Basic Instinct is a 1992 neo-noir erotic thriller film directed by Paul Verhoeven and written by Joe Eszterhas. Starring Michael Douglas, Sharon Stone, George Dzundza, Jeanne Tripplehorn, and Wayne Knight, the film follows San Francisco police detective Nick Curran (Douglas) as he investigates the brutal murder of a wealthy rock star. During the course of the investigation, Curran becomes entangled in a passionate and intense relationship with Catherine Tramell (Stone), an enigmatic writer and the prime suspect.

The script for Basic Instinct was developed by Eszterhas in the 1980s, and it became the subject of a bidding war. Carolco Pictures secured the rights to the film and brought Verhoeven on board to direct. Stone was cast as Tramell after the role was rejected by several actresses. Production was plagued by protests and intense conflict between Eszterhas and Verhoeven.

Basic Instinct premiered in Los Angeles on March 18, 1992, and was theatrically released in the United States by TriStar Pictures on March 20, 1992. The film received mixed reviews upon its release, with praise for the performances of the cast, score, and editing, while its writing and character development were criticized. It also generated controversy due to its sexually explicit content, violence, and depiction of homosexual relationships. Despite the public protest, Basic Instinct was a commercial success, grossing $352.9 million worldwide and becoming the fourth-highest-grossing film of 1992.

Since its release, Basic Instinct has undergone a critical reevaluation. The film has been recognized for its groundbreaking depictions of sexuality in mainstream Hollywood cinema, and was described by one scholar as "a neo-film noir masterpiece that plays with, and transgresses, the narrative rules of film noir." Numerous versions of the film have been released on videocassette, laserdisc, DVD, and Blu-ray, including a director's cut with extended footage previously unseen in North American cinemas.

A sequel, Basic Instinct 2, was released 14 years later in 2006. The film stars Stone, but was made without the involvement of Verhoeven or Douglas. It received negative reviews and was relatively unsuccessful.

Plot

Homicide detective Nick Curran and his partner and best friend Gus Moran investigate the murder of retired rock star Johnny Boz in San Francisco. Boz was stabbed to death with an ice pick while having sex with a mysterious blonde woman. Nick's prime suspect is Boz's girlfriend, crime novelist Catherine Tramell, whose novel mirrors the crime. Catherine is uncooperative and taunts the investigators by smoking and exposing herself. Although she is released, Nick discovers that she has a history of befriending murderers. This includes Roxy Hardy, Catherine's girlfriend, who impulsively killed her two younger brothers at the age of 16, and Hazel Dobkins, who killed her husband and children.

Nick, who accidentally shot two tourists while high on cocaine during an undercover assignment, attends counseling sessions with Police Psychologist Dr. Beth Garner. The two have an on-and-off affair. Nick discovers that Catherine is using him as the basis for the protagonist of her latest book, in which his character is murdered after falling for the wrong woman. He becomes suspicious that she has bribed Lt. Marty Nilsen for his psychiatric file. In response, Nick assaults Nilsen in his office. Nilsen is found murdered, and Nick is suspected and placed on leave. Gus later uncovers evidence that Nilsen had been paid fifty thousand dollars three months earlier, before Nick had even met Catherine.

Nick and Catherine embark on a passionate but tense affair, much to Gus' chagrin given his suspicions about her. It starts one night when Nick sees Catherine snorting cocaine with Roxy at Boz's club. They return to Catherine's place and Roxy observes Nick and Catherine having rough sex, with Catherine tying Nick to the bed. This mirrors the way Boz was tied up by the mystery blonde. Jealous of Nick, Roxy tries to run him over with Catherine's car but dies when the vehicle crashes. Catherine is saddened by Roxy's death and confesses to Nick about a college encounter with a girl that ended badly as the girl became obsessed with her. Nick identifies that girl as Beth; Beth claims that it was Catherine who was obsessed. Catherine insists that the obsessive behavior came from Beth and even led her to file a report to the Berkeley Campus Police; when Nick visits Berkeley, he finds out that Catherine's report was withdrawn by Nilsen a year earlier. Nick also learns that a college professor of Catherine and Beth's was killed with an ice pick in an unsolved homicide that inspired one of Catherine's early novels. He also discovers that Beth's former husband was mysteriously murdered five years earlier (this, too, had been investigated by Nilsen before), and that unconfirmed rumours at the time pointed to the involvement of Beth's unnamed lesbian lover.

