On this day March 20 1981 the neo-noir thriller The Postman Always Rings Twice premiered in theaters. Directed by Bob Rafelson the film starred Jack Nicholson and Jessica Lange in a steamy crime drama filled with passion betrayal and murder.
Based on the classic 1934 novel by James M Cain the film followed a drifter who begins a dangerous affair with a married woman leading to a plot to murder her husband. The film was praised for its intense performances and became known for its bold and controversial scenes.
80s insight: The Postman Always Rings Twice was previously adapted into a 1946 film starring Lana Turner and John Garfield but the 1981 version was much more explicit pushing the boundaries of Hollywood at the time.