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Drama thriller

Winter Kills (1979): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot

Winter Kills (1979) movie poster

Winter Kills is a 1979 drama thriller directed by William Richert, starring Jeff Bridges, Belinda Bauer and John Huston. It runs 1 hour 37 minutes and earned $1.2 million worldwide on a $6.5 million budget. Critics gave it 77 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 6.2/10.

IMDb rating
6.2/10
worldwide gross
$1.2M
Metascore
77
budget
$6.5M
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Winter Kills (1979) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 37m (97 min)
Director
William Richert
Genres
Drama , Mystery , Thriller , Comedy
Original language
English
Budget
$6.5M
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is Winter Kills About?

The premise of Winter Kills without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

A darkly comedic thriller follows Nick Kegan, the younger brother of a charismatic president assassinated under mysterious circumstances. Driven to uncover the truth, Nick investigates his brother’s death and discovers a web of secrets, surprising revelations, and complex family dynamics. His pursuit of answers threatens to expose painful truths and shatter the remnants of his family’s legacy, forcing him to confront a conspiracy that reaches the highest levels of power.

Winter Kills Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • political assassination
  • assassination of american president
  • assassin
  • sex scene
  • female nudity
  • assassination
  • sleeping shirtless
  • sleeping nude
  • waking up naked
  • season in title
  • two word title
  • claim in title
+38 more
  • winter
  • reference to john f. kennedy
  • marilyn monroe character
  • political conspiracy
  • political satire
  • political scandal
  • american politics
  • gun
  • u.s. government
  • gangster
  • mobster
  • oil tanker
  • helicopter
  • marine one
  • conspiracy thriller
  • political thriller
  • madam
  • magazine editor
  • political cover up
  • dead body with eyes open
  • kennedy assassination conspiracy
  • new york city
  • the white house washington d.c.
  • la casa pacifica
  • troubled production
  • playing chess
  • bell 206 jet ranger with pontoons
  • landing a helicopter on a ship
  • dying confession
  • hidden weapon
  • mounted police
  • playing an electronic organ
  • poultry farm
  • telephone booth
  • m 4 sherman tank
  • m 7 priest self propelled howitzer
  • dodge wc 54 ambulance
  • m 56 scorpion
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Cast & crew

Winter Kills Cast

Jeff Bridges leads the cast, with Belinda Bauer and John Huston. Directed by William Richert; 10 actors are credited in all.

From the director

More from William Richert

One more film directed by William Richert: A Night in the Life of Jimmy Reardon.

Full filmography
Ratings

Winter Kills Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave Winter Kills 77 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 6.2/10.

Plot

Winter Kills Plot Summary

What happens in Winter Kills from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

On board his wealthy father’s tanker ship, Nick Kegan (Jeff Bridges) leaves a message for his lover, Yvette Malone (Belinda Bauer), on her answering machine. Suddenly, a family associate named Keifetz (Richard Boone) makes a dramatic entrance via helicopter, bringing along a bandaged man, Arthur Fletcher (Joe Spinell). Inside the ship’s medical office, Fletcher, while being attended to, confesses a chilling secret: he assassinated Nick’s half-brother, the President of the United States, nearly two decades ago on February 22, 1960, in Philadelphia. He recounts how he was hired by a man named Casper, Jr., alongside another gunman, and hid the murder weapon in Room 903 of the Engleson Building. Fletcher seeks to reveal the truth about the assassination to clear his name before passing away, leaving Nick desperate for answers.

Full summary

The whole story of Winter Kills, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Box office

Winter Kills Box Office & Budget

Winter Kills grossed $1.2 million worldwide on a $6.5 million budget, 18% of what it cost.

1979 box office

Worldwide gross

$1.2M

18% of its budget back

US & Canada
$1.2M
Budget
$6.5M
Videos

Winter Kills Trailers & Videos

2 videos: 2 trailers.

Winter Kills (1979) ORIGINAL TRAILER
  • Trailer WINTER KILLS - Rialto Pictures Trailer
Quiz

How Well Do You Know Winter Kills?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

Who plays the role of millionaire Nick Kegan?

Cars

Cars in Winter Kills

40 cars on screen, including the 1978 Ford Pinto Runabout and the Alco M7B2 105mm HMC.

All 40 cars
  • 1978 Ford Pinto Runabout in Winter Kills 1978 Ford Pinto Runabout Important role
  • Alco M7B2 105mm HMC in Winter Kills Alco M7B2 105mm HMC Minor role
  • Cadillac M56 Scorpion in Winter Kills Cadillac M56 Scorpion Minor role
  • 1974 Checker Taxicab in Winter Kills 1974 Checker Taxicab Minor role
Details

Winter Kills Also Known As

12 alternative titles, including “Rebus per un assassino” and “Philadelphia Clan”.

Also known as
  • Rebus per un assassino
  • Philadelphia Clan
  • Muertes de invierno
  • Qui a tué le président ?
  • Зима приносит смерть
  • Téli gyilkosságok
  • Morte no Inverno
  • زمستان میکشد
  • 杀机
  • Iskold magt
  • 윈터 킬
  • L’hivern assassí

Seen Winter Kills?

FAQ

Winter Kills FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Runtime

Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings and post-credit scenes of Winter Kills, each answered in a sentence.

How long is Winter Kills?

Winter Kills runs 1 hour 37 minutes (97 minutes).

When was Winter Kills released?

Winter Kills was released on May 11, 1979.

Who directed Winter Kills?

Winter Kills was directed by William Richert.

More films by William Richert

Who is in the cast of Winter Kills?

Winter Kills stars Jeff Bridges, Belinda Bauer and John Huston, among 10 credited actors.

How much did Winter Kills make at the box office?

Winter Kills grossed $1.2 million worldwide on a budget of $6.5 million.

How is Winter Kills rated?

Winter Kills has 6.2/10 on IMDb and 77 on Metacritic.

Does Winter Kills have a post-credit scene?

No. Winter Kills has no extra scene during or after the credits.

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