Death Wish

Death Wish is a 1974 crime thriller film loosely based on the novel Death Wish by Brian Garfield. The film was directed by Michael Winner and stars Charles Bronson as Paul Kersey, a man who becomes a vigilante after his wife is murdered and his daughter is sexually assaulted by muggers.

The film was a commercial success, and generated a movie franchise lasting four sequels over a twenty-year period. The film was disliked by many critics due to it advocating vigilantism and unlimited punishment to criminals. The novel denounced vigilantism, whereas the film embraced the notion. Yet, it was seen as echoing a growing mood in the United States as crime rose during the 1970s.

Paul Kersey (Charles Bronson) and his wife Joanna (Hope Lange) vacation in Hawaii. They return to New York City, where Paul works as an architect.

Joanna and their daughter Carol Anne (Kathleen Tolan) shop for groceries at D’Agostino’s Market. Three bloodthirsty hooligans (one played by Jeff Goldblum in his first movie appearance) are creating havoc in the local grocery store. They catch Joanna’s address after she asks that her groceries be delivered.

Portions from Freebase, licensed under CC-BY and Wikipedia
licensed under the GFDL