Original title
The Ninth Gate
Genre
Thriller / Mystery
Rated R
Directed by
Roman Polanski
Written by
Arturo Pérez-Reverte
John Brownjohn
Country
Spain / France / USA 1999
Running time
ca. 133 min
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 Summary
Dean Corso is a rare book broker who makes his living tracking down valuable items for rich bibliophiles.
Corso is hired by Boris Balkan, a millionaire New Yorker with a vast collection of occult literature and a keen interest in "The Nine Gates to the Kingdom of Shadows".
Legend has it that the book was co-written by Satan in the 17th century, and only three copies are known to exist; the owner of one recently sold the book to Balkan a few days before killing himself.
Balkan wants Corso to find the other two copies and examine them to determine if they are forgeries. Corso is told to be thorough and spare no expense.
He begins by visiting Liana Telfer, the widow of the man who once owned Balkan's copy of the book, who has an unusually strong desire to get the book back, and confers with his friend Bernie, who soon turns up dead, in a manner much like an illustration from the book.
Corso learns that the book contains clues to a puzzle that will allow people to call up the devil, and certain people will stop at nothing to find the missing parts of the formula...
Liana Telfer - Lena Olin
Liana Telfer is the recent widow of Andrew Telfer, one of the three original owners of "The Nine Gates to the Kingdom of Shadows".
Liana, who we learn has only married the much older Telfer for his money, first learns that her husband has sold his copy of the book when Corso visits her to obtain information on the behalf of the new owner, Boris Balkan.
While everyone has assumed that the late Mr. Telfer was the one interested in this sinister work, the real enthusiast is Liana.
Liana, unbeknownst to her husband, has belonged to a secret society that meets annually to read from the book and partake in orgies and other hedonistic delights.
She begins a desperate campaign to get the book back, by sending her bodyguard to steal it from Corso's apartment. When that attempt is unsuccessful, she visits Corso herself and tries to seduce him into giving the book to her. Much to her chagrin, Corso does not give her the book, and Liana becomes enraged and attacks Corso, first biting him, and then hitting him over the head with a bottle, rendering him unconscious.
The campaign continues across Europe, with Liana's bodyguard shadowing Corso's every move in his efforts to authenticate Balkan's copy. The bodyguard is finally successful in stealing the book from Corso while in France...
Liana soon meets with an untimely end when Balkan shows up and strangles her with her own pentagram necklace during the society's meeting.
Main Cast
Johnny Depp
Lena Olin
Frank Langella
Emmanuelle Seigner
Barbara Jefford
Jack Taylor
Jose Lopez Rodero
Tony Amoni
James Russo
Willy Holt
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Dean Corso
Liana Telfer
Boris Balkan
The Girl
Baroness Kessler
Victor Fargas
Pablo & Pedro
Liana's Bodyguard
Bernie
Andrew Telfer
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Memorable Quotes
Liana: Don't fuck with me!
Corso: I thought I just did.
Liana: You work for money I take it.
Corso: What else?
Liana: I have a great deal of money.
Corso: I'm very happy for you.
Background Info
IMDb Movie Info
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The Lena Olin Forum
The Ninth Gate
