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Poster for The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover
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The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover

1989 124 min English NC-17

“Lust...Murder...Dessert. Bon Appetit!”

When churlish mobster Albert Spica acquires an upscale French restaurant in London, he dines there nightly, effectively scaring off the clientele with his bad manners. His wife, Georgina, is especially disgusted by him, and soon begins an affair with regular guest Michael. Despite their best efforts to keep it secret, Spica learns about their trysts, and he plots a terrible revenge.

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Your rating

Your review

Cast

46 people

Peter Greenaway Director · Michael Nyman Composer

Worldwide gross $7.7M · Budget $2.3M · United States release April 6, 1990

Box office

Budget

$2,300,000

Worldwide gross

$7,724,701

Gross vs. budget

3.4×

Production

A

Allarts

Production

E

Elsevier-Vendex Film Beheer

Production

E

Erato Films

Production

F

Films

Production

E

Elsevira

Production

E

Erbograph Co.

Production

V

Vendex

Production

France · United Kingdom · Netherlands

Produced in

Languages

Original language

English

Spoken on screen

English

Release dates

Italy · September 4, 1989

Premiere · Venice Film Festival

United Kingdom · October 13, 1989

Theatrical

United States · April 6, 1990

Theatrical

Argentina

May 24, 1990 · Theatrical

Australia

March 29, 1990 · Theatrical

Belgium

November 2, 1989 · Theatrical · (Gent)

Brazil

April 6, 1990 · Physical · (video premiere)

Canada

September 11, 1989 · Premiere · Toronto International Film Festival

September 22, 1990 · Premiere · Cinefest Sudbury International Film Festival

Czechia

April 1, 1996 · Limited theatrical · Projekt 100

Denmark

April 16, 1990 · Theatrical

Finland

November 23, 1990 · Theatrical

France

November 1, 1989 · Theatrical

Germany

November 23, 1989 · Theatrical

Greece

November 23, 1989 · Theatrical

November 17, 1998 · Premiere · Thessaloniki International Film Festival

Hungary

October 25, 1990 · Theatrical

Iceland

February 7, 1991 · Theatrical

Italy

January 16, 1990 · Theatrical

Japan

August 4, 1990 · Theatrical · (Banned)

Mexico

July 19, 2009 · Theatrical · (re-release)

Netherlands

November 24, 1989 · Theatrical

August 26, 2004 · Physical · DVD

Portugal

March 30, 1990 · Theatrical

February 12, 2000 · Premiere · Fantasporto Film Festival

South Korea

August 26, 1994 · Physical

Spain

December 8, 1989 · Theatrical

Sweden

January 28, 1990 · Premiere · Göteborg Film Festival

July 6, 1990 · Theatrical

Taiwan

October 18, 1990 · Theatrical

Türkiye

November 3, 1995 · Theatrical

United Kingdom

July 4, 2016 · Physical · Fabulous Films Blu-ray / DVD

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