Nick discovers the final pages of Catherine's book, where the fictional detective finds his partner's body in an elevator. Catherine breaks off their affair, leaving Nick upset and suspicious. He meets Gus Moran, who has arranged to meet Catherine's college roommate in Oakland to learn about Catherine and Beth. Gus is stabbed to death with an ice pick in the elevator and Nick finds Gus' body in a fashion similar to the description in the book. Beth arrives unexpectedly and claims that she received a message to meet Gus. Nick suspects Beth of killing Gus and shoots her when he believes she's reaching for a gun. However, Beth was only fiddling with her keychain.

Evidence implicates Beth in the murders of Boz, Nilsen, Moran, and her own husband. The investigators also find photos and newspaper clippings of Catherine that imply an obsession with her. Nick is left confused and dejected. Catherine meets him at his apartment and explains her reluctance to commit to him due to her loved ones dying. However, they have sex and discuss their future. As they do, an ice pick is seen under the bed, implying that Catherine was the killer all along.

Cast

• Michael Douglas as Detective Nick Curran
• Sharon Stone as Catherine Tramell
• George Dzundza as Detective Gus Moran
• Jeanne Tripplehorn as Dr. Beth Garner
• Dorothy Malone as Hazel Dobkins
• Denis Arndt as Lieutenant Phillip Walker
• Leilani Sarelle as Roxanne "Roxy" Hardy
• Bruce A. Young as Andrews
• Chelcie Ross as Captain Talcott
• Wayne Knight as John Correli
• Daniel von Bargen as Lieutenant Marty Nilsen
• Stephen Tobolowsky as Dr. Lamott
• Benjamin Mouton as Harrigan
• Jack McGee as Sheriff
• Bill Cable as Johnny Boz
• James Rebhorn as Dr. McElwaine

Production

The screenplay, which was written in the 1980s, sparked a bidding war until it was finally purchased by Carolco Pictures for US$3 million. Eszterhas, who had previously been the creative force behind several blockbuster films such as Flashdance (1983) and Jagged Edge (1985), managed to complete the script in just 13 days. However, Verhoeven had suggested changes to the script that Eszterhas strongly disagreed with, including a lesbian sex scene that Eszterhas deemed "exploitative". With Verhoeven unwilling to budge, Eszterhas and producer Irwin Winkler left the production.

Gary Goldman was subsequently brought on board to rewrite the script four times at Verhoeven's suggestion. However, by the fourth draft, Verhoeven himself acknowledged that his proposals were "undramatic" and "really stupid". By the fifth and final draft, the script had returned to Eszterhas' original vision, with only minor tweaks to visuals and dialogue. As a result, Joe Eszterhas received sole writing credit for the film.

In preparation for the car chase scene, Douglas drove up the steps on Kearny Street in San Francisco for four nights by himself.

The home of Stone's character, prominently featured in the film, is said to be in Stinson Beach, California, just north of San Francisco. In reality, the scenes were shot at a mansion near Carmel-by-the-Sea, about 120 miles (190 km) south of San Francisco. The property had been previously owned by the late adventurer Steve Fossett and his wife until her death in 2017. In 2018, the residence was purchased by software engineer Gary Vickers, who combined it into an estate with four adjoining cottages he also owned; he put the entire property on sale the following year for $52.4 million. By 2022, the asking price had been lowered to $29.6 million.

Casting

Mel Gibson, Kevin Costner, and Richard Gere were considered for the role of Nick Curran, which eventually went to Michael Douglas. Douglas was cast in the project early on. He recommended Kim Basinger for the role of Catherine Tramell, but she declined. He also suggested Julia Roberts, Greta Scacchi, and Meg Ryan, but they all turned down the role. Debra Winger, Michelle Pfeiffer, Geena Davis, Kathleen Turner, Kelly Lynch, Ellen Barkin, and Mariel Hemingway all turned down the role as well when offered by Verhoeven and producers.

Verhoeven considered Demi Moore, but ultimately chose Sharon Stone, with whom he had previously worked on Total Recall. Verhoeven had been particularly struck by the way she quickly transitioned from evil to love in a couple of seconds before her character's death in that film. Verhoeven tested with Stone as Douglas first refused to test with her. Verhoeven kept playing her test after testing everyone else, and Douglas later agreed to test with Stone after 12 other actresses turned down the role. Michael Douglas was upset that the relatively unknown Stone was cast in the role, determined to have another A-list actress star in the movie with him. Worried about taking the risk on his own, he said, "I need someone to share the risks of this movie. [...] I don't want to be up there all by myself. There's going to be a lot of shit flying around." Stone was paid $500,000 for her role, while Douglas received $14 million.

The film generated controversy upon its release due to its explicit sexuality, violence against women, and its negative depiction of both a bisexual woman and homosexual relationships. In recent years, controversy over the film has become regenerated over Verhoeven's direction and the treatment of Stone and other women working on the film.