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In sultry Florida, lawyer Ned Racine begins a passionate affair with the alluring Matty Walker, who is married to a wealthy man. Their intense relationship leads them to plot the businessman's murder so they can escape with his money, aided by the resourceful criminal Teddy Lewis. As their scheme unfolds, a dangerous game of deception and betrayal emerges, putting them all at risk and threatening to unravel their carefully laid plans.

In sultry Florida, lawyer Ned Racine begins a passionate affair with the alluring Matty Walker, who is married to a wealthy man. Their intense relationship leads them to plot the businessman's murder so they can escape with his money, aided by the resourceful criminal Teddy Lewis. As their scheme unfolds, a dangerous game of deception and betrayal emerges, putting them all at risk and threatening to unravel their carefully laid plans.

Does Body Heat have end credit scenes?

No!

Body Heat does not have end credit scenes. You can leave when the credits roll.

Meet the Full Cast and Actors of Body Heat

Explore the complete cast of Body Heat, including both lead and supporting actors. Learn who plays each character, discover their past roles and achievements, and find out what makes this ensemble cast stand out in the world of film and television.


Ratings and Reviews for Body Heat

See how Body Heat is rated across major platforms like IMDb, Metacritic, and TMDb. Compare audience scores and critic reviews to understand where Body Heat stands among top-rated movies in its genre.


Metacritic

77

Metascore

7.9

User Score

Rotten Tomatoes
review

96%

TOMATOMETER

review

81%

User Score

TMDB

70

%

User Score

Take the Ultimate Body Heat Movie Quiz

Challenge your knowledge of Body Heat with this fun and interactive movie quiz. Test yourself on key plot points, iconic characters, hidden details, and memorable moments to see how well you really know the film.


Body Heat Quiz: Test your knowledge on the thrilling plot and characters of the 1981 film 'Body Heat'.

Who is the main character and protagonist of 'Body Heat'?

Awards & Nominations for Body Heat

Explore awards

Discover all the awards and nominations received by Body Heat, from Oscars to film festival honors. Learn how Body Heat and its cast and crew have been recognized by critics and the industry alike.


36th British Academy Film Awards 1983

Kathleen Turner
Nomination

Most Promising Newcomer to Leading Film Roles

Kathleen Turner

Full Plot Summary and Ending Explained for Body Heat

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Read the complete plot summary of Body Heat, including all major events, twists, and the full ending explained in detail. Explore key characters, themes, hidden meanings, and everything you need to understand the story from beginning to end.


As the intense summer heat envelops South Florida, Ned Racine, an inept lawyer with a knack for attracting trouble, finds himself caught in a passionate affair with Matty Walker. Unbeknownst to him, Matty’s husband, Edmund, is away on business, granting her the freedom to explore their forbidden romance. One fateful evening, while visiting the luxurious Walker mansion, Ned stumbles upon Mary Ann Simpson, an old high school friend of Matty’s, who is deceptively pretending to be the woman he desires.

As the layers of deceit begin to peel back, Matty confesses her wish to divorce Edmund, although a prenuptial agreement threatens to leave her nearly broke. Her drastic solution? A plan to murder Edmund and stage it as an accident, allowing her to claim his substantial inheritance. Eager to seize the chance for wealth, Ned suggests they take matters into their own hands and enlists the help of Teddy Lewis, a dubious explosives expert from his past. Teddy provides Ned with a small incendiary device and warns him of the perilous undertaking.

After executing the plan to eliminate Edmund, Ned and Matty dispose of his body, making it appear as if he tragically lost his life in a fire he attempted to start himself. Following this orchestration, Edmund’s attorney contacts Ned about a new will purportedly drafted by the deceased, with Mary Ann as a witness. Trouble arises when the will is found to be incorrectly executed, leaving Matty poised to inherit everything while denying any share to Edmund’s sister. Aware that the police will likely scrutinize the sudden shifts in the will, especially given his own problematic background and Mary Ann’s entanglement, Ned finds himself in hot water.

