D.O.A. (1988 film)

D.O.A. is a 1988 very loose remake of the 1950 film noir of the same name, sharing only the same premise and otherwise having completely different characters and a completely different story. The film was directed by Annabel Jankel and Rocky Morton, the creators of Max Headroom. It starred Dennis Quaid, Meg Ryan and Charlotte Rampling and featured Timbuk 3 playing one of their songs in a bar scene. Someone poisoned Dexter Cornell. He's got to find out who. He's got to find out why. He's got to find out now. In 24 hours, he'll be Dead On Arrival. (tagline)

Dialogue

 * Sydney: This is life. Here, now. Take it or leave it.


 * Dexter: [laughing] So this is what it's all about: some kid's damn homework!


 * Dexter: So, who you going to kill for your next novel?


 * Dexter: So, who are you going to kill for your next novel?
 * Hal: All I need is this one break; after that, I can write anything I want. And you can bet that I won't sit on my laurels like you did!
 * Dexter: Well, at least they *were* my laurels.


 * Mrs. Fitzwaring: How did you know about Nick?
 * Dexter: I'm psychic.
 * Bernard: Good. Then you know what's going to happen to you.


 * Sydney: So, who are you going to punch a confession out of next?


 * Sydney: I just wanted to spend the night with you, not Eternity!


 * Dexter: Is that the best your pretty, prosaic little mind can come up with?
 * Ulmer: It's a pretty, prosaic little world, Mr. Cornell.


 * Bernard: I don't think I like what you're inferring, Mr. Cornell...
 * Dexter: [condescendingly] Implying. When I say it, that's implying. How you take it, that's inferring.
 * Bernard: I see. Infer this.
 * [punches Dexter]


 * Hal: You had it... You had it... and you pissed it away... goddamn it, Dex... you had a talent... You had a talent that other people...
 * Dexter: [pulls a gun on Hal] ...kill for?
 * [last lines]
 * Hal: Yeah, that's right kill for... isn't that what it's all about? Publish or Perish?
 * Dexter: [as he fires his gun] Perish.


 * [last lines]
 * Dexter: Just somebody's homework, is all.




 * Ulmer: Stopped by for a little Christmas cheer, did you?
 * Dexter (testy): What if I did?
 * Ulmer: Jealous husband pushes Nicky off the roof, so Angry Wife serves him a Christmas mickey. Next morning he wakes up with a tummyache, so he gets a little checkup and finds out he was murdered, so he drops by for one last bang-up marital spat.

Tagline

 * Someone poisoned Dexter Cornell. He's got to find out who. He's got to find out why. He's got to find out now. In 24 hours, he'll be Dead On Arrival.

Cast

 * Dennis Quaid - Professor Dexter Cornell
 * Meg Ryan - Sydney Fuller
 * Daniel Stern - Hal Petersham
 * Charlotte Rampling - Mrs. Fitzwaring
 * Jane Kaczmarek - Gail Cornell
 * Christopher Neame - Bernard
 * Robin Johnson - Cookie Fitzwaring
 * Robert Knepper - Nicholas Lang
 * Jack Kehoe - Detective Brockton
 * Jay Patterson - Graham Corey