Sunburn

Sunburn is a 1979 British-American comedy detective film directed by Richard C. Sarafian and written by James Booth, John Daly and Stephen Oliver. It is based on the novel The Bind by Stanley Ellin. The film stars Farrah Fawcett, Charles Grodin, Art Carney, Joan Collins, William Daniels and John Hillerman. The film was released on August 10, 1979, by Paramount Pictures. Plot Jake Dekker is a private eye who is hired by an insurance company to travel to Acapulco and investigate the death of a rich industrialist named Theron. In an effort to cloak his intentions, Dekker adopts the persona of an independently wealthy jet-setter and hires the beautiful Ellie Morgan to pose as his wife. After the two arrive, they are invited to a party, where they become acquainted with Theron's offspring—a grown daughter and son, named Joanna and Karl. Of the two, only Joanna appears to be genuinely in grief, while Karl takes his father's death in stride, all the while attempting to seduce Ellie, unsuccessfully. After Dekker's real purpose for being in Acapulco is discovered, the dead man's reclusive widow, Mrs. Theron, declines offering Dekker any assistance in his search for the truth behind her husband's demise. However, Dekker's old friend and colleague, Marcus, researches Theron's past and discovers the unfortunate man was actually an escaped Nazi who found refuge in Mexico some thirty years earlier. This information, concealed by others for purposes of blackmail, proves the key to the mystery of just who killed Theron and why. Cast Farrah Fawcett-Majors as Ellie Morgan Charles Grodin as Jake Dekker Art Carney as Marcus Joan Collins as Nera William Daniels as Crawford John Hillerman as Webb Eleanor Parker as Mrs. Thoren Keenan Wynn as Mark Elmes Robin Clarke as Karl Joan Goodfellow as Joanna Jack Kruschen as Gela Alejandro Rey as Fons as Vasquez Seymour Cassel as Dobbs Joanna Rush as Mamie Alex Sharp as Kunz Bob Orrison as Milan Delroy White as Dr. Kellogg Christa Walter as Mrs. Kellogg