As suspicions mount, Ned becomes ensnared within a tangled web of lies and legal complexities. Central to this mystery is the often-confounding rule against perpetuities, which may become pivotal in untangling the convoluted occurrences. Paranoia grips Ned as two of his acquaintances—Peter Lowenstein, an assistant deputy prosecutor, and Oscar Grace, a police detective—start to link him to Edmund’s demise.

The investigation digs deeper, revealing a trail of damning evidence, such as Edmund’s missing eyeglasses, which only worsens Ned’s already precarious alibi. Moreover, hotel logs indicate numerous unanswered calls from Ned’s room on the night of the murder, while the enigma of Mary Ann’s whereabouts further muddies the waters of his innocence.

With his nerves fraying, Ned finds an old lawyer acquaintance who mentions being recommended by someone else, adding another layer of anxiety as he realizes Matty had likely known of his limited legal skills all along. Teddy’s ominous hints, regarding inquiries from the police in connection with an arson investigation, only serve to deepen Ned’s anxiety as the truth remains elusive.

Meanwhile, Matty contacts Ned, claiming to possess Edmund’s missing eyeglasses in her boathouse. On a shadowy night visit to retrieve them, he encounters a suspicious wire connected to the door, leading to a confrontation with Matty herself. Just as Ned asks her to fetch the glasses, Oscar Grace shows up, magnifying the tension of the moment.

In a shocking twist, Matty makes her way towards the boathouse and vanishes just before it detonates, with the remains found subsequently identified as Matty Walker. Confined and desperate, Ned’s thoughts spiral as he theorizes that the real Matty Tyler had been fooled into taking on the identity of her adversary, all orchestrated by an unseen hand to eliminate threats to the plan.

As he languishes behind bars, Ned comes into possession of Matty Walker’s high school yearbook, revealing damning evidence that Mary Ann Simpson and Matty Tyler share an uncanny resemblance. With the yearbook’s striking details—including the ominous nickname “The Vamp” and a chilling ambition to be wealthy and live lavishly in an exotic realm—Ned realizes that the true Mary Ann has escaped with her husband’s fortune, leaving behind a life of struggle for one of luxury on a sun-kissed shore.

Uncover the Details: Timeline, Characters, Themes, and Beyond!

Watch Trailers, Clips & Behind-the-Scenes for Body Heat

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Watch official trailers, exclusive clips, cast interviews, and behind-the-scenes footage from Body Heat. Dive deeper into the making of the film, its standout moments, and key production insights.


Trailer

Cars Featured in Body Heat

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Explore all cars featured in Body Heat, including their makes, models, scenes they appear in, and their significance to the plot. A must-read for car enthusiasts and movie buffs alike.


Cadillac

1978

Coupe DeVille

Chevrolet

1964

Corvette Sting Ray C2

Chevrolet

1978

Monte Carlo

Dodge

1978

Magnum XE

Ford

1976

Elite

Ford

1977

LTD II

Ford

1976

Mustang II

Ford

1942

Super De Luxe

International

Harvester Transtar CO-4070 A

Mercedes-Benz

1974

S-Klasse W116

Movie Themes and Keywords

Discover the central themes, ideas, and keywords that define the movie’s story, tone, and message. Analyze the film’s deeper meanings, genre influences, and recurring concepts.


erotic thrillerneo noirfemme fatalefemale nuditymurderlustextramarital affairsurprise endingsweatinglawyergreedoral sexdeceptionseductionfatal attractioncrime of passionvillainessutilizationfemale topless nudityinfidelityfemale full frontal nudityunfaithful wifepassionwind chimedetectiveidentity theftframe upobsessionhusband wife relationshipguilthigh school yearbooksex in bedpanties pulled downsex talkcuckolddouble crossfogexplosionfaked deatharsonbombprisonrear entry sexfloridaorgasmmiami floridajoggerman wears boxer shortsmistaken identityice cube

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