"Dressed to Kill," a crime thriller from 1980 directed by Brian De Palma, evokes the style of classic suspense films like those made by Hitchcock. The story centers on a married woman living in Manhattan (Angie Dickinson) who makes a regrettable choice that results in a crime being seen by a high-class prostitute (Nancy Allen). A therapist, played by Michael Caine, along with a detective (Dennis Franz) and a young computer expert (Keith Gordon), become involved in the effort to figure out what happened. The film draws inspiration from several sources; you’ll notice elements reminiscent of “Rear Window,” “North by Northwest,” “Psycho,” and even De Palma's earlier work, "Carrie." Certain scenes set on the subway have a feel similar to “The Warriors,” while the overall tone carries an exaggerated quality that recalls “A Touch of Evil.” The movie explores themes related to sexual desire, specifically the longing some women experience for attention, as well as male arousal. If those topics are something you’d prefer to avoid, this might not be for you. Being a product of its time, "Dressed to Kill" unfolds at a deliberate pace. An extended art museum sequence in the opening act, lasting nine minutes and containing no dialogue, is one example; it's likely that contemporary audiences will consider it slow and drawn out, even though I didn’t find it bothersome. The same could be said for the unusually long conclusion, which also didn’t bother me personally. Nancy Allen was De Palma’s wife at the time of filming in 1979; their marriage ended in 1983. He presents her favorably onscreen despite her character's profession, although some viewers have described her scenes featuring black lingerie as bordering on soft-core pornography. She also appeared in De Palma's films "Carrie," "Home Movies," and “Blow Out.” It’s probably best to watch this film without knowing too much about it beforehand. The conclusion contains a surprising twist that wouldn’t be permitted today due to concerns of “political correctness”—and I say that with some skepticism. The movie has a running time of one hour and forty-four minutes, and was filmed in Manhattan, with the art museum scenes shot in Philadelphia. I give it a B grade.

Source on TMDB