Straw Dogs
Seen it?1971 | 116 min | Thriller, Drama, Crime
Saturday SpecialWhy it’s a Saturday Special
It earned strong reviews (82% on Rotten Tomatoes), it made about 5 times its budget and it's still drawing plenty of interest. A strong pick for the weekend.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for crime-drama fans and anyone who likes to be kept guessing. If you loved Cape Fear or Deliverance, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
- The mood
- Tense, dark and gritty.
- The pace
- Takes its time with its characters, at 1 hr 56 min.
- What might put you off
- Rated R: meant for adults.
- Made in 1971: an older pace and style.
David Sumner, a mild-mannered academic from the United States, marries Amy, an Englishwoman. In order to escape a hectic stateside lifestyle, David and his wife relocate to the small town in rural Cornwall where Amy was raised. There, David is ostracized by the brutish men of the village, including Amy's old flame, Charlie. Eventually the taunts escalate.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsStrong
82% on Rotten Tomatoes, 75 on Metacritic
- AudiencesSolid
7.1 out of 10
- AwardsBelow par
Nominated for 1 Oscar.
- Box office & staying powerStrong
$11 million worldwide on a $2 million budget; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactStrong
About 265K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
More like this
Straw Dogs
Weeknight WatchA 2011 remake of this film: a drama, though it's more of a weeknight watch.
Cape Fear Saturday SpecialAnother revenge crime drama, and a Saturday Special.
Deliverance
Friday Night FlickAnother critically acclaimed drama.
Boys Don't Cry Friday Night FlickAnother critically acclaimed crime drama.
Just Cause Weeknight WatchAnother revenge drama, though it's more of a weeknight watch.
Want more like this, picked just for you? Get my picks
Cast & crew
Directed by Sam Peckinpah
- Dustin HoffmanDavid Sumner
- Susan GeorgeAmy
- Peter VaughanTom Hedden
- T. P. McKennaMaj. John Scott
- Del HenneyCharlie Venner
- Jim NortonChris Cawsey
- Donald WebsterRiddaway
- Ken HutchisonNorman Scutt
- Len JonesBobby Hedden
- Sally ThomsettJanice Hedden