NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Wolf (film)

Will Randall (Jack Nicholson), a mild-mannered, middle-aged publishing editor, is fired from his job by a wealthy business tycoon, Raymond Alden (Christopher Plummer), who takes over his publishing house and replaces him with Randall's own protege Stewart Swinton (James Spader), who also happens to be having an affair with Randall's wife Charlotte (Kate Nelligan). However, a few days earlier, Randall was bitten by what he believes to be a wolf while driving home on a snowy country road one night; he soon starts feeling rejuvenated, revitalized, and more aggressive and becomes more assertive in fighting for his job back. Eventually, to his horror, Randall also realises that he was taking on the characteristics of a wolf. John Joseph Nicholson (born April 22, 1937), known as Jack Nicholson, is a three time Academy Award-winning American actor internationally renowned for his often dark-themed portrayals of neurotic characters. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... James Todd Spader (born February 7, 1960), who is known to prefer being called Jimmy,[1] is a three-time Emmy-winning and Golden Globe-nominated[2] American actor. ... Kate Nelligan Kate Nelligan (born Patricia Colleen Nelligan on March 16, 1950, in London, Ontario) is a Canadian actress. ... Wolf Wolf Man Mount Wolf Wolf Prizes Wolf Spider Wolf 424 Wolf 359 Wolf Point Wolf-herring Frank Wolf Friedrich Wolf Friedrich August Wolf Hugo Wolf Johannes Wolf Julius Wolf Max Franz Joseph Cornelius Wolf Maximilian Wolf Rudolf Wolf Thomas Wolf As Name Wolf Breidenbach Wolf Hirshorn Other The call...

However, with the help of Alden's beautiful, headstrong daughter Laura (Michelle Pfeiffer), he sets out for the new life ahead of him. Randall's first escapade as a wolf takes place at Laura's countryside cottage, where he wakes up in the middle of the night and predatorily hunts down a deer. In the morning he finds himself on the bank of a forest stream, dunks his head in water and realises he has blood all over his face and hands. He then drives back to the city in a state of confused trepidation, his alarm at his animal characteristics leading him to ignore conventional medical tests. Michelle Marie Pfeiffer (born April 29, 1958) is an Academy Award-nominated, Golden Globe-winning, BAFTA-winning American actress. ...

Instead, he visits an Indian healer - Dr. Vijay Alezias (Om Puri) who gives him an amulet that is supposed to protect him from turning completely into a wolf. Dr. Alezias asks Randall to bite him as a return favour, as Alezias himself does not have long to live. On being asked by Randall whether he would 'prefer demonization to death', Dr. Alezias replies that it would be a boon rather than a bane. He tells Will that he is a good man at heart and so has nothing to fear. Dr. Vijay Alezias also explains to Will that sometimes one does not even need to be bitten to change. Sometimes the mere passion of the wolf inside of them can transform them. Om Puri, OBE (Honorary) (born October 18, 1950 in Ambala, Haryana, India) is an Indian actor who has appeared in both mainstream Bollywood films as well as art films. ...

As his professional life is restored, Randall, in his aggressive avatar, fires his young nemesis Stewart, deepening each's hatred for the other. Later, Will inadvertently bites Stewart, who becomes a wolf as well. Stewart ends up raping and murdering Will's wife, in an attempt to frame Randall and seize back Randall's job at the publishing house.

Randall, meanwhile, shattered at his wife's murder, and thinking that it was his alter-ego state that killed her, goes back with Laura to her cottage, where he agrees to be locked up in the barn. Laura then gets a call from the police detective investigating Will's wife's murder, and learns that it was a canine attack that killed her. Alarmed that Will might be the unknowing perpetrator, she goes alone to the police station to find out more. There she runs into Stewart, who makes a pass at her while making it clear that Randall was as good as convicted. She hurries off from the station, making arrangements for Will and her to leave the country.

Stewart, realising that she had gone back, follows her to the cottage. After a brief struggle in the barn, where Will is locked in, he tries to rape her, but Randall frees himself from his stall, and, in werewolf form (same as his foe), they battle to the death. The evil werewolf Stewart is then shot to death by Laura. Randall, meanwhile, turns into a complete wolf and runs off into the forest. The last scene is a close-up of her face fading into dark, lupine eyes, preceded with previously-shown shots of an animal running wildly through the forest. Laura's passionate love for Will allows her to join him in his new life.^{[citation needed]}

Production & Reaction

The film was initially delayed for six to eight months due to poor critical reaction to the third act. After reshoots, however, critics thought the ending was more satisfying and thrilling. It was mostly well-received and currently holds positive reviews among 64% of critics as displayed by RottenTomatoes.com. The film grossed $65,012,000 domestically and $131,002,597 worldwide, while making another $34,000,000 on US rentals.[1] This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ...

