{ "id": "epw6d84beg", "slug": "heat-1986-film", "title": "Heat (1986 film)", "updated": "2026-11-01", "topic_path": [ { "id": "culture", "label": "Arts and culture", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture" }, { "id": "culture.performance", "label": "Screen and stage", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen", "label": "Film and television", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.films", "label": "Films and standalone screen works", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.films" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works", "label": "Individual films by title and year", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.film-noir-and-neo-noir-films", "label": "Film noir and neo-noir films", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.film-noir-and-neo-noir-films" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.film-noir-and-neo-noir-films.yr-1977-2022", "label": "Released 1977 to 2022", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.film-noir-and-neo-noir-films.yr-1977-2022" } ], "geo": [ { "id": "geo.us.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.film-noir-and-neo-noir-films", "label": "United States · 1946 to 2000: Film noir and neo-noir films", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.film-noir-and-neo-noir-films", "path": [ { "id": "geo.us", "label": "United States", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us" }, { "id": "geo.us.t1946", "label": "United States · 1946 to 2000", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t1946" }, { "id": "geo.us.t1946.culture", "label": "Arts and culture", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t1946.culture" }, { "id": "geo.us.t1946.culture.performance", "label": "Screen and stage", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t1946.culture.performance" }, { "id": "geo.us.t1946.culture.performance.screen", "label": "Film and television", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t1946.culture.performance.screen" }, { "id": "geo.us.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films", "label": "Films and standalone screen works", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films" }, { "id": "geo.us.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works", "label": "Individual films by title and year", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works" }, { "id": "geo.us.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.film-noir-and-neo-noir-films", "label": "Film noir and neo-noir films", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t1946.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.film-noir-and-neo-noir-films" } ] } ], "excerpt": "Heat (1986) is an American crime thriller directed by Dick Richards, starring Burt Reynolds as Las Vegas bodyguard Nick Escalante, from William Goldman's 1985 novel; released 1986-87, grossed about $2.79 million, remade as Wild Card (2015).", "snippet": "Heat (1986) is an American crime thriller directed by Dick Richards, starring Burt Reynolds as Las Vegas bodyguard Nick Escalante, from William Goldman's 1985 novel; released 1986-87, grossed about $2.79 million, remade as Wild Card (2015).", "node": "culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.film-noir-and-neo-noir-films.yr-1977-2022", "markdown": "# Heat (1986 film)\n\n**Heat** is a 1986 American crime thriller directed by Dick Richards, starring [Burt Reynolds](https://www.edgepedia.org/burt-reynolds) as Nick \"Mex\" Escalante, a Las Vegas bodyguard and self-described \"chaperone\" who saves money to move to Venice, Italy, and takes revenge on a mob-connected gambler who brutally beats a friend. The screenplay is by [William Goldman](https://www.edgepedia.org/william-goldman), adapted from his own 1985 novel of the same name.[1](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093164/fullcredits/) • [2](https://www.filmink.com.au/cinematic-misfires-william-goldmans-heat-1986/)\n\n| Key fact | Detail |\n|---|---|\n| Director | Dick Richards, credited as R.M. Richards; Jerry Jameson also directed, uncredited[1](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093164/fullcredits/) |\n| Writer | William Goldman, screenplay based on his 1985 novel[1](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093164/fullcredits/) • [2](https://www.filmink.com.au/cinematic-misfires-william-goldmans-heat-1986/) |\n| Lead cast | Burt Reynolds (Nick \"Mex\" Escalante), Karen Young (Holly), Peter MacNicol (Cyrus Kinnick), Howard Hesseman (Pinchus Zion), Diana Scarwid (Cassie), Neill Barry (Danny DeMarco), Joseph Mascolo (Baby)[1](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093164/fullcredits/) |\n| Release | France November 12, 1986; United States March 13, 