Line #30 Film/Bound1996


1	[[quoteright:291:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/bound1_5734.jpg]][[caption-width-right:291:''[[TagLine For money. For murder. For each other.]]'']]
2
3	''Bound'' is a 1996 independent crime thriller directed by Creator/TheWachowskis.
4
5	It is about [[LipstickLesbian Violet]] (Creator/JenniferTilly), a closeted lesbian prostitute and mob moll who longs to escape her relationship with mob money-launderer Caesar (Creator/JoePantoliano). When she meets ex-con [[ButchLesbian Corky]] (Creator/GinaGershon) hired to renovate the next-door apartment, the two women hatch a scheme to steal $2 million of Mafia money.
6
7	Though the film was a strong freshman effort by the Wachowskis and a terrifically tense thriller, [[BestKnownForTheFanservice most people remember it for the lesbian sex scene]].
8
9	No relation to [[Film/{{Bound 2015}} the 2015 film of the same name]].
10
11	----
12	!!This film provides examples of:
13
14	* AccidentalAdultery: Corky attempts to seduce a femme lesbian named Jesse sitting in the lesbian bar they're at. Unfortunately for Corky, Jesse is already taken and her butch girlfriend is a cop on duty.
15	* ArmouredClosetGay: Corky assumed Violet to be this and the reason why she sleeps with a lot of men. Violet tells her that she is not ashamed of being a lesbian and she only sleeps with men for money.
16	%%* AssholeVictim: Johnnie and later, Caesar. Caesar thinks Johnnie is a complete idiot and Johnnie thinks he can run Chicago just because his father is Gino Marzzarone, head of the Marzzarone family. Both men treat the people horribly so it's a relief when they're finally killed.
17	* BadassBoast: Violet to Caesar as he holds her and Corky tied up at gunpoint.
18	-->'''Caesar:''' What did she do to you?
19	-->'''Violet:''' Everything you couldn't.
20	* BadVibrations: There is a closeup of the toilet water throwing ripples before we cut to the other side of the wall where Shelly gets tortured by the mob.
21	* BaitAndSwitchAccusation: Caesar is terrified when Mickey notices that the furniture in the apartment has moved. He is relieved when Mickey guesses this to be Violet's idea.
22	* TheBeard: Caesar is this unknowingly to his prostitute girlfriend Violet, who is a closeted lesbian.
23	* BetterPartnerAssertion: Violet brags to Caesar's face that her lesbian lover Corky did everything that Caesar couldn't.
24	* BitchSlap: Violet slaps Caesar when he jokingly remarks that Johnnie could've bought her affection with the $2 million dollars.
25	* BigNo: Caesar screams this when Violet runs away from him.
26	* BisexualLoveTriangle: Both the male Caesar and the female Corky are competing for the affections of Violet. Caesar is dating Violet but she's actually a lesbian and in love with Corky.
27	* BlameTheParamour: Caesar holds Corky in contempt not only because she's a lesbian, but because she stole Violet from him and turned her into a different person.
28	* BloodFromTheMouth: Johnnie and later [[spoiler: Caesar]], both after receiving shots into knee/chest. Corky also bleeds from the side of her mouth after getting tied up and beaten by Caesar.
29	* BloodIsSquickerInWater: In toilet water. [[spoiler: And in white paint.]]
30	* BluffingTheAuthorities: Caesar kills three people in his apartment with his gun. Alerted by a neighbor, the police arrive at the scene shortly after to investigate. Caesar tricks them into believing that the shots came from the TV which he had on loud volume because of his (alleged) hearing impairment and the battery for his earpiece going flat. The officers believe his story and leave.
31	* BodyMotifs: Hands. The women make love [[IntertwinedFingers with their hands]], while the mafiosos cut off fingers.
32	* BoundAndGagged: Given Lana Wachowski's S&M interests, this should come as little surprise. [[spoiler: Corky and Violet are bound with rope and scarves and held captive at gunpoint by her jealous boyfriend Caesar]].
33	* BreakupMakeupScenario: Corky and Violet stop speaking to one another after their argument about her prostituting herself to men, only to reconcile when they both can't take the sounds of Caesar and his men torturing Shelly.
34	* BuildingOfAdventure: Most of the action takes place within the building where Caesar and Violet live.
35	* ButchLesbian: Corky is more masculine than Violet. Gina Gershon modeled her performance on Creator/JamesDean. She has very short hair and masculine attire similar to a 50s greaser. The character was probably intended to look more "butch" than she ended up, judging by the scene where Caesar mistakes her for a man in dim light.
36	* TheCharmer: According to Violet, Johnnie hits on anything in high heels. He even hits on Violet right in front of Caesar.
37	* ChekhovsBoomerang:
38	** The pruning shears. First used on Shelly, then tried again on Violet and used by Corky to escape.
39	** Johnnie's cellphone was used by him in order to "make a bet" and then by Violet to help Caesar in order to trick Mickey into thinking that Gino and Johnnie got into a car accident and they are currently in the hospital and make him leave the apartment and then again by Violet in the building's elevator when she was chased by Caesar, she called Mickey and said that he needs to return to the apartment as soon as possible.
