The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover
“Lust...Murder...Dessert. Bon Appetit!”
Synopsis
When churlish mobster Albert Spica acquires an upscale French restaurant in London, he dines there nightly, effectively scaring off the clientele with his bad manners. His wife, Georgina, is especially disgusted by him, and soon begins an affair with regular guest Michael. Despite their best efforts to keep it secret, Spica learns about their trysts, and he plots a terrible revenge.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
THE COOK, THE THIEF, HIS WIFE, AND HER LOVER Trailer | Food on Film 2016
Type: Trailer • Published 2016-02-17
Top Cast
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Michael Gambon
Albert Spica
Richard Bohringer
Richard Boarst
Helen Mirren
Georgina Spica
Alan Howard
Michael
Tim Roth
Mitchel
Ciarán Hinds
Cory
Liz Smith
Grace
Gary Olsen
Spangler
Ewan Stewart
Harris
Roger Ashton-Griffiths
Turpin
Ian Dury
Terry Fitch
Diane Langton
May Fitch
Prudence Oliver
Corelle Fitch
Ron Cook
Mews
Emer Gillespie
Patricia
Janet Henfrey
Alice
Willie Ross
Roy
Roger Lloyd Pack
Geoff
Release History & Theatrical Window
Toronto International Film Festival
Festival / Special Debut
April 6, 1990
Wide Cinema Exhibition
April 6, 1990
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$2.3M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$7.7M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
3.36x
+$5.4M net gain
Theatrical Status
Mega Hit
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Peter Greenaway
- Screenplay & Story
- Peter Greenaway
- Original Score
- Michael Nyman
- Original Title
- The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover
- Country of Origin
- France, United Kingdom, Netherlands
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 2h 4m
- Production Budget
- $2.3M
- Worldwide Gross
- $7.7M
- Production Studios
- Allarts, Elsevier-Vendex Film Beheer, Allarts Cook, Erato Films, Film
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Peter Greenaway
Peter Greenaway
Michael Nyman
Sacha Vierny
John Wilson
Kees Kasander
Department Leadership Roster
Peter Greenaway
Director
John Wilson
Editor
Kees Kasander
Producer
Michael Nyman
Original Music Composer
Sacha Vierny
Director of Photography
Jean-Paul Gaultier
Costume Design
Jan Roelfs
Production Design
Ben van Os
Production Design
Peter Greenaway
Screenplay
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
NC-17: Adults Only — No one 17 and under admitted.
International Certification Matrix
Restricted — Restricted to adults 18 and older.
FSK 18 — Restricted to adults 18 and older.
Interdit aux moins de 12 ans — 12+ only.
Suitable only for adults 18 years and over.
Adults Only — No one 17 and under admitted.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover.
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover about?
When churlish mobster Albert Spica acquires an upscale French restaurant in London, he dines there nightly, effectively scaring off the clientele with his bad manners. His wife, Georgina, is especially disgusted by him, and soon begins an affair with regular guest Michael. Despite their best efforts to keep it secret, Spica learns about their trysts, and he plots a terrible revenge.
Who directed The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover?
The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover was directed by Peter Greenaway.
Who stars in The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover?
The principal cast of The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover includes Michael Gambon, Richard Bohringer, Helen Mirren, Alan Howard, Tim Roth.
When was The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover released and how long is it?
The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover was released in 1989 with a total runtime of 2h 4m.
What was the box office and production budget of The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover?
The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover had a reported production budget of $2.3M and grossed $7.7M at the worldwide box office (3.36 return on budget, classified as a blockbuster success).
Who composed the musical score for The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover?
The original motion picture soundtrack for The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover was composed by Michael Nyman.
What is the age rating and content advisory for The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover?
The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover holds official age classifications: AU: R18+ (Restricted — Restricted to adults 18 and older.); CA: R; DE: 18 (FSK 18 — Restricted to adults 18 and older.); FR: 12 (Interdit aux moins de 12 ans — 12+ only.); GB: 18 (Suitable only for adults 18 years and over.); US: NC-17 (Adults Only — No one 17 and under admitted.).