FX
Action, Crime, Thriller
MGM / UA  (1986) 109 mins R

6.5 (6,486 votes)
Murder By Illusion

Dare to be duped! The world of movie make-believe meets the gritty New York crime scene in this "taut and clever suspense movie" (The New York Times). Bryan Brown (Cocktail) and Brian Dennehy (Romeo & Juliet) command the heart-pounding action in "the first-class, crackling excitement of F/X" (Los Angeles Times).

Rollie Tyler (Brown) is the best special effects artist in showbiz. But this time it's not the studios seeking him out...it's the Justice Department. His assignment: to stage the assassination of an important underworld witness. And after he pulls the illusion off -- making the informant disappear -- Rollie is dumbfounded to learn that he's being pinned for the murder! Double-crossed and now hunted by those who hired him, Rollie quickly learns that he can trust no one...and that the only thing left that ca...

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Cast and Crew
Bryan Brown  ......  Roland 'Rollie' Tyler
Brian Dennehy  ......  Lt. Leo McCarthy
Diane Venora  ......  Ellen
Cliff De Young  ......  Lipton
Mason Adams  ......  Col. Mason
Jerry Orbach  ......  Nicholas DeFranco
Director  .....  Robert Mandel
Producer  .....  Dodi Fayed; Jack Wiener
Writer  .....  Robert T. Megginson; Gregory Fleeman
Notes
Goofs:
Continuity: Tyler's camera changes from a Nikon FM (silver) to a Nikon F2A (black) and back again while shooting photos of Defranco. (more)

Trivia:
A movie poster for Zombi 2 (1979) is seen hanging up in Rollie Tyler's apartment in several scenes. Also, the film I Dismember Mama (1974) is mentioned twice. (more)

Filming Locations:
Central Park, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA (more)

Quotes:
Ellen: How was I?
Rollie Tyler: You were great. Nobody dies like you.
(more)

Awards:
1 nomination (more)