actress Sally Ross. When his letters are rejected, he strikes out at her and her loved ones.Douglas, a record salesman, is an obsessive fan of actress Sally Ross. When his letters are rejected, he strikes out at her and her loved ones.
- Awards
- 1 nomination
- See all cast & crew
- Director
- Writers
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Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaReportedly, the film was originally intended as a straightforward thriller starring Elizabeth Taylor and directed by Jeff Lieberman. However, the project was delayed and both left the picture.
- GoofsAt the point at which Bacall's musical "Never Say Never" has its opening night, Michael Biehn's stalker character is unemployed (and possibly homeless) and thus could not possibly afford an expensive ticket for the opening night of a Broadway show.
- Quotes
Belle Goldman: Dear Mr. Breen. Point one: I have no intention of showing your tasteless letter to Ms. Ross. Point two: I believe there is a law against sending pornography through the mail. Point three: If you should be so ill-advised as to write her any more letters, I can assure you there will be no reply.
Douglas Breen: Now I know why I haven't heard from you. Your secretary has been intercepting my letters. Obviously she is jealous of our relationship. Her possessiveness worries me. Has it occurred to you that she might have lesbian tendencies? I think you should get rid of her. I will put all of this in a letter and deliver it to you directly. I won't use my last name or return address. You know where to write me.
- Alternate versionsAt the 57:17 mark, the spoken line in all theatrical prints and previous video versions is "Dearest Bitch, See how accessible you are? How would you liked to be fucked with a meat cleaver?" The 2002 DVD release from Paramount Home Entertainment replaces that line with "Dearest Bitch, I've exhausted myself on thinking of ways to kill you." No reasons were given for this alteration. The rest of the film, including the gore, is intact. The VHS version features the original line.
They deserved a better script, but the talented leads are very natural together. They make it believable and it's not overtly, senselessly gory in the Michael Myers/Jason/Freddy tradition. The young Michael Biehn makes a convincing and pathetic psycho.
To the naysayers who like to take potshots at Lauren Bacall's casting, remember that for decades, Broadway has featured many big acting names-not known for their singing talents-in successful shows. Ms Bacall, for example. I saw her in 'Woman of the Year' and she earned her Tony. So in the film, Sally Ross' foray into her first musical really isn't that hard to buy. (Oh, and the snobs out there can stop the sniping about 'Hearts, Not Diamonds' too. It's a sweet, intimate little number.)
The Fan' isn't at the top of the thriller heap, but there are enough pluses to make it worth a watch.
- ksdilauri
- Jun 6, 2020
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Details
Box office
- Budget
- $10,500,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $3,082,096
- Gross worldwide
- $3,082,096
- Runtime1 hour 35 minutes
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1