40	* ChewingTheScenery: Well, more like [[PunchAWall punching]] the scenery, but Caesar gets rather... demented towards the middle, especially when he's searching Johnnie's apartment.
41	* ClickHello: This is how Caesar greets Corky in his apartment after the latter sneaked in to rescue Violet.
42	* ColorMotif: The apartments and characters have a green color scheme with some black and white, dashed with the red of blood and Violet's dress, but very little blue. The only real blue is in the uniforms of the policemen who represent the real world lying beyond the tight realm of the gangsters.
43	* ConcealingCanvas: Caesar looks behind all the paintings at Johnnie's place in the hope to find a safe with the money.
44	* ConvenientlyTimedDistraction:
45	** Mickey calls JustInTime when Caesar is about to [[MutilationInterrogation cut Violet's finger off]].
46	** Violet later gives Caesar an unexpected EscapeCall from the other apartment right when Mickey was about to unlock the briefcase.
47	* CoolOldGuy: Mickey. [[{{Fingore}} Cruelly efficient]] towards Shelly, compassionate towards Violet, and the one guy who scares Caesar shitless even after [[spoiler: the latter killed Gino and Johnnie]].
48	* CopeByPretending: Violet used to block out the sounds of Caesar torturing men with ease and tune herself out and tell herself that she wasn't really there and it wasn't happening.
49	* CountryMatters: Caesar calls Corky the C word when she refuses to tell him where the money is hidden.
50	* CureYourGays: Caesar believes he can force Violet to be his girlfriend even after finding out that she is a lesbian.
51	* DefensiveFailure: Subverted. The feminine Violet seems reluctant to shoot Caesar. He tries to [[YouWouldntShootMe talk her down]] in a most patronizing manner, telling her that she does not have the resolve nor the will to fire the gun. Violet does fire, but not before delivering a calm and collected PreAsskickingOneLiner. And she doesn't feel any remorse afterwards.
52	* DesecratingTheDead: Caesar trash-talks Johnnie's corpse.
53	* DisposingOfABody: Discussed. Caesar plans to dump the dead mobsters in a lake.
54	* TheDon: Gino's brother and Johnnie's uncle, Angelo Marzzone. He doesn't appear in person, but he was mentioned by Corky and Caesar.
55	* DoorHandleScare: Mickey uses a HairpinLockpick to open the apartment door from the outside while Caesar and Violet are distracted inside. There are several close-ups on the door handle and how Mickey finally succeeds to unbolt it.
56	* DramaticDrop: Caesar lets the rope and plastic bags drop when he spots Violet talking on the phone.
57	* DramaticGunCock: Caesar does this when pointing his gun at Johnnie.
58	* ElevatorEscape: After the StairwellChase down to the lobby, Violet escapes Caesar by taking the elevator up again.
59	* EvilVsEvil: Caesar vs. Johnnie. Caesar can't stand Johnnie because of his callous, hot-headed nature, while Johnnie thinks Caesar deserves to give him automatic respect because his father and uncle are powerful mafia men who run Chicago.
60	* FaceCam: Used for the moment when Caesar is shocked to find out that the money is gone from his briefcase.
61	* FadeToWhite: Caesar's [[spoiler: death in the puddle of white paint]] transition to the epilogue via a fade to white.
62	* FauxAffablyEvil: Caesar. Violet already knew this, but Corky found this out the hard way.
63	%%* FemmeFatale: Violet is one and she is well aware of it. She dresses seductively, she is able to charm people around her with her looks and fast talking wit, and she even unremorsefully kills her boyfriend Caesar after he threatened her and her lover Corky.
64	* FilmNoir: It's a lesbian neo-noir film.
65	* {{Fingore}}: During a scene of MutilationInterrogation involving pruning shears.
66	* FirstNameBasis: Aside from the Marzzones, none of the other characters' last names are mentioned, except Mickey in the credits, as his last name is revealed to be Malnato.
67	* ForcefulKiss: Caesar plans a kiss on the reluctant Violet while he's threatening her at gunpoint.
68	* FootprintsOfMuck: Invoked. Corky tricks Caesar by creating footsteps with her boots in paint but when he follows them she attacks him barefoot from behind.
69	* {{Gayngst}}: Corky assumed this of Violet, telling her no matter how men she sleeps with, she will always be a closeted lesbian.
70	* GenderBlenderName: Sheldon AKA 'Shelly'. While Shelly is typically a unisex name for both boys and girls, the person bearing the nickname Shelly is male.
71	* GirlsBehindBars: The film invokes this trope by depicting ButchLesbian Corky (Creator/GinaGershon) as a former inmate.
72	* GilliganCut: Corky says she wants to see the money first before helping Violet steal money from the mob. Cue the very next scene of Caesar carrying a large grocery bag full of blood soaked money into his apartment.
73	* GreenEyedMonster: Corky is not happy when she hears Violet having sex with Shelly through the apartment walls. Violet clears it up for her.
74	* GoofyPrintUnderwear: When Caesar dries the money with the hot iron, we find out that our tough gangster wears dotted shorts.
