A sweaty, baroque nightmare of border-town corruption where justice decays under the weight of a ticking clock. A tragic noir requiem filled with distorted angles, deep shadows, and the melancholic stench of a future already used up.
Touch of Evil
"The strangest vengeance ever planned!"
Director:
Orson Welles
Cast:
Charlton Heston, Janet Leigh, Orson Welles, Joseph Calleia, Akim Tamiroff
Drama
Crime
Thriller
Budget:
$829,000
Box Office:
$2,247,500
Touch of Evil - Easter Eggs & Hidden Details
Easter Eggs
Joseph Cotten's Cameo
Orson Welles's longtime friend and collaborator (from Citizen Kane) appears uncredited as the detective/coroner in the opening bombing scene.
Mercedes McCambridge as a Hoodlum
The Oscar-winning actress plays a bizarre, uncredited role as a leather-jacketed gang member who taunts Janet Leigh, shouting 'I wanna watch!'
Zsa Zsa Gabor's Appearance
Famous socialite Zsa Zsa Gabor appears briefly as the owner of the strip club, sharing a 'Guest Star' credit with Marlene Dietrich despite having only a few seconds of screen time.
Venice, California as Mexico
The film was shot in Venice, California. The 'Bridge of Sighs' seen in the film is a real location there, used to stand in for the border town's architecture.