1987[3](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093164/releaseinfo/) |\n| Running time | About 101 minutes; the BBFC classified the cinema version at 100m 35s and a 1988 home-entertainment version at 96m 36s[4](https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/heat-q29sbgvjdglvbjpwwc0ynzk5mjm) • [5](https://kinolorber.com/film/heat-special-edition) |\n| Box office | Approximately $2.79 million[6](https://can.newonnetflix.info/info/60032151) |\n| Reception | 38% on the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer from 8 reviews; 5.7/10 on IMDb from about 3,000 votes[7](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1009399-heat) |\n| Remake | Remade in 2015 as *Wild Card*, starring Jason Statham[7](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1009399-heat) |\n\n## Spoilers\n\n### Plot\n\nNick Escalante is a former soldier of fortune, lethal with his hands and expert with sharp objects, who advertises in Las Vegas as a chaperone but works as a bodyguard for hire, supporting a gambling habit.[8](https://www.netflixmovies.com/heat-1986) His aim is to earn enough money to move to Venice, Italy.[8](https://www.netflixmovies.com/heat-1986) A meek, wealthy young man named Cyrus Kinnick hires him for company while he gambles, though what Cyrus really seeks is instruction in toughness.[8](https://www.netflixmovies.com/heat-1986) When Nick's friend Holly, a prostitute, is badly beaten on a date with the high roller Danny DeMarco, Nick agrees to help her get even, turning to the crime boss Baby for a way into DeMarco's hotel suite.[8](https://www.netflixmovies.com/heat-1986) The conflict with DeMarco and his backers builds to what the Kino Lorber synopsis calls a vicious cat-and-mouse climax.[5](https://kinolorber.com/film/heat-special-edition)\n\n## Origin in Goldman's novel\n\nThe film is unusually tied to one writer: Goldman wrote the source novel, first published in 1985, and the screenplay, and the story is recognizably his, a character drama mixed with a thriller set in a Las Vegas he had come to know while researching a proposed musical remake of *Grand Hotel* that was never made.[2](https://www.filmink.com.au/cinematic-misfires-william-goldmans-heat-1986/) The novel's protagonist, Nick Escalante, is a \"chaperone\" or hired muscle and a [Vietnam veteran](https://www.edgepedia.org/vietnam-veteran) who does various jobs around town.[2](https://www.filmink.com.au/cinematic-misfires-william-goldmans-heat-1986/)\n\nGoldman otherwise said little about the film. In his memoir *Which Lie Did I Tell?* he explained that \"the reason you will not learn more about this baby in these pages is simple: to my knowledge, lawsuits are still flying.\"[2](https://www.filmink.com.au/cinematic-misfires-william-goldmans-heat-1986/) The novel came out of what Goldman described as a \"leper period\" in the early 1980s, when he was not in demand as a screenwriter; *Heat* was one of five books he wrote in those years, alongside *Control* (1982), *The Silent Gondoliers* (1983), *The Colour of Light* (1984), and *Brothers* (1986).[2](https://www.filmink.com.au/cinematic-misfires-william-goldmans-heat-1986/)\n\n## Production and release\n\nThe production was troubled. A contemporary review account states that the problems encountered during production led to the involvement of a total of five directors, and suggests that the film's bumpy shifts in tone and pacing owe something to that history.[9](https://www.thefreshfilms.com/Movies/heat_%281986%29.htm) IMDb credits Dick Richards as director, with his name given on screen as R.M. Richards, and lists Jerry Jameson as an uncredited director.[1](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093164/fullcredits/) The producers of record were George Pappas, Keith Rotman, and Cassian Elwes, with Elliott Kastner producing uncredited; Michael Gibbs wrote the music and James A. Contner was the cinematographer.[1](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093164/fullcredits/)\n\nThe [British Board of Film Classification](https://www.edgepedia.org/british-board-of-film-classification) recorded a cinema version of 100 minutes 35 seconds, classified on August 5, 1986, with Escalante Productions as distributor; a home-entertainment version of 96 minutes 36 seconds was classified on July 22, 1988, for Warner Home Video.[4](https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/heat-q29sbgvjdglvbjpwwc0ynzk5mjm) Release dates varied by country: France first, on November 12, 1986, then Finland on February 6, 1987, the United States on March 13, 1987, Sweden on May 1, 1987, and Italy on May 29, 1987.[3](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093164/releaseinfo/) The film took in approximately $2.79 million at the box office.