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25 years ago - April 19, 1991

Mortal Thoughts
This crime thriller stars Demi Moore and Glenne Headly (of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and Dick Tracy) as potential murder suspects. Harvey Keitel plays the investigating detective, and Bruce Willis plays an abusive and murdered husband. Willis was coming off a rough year in 1990 with Bonfire of the Vanities and Look Who’s Talking Too. Moore had just recently appeared in the terrible Nothing But Trouble in February. Still, as the only new opener this weekend, the film managed intense interest with less than half the distribution of its competitors. With Out for Justice holding the #1 spot in its second weekend on 2,010 theaters, Mortal Thoughts opened at #2 with $6 million from 963 theaters - a very strong average. It went on to gross $18.7 million.

30 years ago - April 18, 1986

Legend
Just like its fairytale subject, many of the elements from this movie may have fallen away to hazy memory, leaving two highlights for those of us who haven’t seen it in years: I know it starred Tom Cruise, and there was a big red horned devil in it. Legend was director Ridley Scott’s next theatrical project after Blade Runner. Tom Cruise had last been seen in Risky Business and All the Right Moves in 1983; known, but not the star he would soon become in the summer with Top Gun. And his co-star? Mia Sara, who was also about to hit it big in the summer with Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, but appearing here as an unknown in her first film role. Legend’s dreamlike plot features the Lord of Darkness (Tim Curry in that red devil makeup) threatening to destroy the unicorns in a magical forest of goblins, ogres, and elves. The film earned an Oscar nomination for Best Makeup, and BAFTA nominations for Best Costume, Best Make Up Artist, and Best Visual Effects. Legend opened at #1 with $4.2 million from 1,187 theaters and earned $15.5 million in the U.S. The similarly themed Labyrinth, starring David Bowie and Jennifer Connelly, later opened in June 1986 but managed just $12.7 million.

Murphy’s Law
Yet another action thriller from Charles Bronson, this time featuring him as a cop named Jack Murphy, who is framed for murdering his ex-wife. Kathleen Wilhoite co-stars as a thief who becomes his ally. Murphy’s Law opened at #2 with $3.3 million and went on to earn $9.9 million.

Wise Guys
Danny DeVito and Joe Piscopo star in this buddy/mob comedy from director Brian De Palma. These were early leading roles for both DeVito, who had been in Taxi and the Romancing the Stone series, and Piscopo, who had been on Saturday Night Live. Lou Albano and Dan Hedaya co-star. Wise Guys opened at #6 with $1.3 million and went on to earn $8.4 million.

Also opening in limited release this weekend: mob drama At Close Range with Sean Penn and Christopher Walken, and the British pop history Absolute Beginners with Patsy Kensit and David Bowie.


Come back next week for another installment of Marquee History!

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