Mike Hammer: Murder Takes All

Mike Hammer: Murder Takes All

Year: 1989

Runtime: 92 mins

Language: English

Director: John Nicolella

ActionCrime

Mike Hammer is kidnapped and led to believe it is the work of a Las Vegas entertainer, but soon realises somebody else is involved.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline & Setting – Mike Hammer: Murder Takes All (1989)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Mike Hammer: Murder Takes All (1989). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Late 1980s

The events unfold in the late 1980s, a period of flashy entertainment, corporate fundraisers, and crime‑driven intrigue. The era’s showbiz atmosphere and big-money schemes shape the plot's mood and stakes. The setting emphasizes a world where glamour and peril coexist behind the velvet curtain.

Location

Las Vegas (Hilton casino), Rosy Buttes ranch, luxury yacht

The action centers around Las Vegas, with key scenes at the Hilton casino that showcase showy nightlife and high-stakes gambling. A desert ranch, Rosy Buttes, provides the rugged, lawless contrast to the casino’s glitz, while a luxury yacht serves as a secluded backdrop for tense confrontations. These locations together create a neon-soaked playground where wealth, deceit, and danger intertwine.

🎰 Neon-lit casinos 🏙️ Urban nightlife 🏜️ Desert outposts 🛥️ Luxury yacht

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 14:04

Main Characters – Mike Hammer: Murder Takes All (1989)

Meet the key characters of Mike Hammer: Murder Takes All (1989), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Brad Peters (Jim Carrey)

Carl Durant's meticulous accountant who becomes an uneasy ally to Hammer. He arranges a trip to Bundy's desert ranch and provides information that sharpens Hammer's pursuit of the truth. Brad's pragmatism keeps him involved, even as danger looms over his own head.

🤝 Ally 💼 Accountant 🧭 Guide

Mike Hammer (Stacy Keach)

A hard‑boiled private investigator who refuses to back down when framed for murder. He is abducted in Las Vegas and endures a relentless scramble to clear his name. Hammer relentlessly follows clues and confronts powerful enemies to uncover the real killer and protect those he cares about.

🕵️ Detective 🧭 Relentless 💼 Private Eye

Helen Durant (Lynda Carter)

Wealthy socialite and Carl Durant's wife, whose charm masks a ruthless motive for revenge. She orchestrates murders to cover financial and reputational misdeeds tied to a telethon and a clinic. Helen's manipulations drive the plot as she tries to silence the truth and safeguard her family’s image.

🧠 Manipulative 💼 Socialite 🧭 Calculating

Carl Durant (John Calvin)

A physician and husband to Helen, who raised Amy and served as the family’s public face. His death by a booby-trapped door reveals the depth of the conspiracy and the lengths people will go to protect their secrets. Carl's role as healer contrasts with the deception that surrounds him.

🩺 Doctor 🧭 Family man 🗝️ Hidden truth

Amy Durant (Stacy Galina)

Carl and Helen's daughter, whose paternity becomes a flashpoint in the case. Amy navigates a tangle of lies about her parentage, ultimately learning to rely on herself and the people who prove their loyalty. Her fate underscores the cost of cruelty and secrecy within a family.

👩 Daughter 🔎 Identity 🧡 Innocence tested

Johnny Roman (Edward Winter)

A famous entertainer whose romantic history with Helen and his role as Amy's biological father drive key motives. He is killed in a booby-trapped setup, and his diary becomes a catalyst for the plot’s revelations. Johnny's past actions ripple through the present, exposing long-buried secrets.

🎤 Entertainer 🗝️ Diary fuel 🕵️‍♂️ Motive

Leora Van Treas (Michelle Phillips)

Security officer supervisor who becomes a pivotal informant within the Hilton. She reveals that the attacker is Bundy and plays a crucial role in Hammer's eventual confrontation with the true mastermind. Leora embodies the tough, procedural side of casino security.

🛡️ Security 🧭 Informant 🗝️ Key reveal

William Bundy (Royce D. Applegate)

The primary antagonist who is implicated as the attacker behind Hammer’s ordeals. Bundy’s involvement ties into the desert ranch, the duplicated accounts, and the broader scheme to profit from secrets and extortion. He is eventually murdered, catalyzing the unraveling of the plot.

🧩 Antagonist 🗺️ Desert ties 🕳️ Hidden agenda

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 14:04

Major Themes – Mike Hammer: Murder Takes All (1989)

Explore the central themes of Mike Hammer: Murder Takes All (1989), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🎭 Deceit Motives

The narrative hinges on hidden agendas and falsified clues that drive the murders and misdirection. Characters conceal true relationships and intentions, creating a web Hammer must untangle. Diary entries and forged documents become weapons in a larger scheme of revenge and control. The pursuit of truth continually clashes with appearances designed to protect powerful interests.

🕵️ Truth Pursuit

Hammer's investigation pushes through layers of deceit as he pursues the real killer. Clues are manipulated, and allies may be unreliable, forcing him to rely on counterintelligence and grit. The security apparatus within the Hilton and the desert ranch slowly yields the responsible party. The narrative turns on the moment when buried facts surface and align with Hammer’s deductions.

💥 Peril Escape

The plot escalates into physical danger, from rooftop pursuits to a booby-trapped yacht explosion. Characters gamble with life as they chase truth through deserts, docks, and locked rooms. Hammer survives close calls, using both wit and nerve to outmaneuver killers. The danger serves as a crucible that tests loyalty, resolve, and the will to protect innocents.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 14:04

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Mike Hammer: Murder Takes All Summary

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Mike Hammer: Murder Takes All Summary

Mike Hammer: Murder Takes All Timeline

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Mike Hammer: Murder Takes All Timeline

More About Mike Hammer: Murder Takes All

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