Trivia

The film features David Schwimmer in a bit part as a cop, chasing Randall through the city zoo in one of his wolfish nighttime vagaries.

Ron Rifkin plays a doctor in the film.

Jack Nicholson and Michelle Pfeiffer had previously starred in the 1987 film The Witches of Eastwick.

David Lawrence Schwimmer (born November 2, 1966 in Flushing, Queens, New York) is an Emmy-nominated American actor and director for television and film, who gained popularity when playing Dr. Ross Geller on the hugely popular American sitcom Friends. ... Ron Rifkin, born October 31, 1939, in New York City, New York, USA, is a film, stage, and television actor and director. ... John Joseph Nicholson (born April 22, 1937), known as Jack Nicholson, is a three time Academy Award-winning American actor internationally renowned for his often dark-themed portrayals of neurotic characters. ... Michelle Marie Pfeiffer (born April 29, 1958) is an Academy Award-nominated, Golden Globe-winning, BAFTA-winning American actress. ... The Witches of Eastwick is a 1984 novel by John Updike. ...

External links

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Films directed by Mike Nichols

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966) • The Graduate (1967) • Catch-22 (1970) • Carnal Knowledge (1971) • The Day of the Dolphin (1973) • The Fortune (1975) • Gilda Live (1980) • Silkwood (1983) • Heartburn (1986) • Biloxi Blues (1988) • Working Girl (1988) • Postcards from the Edge (1990) • Regarding Henry (1991) • Wolf (1994) • The Birdcage (1996) • Primary Colors (1998) • What Planet Are You From? (2000) • Closer (2004) • Charlie Wilson's War (2007) The Internet Movie Database (IMDb) is an online database of information about movies, actors, television shows, production crew personnel, and video games. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Mike Nichols (born Michael Igor Peschkowsky) is an Academy Award winning movie director of films such as The Graduate and Whos Afraid of Virginia Woolf?. He was born on November 6, 1931 in Berlin, to a Jewish Russian family. ... Whos Afraid of Virginia Woolf? is a 1966 film adaptation of the play of the same name by Edward Albee. ... For the novel of the same name, see The Graduate (novel). ... Catch-22 is a 1970 film, adapted from the book of the same name by Joseph Heller. ... Carnal Knowledge is a 1971 American drama film. ... The Day of the Dolphin is a science fiction, thriller film released in 1973. ... The Fortune is a 1975 film directed by Mike Nichols and starring Warren Beatty, Jack Nicholson and Stockard Channing, in which two con men compete for the millionaire heiress to a sanitary napkin fortune. ... Gilda Live is an American film released in 1980. ... Silkwood is a 1983, Oscar-nominated film which dramatizes the story of Karen Silkwood, who died under suspicious circumstances while investigating alleged wrongdoing at the Kerr-McGee plutonium plant where she worked. ... Biloxi Blues, a play by Neil Simon, is the second in what is known as Simons Eugene Trilogy, the first being Brighton Beach Memoirs, and the third being Broadway Bound. ... Working Girl is an Academy Award nominee for Best Picture and an Academy Award winner for Best Song (Let the River Run by Carly Simon), which tells the story of a Staten Island-raised secretary, Tess McGill, working in the mergers and acquisitions department of a Wall Street investment bank. ... Postcards from the Edge is a 1990 movie which is based on the fictionalized autobiographical book by Carrie Fisher about her relationship with her mother, Debbie Reynolds, and her own drug addiction. ... Regarding Henry is a film by Mike Nichols featuring Harrison Ford and Annette Bening. ... The Birdcage is a 1996 comedy film directed by Mike Nichols, and stars Robin Williams, Nathan Lane, Gene Hackman, Dianne Wiest, Dan Futterman, Calista Flockhart, Hank Azaria and Christine Baranski. ... Primary Colors is a 1998 film starring John Travolta based on the popular book (a success in part fueled by speculation over the identity of the author). ... The DVD cover featuring all the cast What Planet Are You From? is a 2000 comedy film starring Garry Shandling and Annette Bening. ... Anna and Dan. ... Charlie Wilsons War is a 2007 drama film about Democratic Texas Congressman Charlie Wilson, who conspired with a rogue CIA operative named Gust Avrakotos to launch an operation to help the Afghan Mujahideen during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. ...

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Contents

Plot GA_googleFillSlot("encyclopedia_square");

Production & Reaction

Trivia

External links

Plot