Desperately Seeking Susan
“Every man is desperate to have her. One woman is desperate to be her. But someone is desperate to kill her. If they can figure out who she is.”
Synopsis
A bored New Jersey suburban housewife's fascination with a free-spirited woman she has read about in the personal columns leads to her being mistaken for the woman herself and into a chaotic adventure of amnesia and self-discovery.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Official TrailerOfficial
Type: Trailer • Published 2021-03-28
Top Cast
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Rosanna Arquette
Roberta Glass
Madonna
Susan
Aidan Quinn
Dez
Mark Blum
Gary Glass
Robert Joy
Jim
Laurie Metcalf
Leslie Glass
Anna Thomson
Crystal
Will Patton
Wayne Nolan
Steven Wright
Larry Stillman D.D.S.
John Turturro
Ray
Giancarlo Esposito
Street Vendor
Richard Hell
Bruce Meeker
Rockets Redglare
Taxi Driver
Annie Golden
Band Singer
Richard Edson
Man With Newspapers
Ann Magnuson
Cigarette Girl
John Lurie
Neighbor Saxophonist
Peter Maloney
Ian
Release History & Theatrical Window
March 29, 1985
Wide Cinema Exhibition
October 1, 1992
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$4.5M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$27.4M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
6.09x
+$22.9M net gain
Theatrical Status
Mega Hit
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Susan Seidelman
- Screenplay & Story
- Leora Barish
- Original Score
- Thomas Newman
- Original Title
- Desperately Seeking Susan
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 44m
- Production Budget
- $4.5M
- Worldwide Gross
- $27.4M
- Production Studios
- Orion Pictures
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Susan Seidelman
Leora Barish
Thomas Newman
Edward Lachman
Andrew Mondshein
Midge Sanford, Sarah Pillsbury, Michael Peyser
Department Leadership Roster
Susan Seidelman
Director
Leora Barish
Writer
Santo Loquasto
Production Design
Andrew Mondshein
Editor
Thomas Newman
Original Music Composer
Edward Lachman
Director of Photography
Midge Sanford
Producer
Sarah Pillsbury
Producer
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
PG-13: Parents Strongly Cautioned — May contain intense action, language, or mature themes.
International Certification Matrix
FSK 12 — Restricted to viewers aged 12 and older.
Tous publics — Universal audience.
Suitable only for 15 years and over.
Parents Strongly Cautioned — May contain intense action, language, or mature themes.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Desperately Seeking Susan.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Desperately Seeking Susan.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Desperately Seeking Susan
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Desperately Seeking Susan about?
A bored New Jersey suburban housewife's fascination with a free-spirited woman she has read about in the personal columns leads to her being mistaken for the woman herself and into a chaotic adventure of amnesia and self-discovery.
Who directed Desperately Seeking Susan?
Desperately Seeking Susan was directed by Susan Seidelman.
Who stars in Desperately Seeking Susan?
The principal cast of Desperately Seeking Susan includes Rosanna Arquette, Madonna, Aidan Quinn, Mark Blum, Robert Joy.
When was Desperately Seeking Susan released and how long is it?
Desperately Seeking Susan was released in 1985 with a total runtime of 1h 44m.
What was the box office and production budget of Desperately Seeking Susan?
Desperately Seeking Susan had a reported production budget of $4.5M and grossed $27.4M at the worldwide box office (6.09 return on budget, classified as a blockbuster success).
Who composed the musical score for Desperately Seeking Susan?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Desperately Seeking Susan was composed by Thomas Newman.
What is the age rating and content advisory for Desperately Seeking Susan?
Desperately Seeking Susan holds official age classifications: DE: 12 (FSK 12 — Restricted to viewers aged 12 and older.); FR: U (Tous publics — Universal audience.); GB: 15 (Suitable only for 15 years and over.); US: PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned — May contain intense action, language, or mature themes.).