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Jeff Bridges, John Huston, Anthony Perkins, Sterling Hayden, Eli Wallach ... see more see more... , Dorothy Malone , Richard Boone , Belinda Bauer , Ralph Meeker , Toshiro Mifune , Elizabeth Taylor , Joe Spinell , Tomas Milian , Gladys Hill , Berry Berenson , Michael Bond , Peter Brandon , Loyd Catlett , Brad Dexter , Tisa Farrow , Erin Gray , Rebecca Grimes , Eloise Hardt , Amanda Jones , Peter Kilman , Lissette , Donald Moffat , Joe Ragno , Candice Rialson , Gianni Russo , Irving Selbst , Camilla Sparv , David Spielberg , Robert F. Boyle , Agneta Eckemyr , Kyle Morris , Susan Walden , Loutz Gage , Chris Soldo , Billie Allen , Tim Culbertson

Based on a novel by the iconoclastic Richard Condon (of Manchurian Candidate and Prizzi's Honor fame), Winter Kills was one of the vanguard efforts in the "JFK conspiracy" school of literature. Jeff B... read more read more...ridges stars as Nick Kegan, the scion of a powerful Kennedyesque family, who has done his best to make himself obscure after the assassination of his older brother, the former president of the U.S. While working as an oil rigger, Nick is introduced to a terminally ill gentleman who claims to have been "the second assassin." His curiosity aroused, Nick begins digging into what was supposed to be a closed case -- and, predictably, what he finds out isn't pretty. This, however, is the only predictable element of this mesmerizingly mazelike yarn. A failure when first released, Winter Kills fared somewhat better when director William Richert arranged to rerelease the film through his own company and restore several scenes that had been cut by its previous backers. Elizabeth Taylor appears uncredited as one "Lola Comante." ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Flixster Users

49% liked it

814 ratings

Critics

86% liked it

14 critics

R, 1 hr. 37 min.

Directed by: William Richert

Release Date: January 1, 1977

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DVD Release Date: March 18, 2003

Stats: 46 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (46)

  • flixsterbum
    February 10, 2008
    flixsterbum
    Solid suspense/dark comedy trying to make sense of the Kennedy assassination, this time with Jeff Bridges as the president's half-brother following a convoluted trail of conspiracy. I wouldn't have liked it as much (the story was a little slow and a little confusing at times), b... read moreut the cast was really fun to watch. Jeff Bridges is one of my favorite actors, but the real treats here were John Huston as his egomaniacal father (seeing Huston walking around in bikini briefs is not something I ever really needed to see), Anthony Perkins as an egomaniacal man behind the curtain, and Sterling Hayden as just plain maniacal.

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Critic Reviews

Variety Staff
March 26, 2009
Variety Staff, Variety

Huston gives a powerhouse performance, and Bridges, always likeable, runs through his repertoire of facial expressions and grimaces, but it's a lost cause. Full Review

Janet Maslin
May 9, 2005
Janet Maslin, New York Times

Winter Kills" isn't exactly a comedy, but it's funny. And it isn't exactly serious, but it takes on the serious business of the Kennedy assassination. Full Review

Dave Kehr
January 1, 2000
Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader

The film is funny, but it's frightening and vertiginous, too -- a complex tone that apparently left audiences baffled. Full Review

January 29, 2010
TV Guide's Movie Guide

Though it garnered little attention in theaters, it has become a cult favorite on video. Full Review

Ken Hanke
October 22, 2008
Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

As an absurdist take on conspiracy thrillers, it's close to brilliant -- assuming you get the joke, which audiences don't seem to have in 1979. Full Review

Lori Hoffman
August 17, 2006
Lori Hoffman, Atlantic City Weekly

Bizarre, fascinating political assassination satire with superb cast

January 26, 2006
Time Out

An excellent conspiracy thriller of unusual blackness and wit. Full Review

Christopher Null
February 23, 2004
Christopher Null, Filmcritic.com

A real cult classic, this reimagining of the Kennedy assassination asks what might have gone down in an alternate and very similar universe. Full Review

Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
January 27, 2004
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality and Practice

Winter Kills boasts some exceptional acting by John Huston and Anthony Perkins and Dorothy Malone. Full Review

May 24, 2003
Film4

A wonderfully intricate and intelligent thriller. Full Review

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