Dolores Claiborne

Murder, revenge and dark secrets abound in Stephen King’s small-town psychological thriller starring Kathy Bates and Jennifer Jason Leigh.

The case seems cut and dry. A postman finds the dead body of a widow on the staircase landing of her grand seaside home, with her housekeeper, Dolores Claiborne, standing over her, brandishing a blunt weapon. 

As a murder investigation begins with Dolores its prime suspect, an anonymous source tips off New York journalist Selena St George – Dolores’ estranged daughter. This is not the first mysterious death on Little Tall Island, where Selena grew up. Nor is it the first time her mother has been accused of murder.

Curator’s Note

Following the success of Misery, Stephen King embarked on a new novel with Kathy Bates in mind for the main character. The book, and subsequent film, was Dolores Claiborne.

Much like the similarly twisty real-world drama The Shawshank Redemption, released a year prior, Dolores Claiborne sees King favour no-less-macabre human psychology over his supernatural obsessions. Both films live in a shared universe, set in nearby towns, and Shawshank State Prison even gets a mention as somewhere you definitely don’t want to end up.

A critical darling and a box office sleeper hit, Dolores Claiborne is now considered by many to be one of the best Stephen King adaptations to date.

Reece Goodwin, Curator (Film & TV)