[6](https://can.newonnetflix.info/info/60032151)\n\n## Reception\n\nThe film was released to what one retrospective calls fairly uniform bad reviews and tepid box office results.[2](https://www.filmink.com.au/cinematic-misfires-william-goldmans-heat-1986/) On Rotten Tomatoes it holds a 38% Tomatometer from 8 critics and a 27% audience score from more than 100 ratings.[7](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1009399-heat) Roger Ebert gave it 2 of 4 stars, writing that \"the movie is filled with promising starts, but then everything dissolves into a violent action climax.\"[7](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1009399-heat) Walter Goodman of *The New York Times* described the Las Vegas setting and a story that works up \"tepidly\" to a big battle in a factory.[7](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1009399-heat) Retrospective assessments have been more mixed: one 2024 review called it \"probably worth remaking as *Wild Card*\" but found \"treasures amongst the ruins for fans of William Goldman's gift for character.\"[7](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1009399-heat)\n\n## Later history\n\nGoldman's story was remade in 2015 as *Wild Card*, with [Jason Statham](https://www.edgepedia.org/jason-statham) in the Escalante role; the FilmInk retrospective judges that the relationship between Escalante and Cyrus is stronger in the 1986 version, with what it calls a more noble climactic gesture from Cyrus.[2](https://www.filmink.com.au/cinematic-misfires-william-goldmans-heat-1986/) Kino Lorber has issued a Special Edition of the film, presented in a 1.78:1 aspect ratio in color, and the film is available for theatrical and educational booking through that label.[5](https://kinolorber.com/film/heat-special-edition) The title should not be confused with [Michael Mann](https://www.edgepedia.org/michael-mann)'s 1995 crime film of the same name, a separate work about a Los Angeles detective and a bank robber.[10](https://www.oscars.org/events/heat)\n\n## References\n\n1. [Heat (1986) Full Cast & Crew, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093164/fullcredits/)\n2. [Cinematic Misfires: William Goldman's Heat (1986), FilmInk, Stephen Vagg](https://www.filmink.com.au/cinematic-misfires-william-goldmans-heat-1986/)\n3. [Heat (1986) Release Info, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093164/releaseinfo/)\n4. [Heat, British Board of Film Classification](https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/heat-q29sbgvjdglvbjpwwc0ynzk5mjm)\n5. [Heat (Special Edition), Kino Lorber](https://kinolorber.com/film/heat-special-edition)\n6. [Heat (1986), New On Netflix Canada](https://can.newonnetflix.info/info/60032151)\n7. [Heat, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1009399-heat)\n8. [Heat (1986) plot summary, NetflixMovies.com](https://www.netflixmovies.com/heat-1986)\n9. [Heat (1986) review, The Fresh Films](https://www.thefreshfilms.com/Movies/heat_%281986%29.htm)\n10. [Heat (1995), Oscars.org](https://www.oscars.org/events/heat)\n\n---\n*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Individual films by title and year › Film noir and neo-noir films › Released 1977 to 2022*\n\n*Initially written Oct 3, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 3, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*\n\n*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*\n\nLicense: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license\n", "same_as": [], "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/heat-1986-film", "markdown_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/heat-1986-film.md", "license": { "name": "Edgepedia Community License 1.0", "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license", "summary": "Free with credit, commercial use included. AI training is open to everyone. For other uses, organizations over USD 100M in revenue or 100M monthly users license separately.", "spdx": "LicenseRef-Edgepedia-Community-1.0" }, "credit": "\"Heat (1986 film)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/heat-1986-film. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "credit_md": "\"[Heat (1986 film)](https://www.edgepedia.org/heat-1986-film)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), [https://www.edgepedia.org/heat-1986-film](https://www.edgepedia.org/heat-1986-film). [Edgepedia Community License 1.0](https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license).", "credit_html": "\"Heat (1986 film)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/heat-1986-film. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "speakable": "Heat is an American crime thriller directed by Dick Richards, starring Burt Reynolds as Las Vegas bodyguard Nick Escalante, from William Goldman's 1985 novel; released 1986-87, grossed about $2.79 million, remade as Wild Card." }