Murder by Natural Causes (1979): Cast & Plot
Murder by Natural Causes is a 1979 crime thriller directed by Robert Day, starring Hal Holbrook as Arthur Sinclair, Katharine Ross and Barry Bostwick. It runs 1 hour 40 minutes.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 40m (100 min)
- Director
- Robert Day
- Original language
-
English - After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is Murder by Natural Causes About?
The premise of Murder by Natural Causes without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
An intricate whodunit follows a celebrated mentalist whose unfaithful wife schemes to frighten him to death, while the family’s loyal confidant and the wife’s ham‑actor lover become entangled in the plot. The story blends adult drama with relentless twists, offering a literate, puzzle‑like mystery.
Murder by Natural Causes Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- reference to lazarus
- backup plan
- pretending to be dead
- bad review
- quitting smoking
- open ending
- betrayal
- unfaithful wife
- mentalist
- cheating wife
- tape recorder
- theatre rehearsal
+38 more Show fewer
- murder attempt
- card trick
- interview
- mind reading
- reference to harry houdini
- video recorder
- videotape
- garden party
- planning a murder
- private detective
- maid
- swimming pool
- rehearsal
- pointing a gun at someone
- actor
- safe
- film actress
- actress
- talk show host
- murderous couple
- watching tv
- partner in crime
- murder plot
- battle of wits
- struggling actor
- pacemaker
- lawyer
- psychic
- heart attack
- adultery
- reference to pbs
- reference to columbo
- play rehearsal
- blank cartridge
- barefoot male
- tv talk show
- husband wife relationship
- telephone operator
Murder by Natural Causes Cast & Characters
Hal Holbrook leads the cast as Arthur Sinclair, with Katharine Ross as Allison Sinclair and Barry Bostwick as Gil Weston. Directed by Robert Day; 17 actors are credited in all.
- Director Robert Day
-
Hal Holbrook as Arthur Sinclair -
Katharine Ross as Allison Sinclair -
Barry Bostwick as Gil Weston - Richard Anderson as George Brubaker
Also Starring in Murder by Natural Causes
· 13 more- Jeff Donnell Mrs. Mathews
- Rosanna Huffman Woman in Play
- Eve McVeagh Helen Carrington
- Victoria Carroll Television Actress
- Phil Leeds Eddie, Private Detective
- Jessica Rains Technician
- Judith Marie-Bergan Production Assistant
- Margery Nelson Party Guest
- Maida Severn Garden Party Hostess
- Vivian Brown Maid
- Bill Fiore Marty Chambers
- Lloyd McLinn Director
- Dany Marrou Marta
Murder by Natural Causes Plot Summary
What happens in Murder by Natural Causes from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 11 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 4-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
Arthur Sinclair, Hal Holbrook, is a highly successful mentalist who preys on affluent socialites, weaving charm and manipulation to secure their wealth. The film opens with him on the phone, bidding farewell to his much younger wife, Allison Sinclair, Katharine Ross, who pretends to wish him well as he heads off to a television interview. In truth, Allison lies next to a younger, ambitious lover, Gil Weston, Barry Bostwick, a would-be actor who has fallen for her and hopes to ride the intrigue of Arthur’s world into his own fortune. This precarious arrangement sets the stage for a night that blends danger with desire, as Allison hatches a plan to have Gil scare Arthur into a fatal heart attack by staging a home-invasion.
Full summary
The whole story of Murder by Natural Causes, scene by scene
How Well Do You Know Murder by Natural Causes?
9 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 9
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
Who plays the mentalist Arthur Sinclair?
Cars in Murder by Natural Causes
7 cars on screen, including the 1977 Mercedes-Benz 450 SL R107 and the 1963 MG B.
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1977 Mercedes-Benz 450 SL R107 Main role -
1963 MG B Important role -
1977 Lincoln Continental Minor role -
1968 Chevrolet Impala Background role
Murder by Natural Causes Also Known As
2 alternative titles: “辣手娇妻” and “Ein ganz natürlicher Mord”.
- Also known as
-
- 辣手娇妻
- Ein ganz natürlicher Mord
Seen Murder by Natural Causes?
Movies Like Murder by Natural Causes
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Murder & Matrimony, Murder 101 and Prescription: Murder.
Murder by Natural Causes FAQ: Cast, Runtime & Release Date
Runtime, release date, director, cast and post-credit scenes of Murder by Natural Causes, each answered in a sentence.
How long is Murder by Natural Causes?
Murder by Natural Causes runs 1 hour 40 minutes (100 minutes).
When was Murder by Natural Causes released?
Murder by Natural Causes was released on February 17, 1979.
Who directed Murder by Natural Causes?
Murder by Natural Causes was directed by Robert Day.
More films by Robert Day Who is in the cast of Murder by Natural Causes?
Murder by Natural Causes stars Hal Holbrook as Arthur Sinclair, Katharine Ross as Allison Sinclair and Barry Bostwick as Gil Weston, among 17 credited actors.
Does Murder by Natural Causes have a post-credit scene?
No. Murder by Natural Causes has no extra scene during or after the credits.
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