Synopsis

A suburban schoolteacher with no memory of her past begins experiencing flashes of extraordinary combat ability after a violent attack. As Samantha Caine investigates her hidden identity with the help of a cynical private detective, she discovers that she was once a highly trained assassin entangled in a dangerous government conspiracy. Her former life soon threatens her family, forcing Samantha to reclaim skills she would rather forget.

Factoids & Trivia

• Screenwriter Shane Black sold the screenplay for a reported $4 million in 1994, setting a record for a spec script at the time.

• The production filmed extensively in Ontario, Canada. Windermere House, a historic Muskoka resort used for several scenes, burned during filming on February 27, 1996. The affected material was reworked and shot at Milford Manor in Milton.

• To prepare for the underwater torture sequence, Geena Davis and her then-husband, filmmaker Renny Harlin, reportedly tested how long she could hold her breath. The three immersions seen on screen last approximately 51, 81, and 55 seconds.

• In an early version of the screenplay, "Sam Caine" was not an alias but a name created through an anagram of "amnesiac." The finished film uses it as part of Samantha's concealed identity.

• The title refers to death. The phrase is explained through Samantha's opening narration, in which she describes her former identity as someone she has effectively put to sleep.

• Made for an estimated $65 million, the film earned about $89.5 million worldwide. Its later home-video life helped it develop a strong cult following.