75	* HairpinLockpick: Corky uses a pin she wears as an earring to pick open the suitcase and later the apartment door. Mickey manages to get himself into the apartment using the same technique.
76	* HeadTurningBeauty: Of the named characters in the film, only Gino, Roy, and Lou don't, at some point, express an interest in Violet.
77	* HeartbeatSoundtrack: Caesar's heartbeat can be heard when Mickey prepares to unlock the briefcase.
78	* HotBlooded: Johnnie, which is part of the reason Caesar hates him.
79	* HowWeGotHere: The opening scene is actually from the middle of the plot -- Corky BoundAndGagged in the closet. Then we revert back to how it all began.
80	* IncompatibleOrientation: All the men who tried to win over Violet's affection. Shelly was in love with Violet despite knowing that she was a lesbian. Caesar loves Violet but she doesn't reciprocate his feelings for obvious reasons. Johnnie hits on Violet all the time.
81	* IfICantHaveYou: When Violet tries to leave Caesar and his mob lifestyle, Caesar threatens to kill her and he tries to kill her lover Corky.
82	* IKissYourHand: Johnnie kisses Violet's hand much to Caesar's dismay.
83	* InLoveWithTheGangstersGirl: A lesbian ex-con falls in love with a mafioso's girl, and the girl reciprocates. Then they hatch a scheme to get rid of him, which ends up backfiring on them when he proves to be far more resourceful than either of them anticipated.
84	* InstantDeathBullet: [[spoiler: Gino and his security guard, Roy, both die in a quick death. Averted with Johnnie]].
85	* InterruptedIntimacy: Violet and Corky are pleasuring each other on the couch when Caesar bursts in.
86	* IntertwinedFingers: Corky and Violet's final scene together--an especially nice touch considering what [[{{Fingore}} other things]] happened to fingers in ''this'' movie.
87	* JealousRomanticWitness: Corky gets very jealous when she sees Violet invite her male client Shelly into her apartment for sex.
88	* {{Jerkass}}: Johnnie, big time. He definitely takes advantage of being the son of a powerful mobster and constantly rubs it in everyone's faces, especially in Caesar's face. He also [[KickThemWhileTheyAreDown kicks Shelly while he lies unconscious on the bathroom floor]].
89	* KarmaHoudini: [[spoiler: Violet]] getting away with killing [[spoiler: Caesar]] and stealing the money along with [[spoiler: Corky]].
90	%%* KilledOffscreen: Shelly. His death happens off-screen and then Caesar arrives covered in his blood with a large bag of cash and goes into great detail about Shelly's murder to Violet.
91	* LadyInRed: FemmeFatale Violet spends a good chunk of the film in a sexy red dress.
92	* LadyLooksLikeADude: Corky is apparently so masculine that Caesar mistakes her for a man in dim light, which isn't very believable given how she actually looks (albeit he saw her from the back at first).
93	* LeftTheBackgroundMusicOn: Dramatic music builds steadily with the onscreen approach of the antagonist until the old b/w detective movie on the television is switched off, taking the music with it.
94	* LipstickLesbian: Violet, who has long hair, a girlish manner much of the time and mostly wears nice dresses, is a lesbian who falls for Corky (who's very butch in comparison).
95	* LiquidCourage: Violet and Corky prepare for their sex scene by drinking tequila.
96	* LongingLook: Violet throws looks at Corky during their first encounter in the elevator and corridor.
97	* LoudGulp: Caesar does this when Mickey reveals that he didn't need a key to open the door to Caesar's apartment and attempts to open the empty case of money with his lockpick.
98	* AMacGuffinFullOfMoney: The briefcase full of $2 million of stolen Mafia money Violet and Corky aim to steal from the Mafia themselves.
99	* TheMafia: Caesar is in it, and the girls try to drive a wedge between them as the crux of their con.
100	* MasculineFeminineGayCouple: Corky is a leather jacket-wearing thief who now works as a contractor and gets mistaken for a man in dim light. Violet is a FemmeFatale. They become a couple.
101	* MirrorMonologue: Downplayed. After her first sexual encounter with Violet, Corky asks herself in the bathroom mirror what she is doing.
102	* MsFanservice: Corky and Violet are both attractive in different ways. They have a long sex scene together, where both are seen topless.
103	* MultipleGunshotDeath: Violet empties a clip on Caesar after he unsuccessfully tried a YouWouldntShootMe.
104	* MutilationInterrogation: A mobster steals a couple of million dollars from his employers. Despite a savage beating, he refuses to tell them where he's hidden it. Then one of the mobsters produces pruning shears, holds the guy's hands over a toilet bowl, and says: "I'm going to ask you ten times."
105	* MurderTheHypotenuse: Caesar attempts to murder Corky so that he could have Violet all to himself.
106	* NeverMyFault: Caesar blames Violet for his murdering Gino. Violet is quick to remind Caesar that he murdered Gino with his own hands and it was all his wrongdoing.
107	* NoBisexuals: A jealous Corky insists that they both know Violet is a "little dyke" deep down inside, and Violet insists to Corky that she really is a lesbian and that her having sex with men is just only to make money. No possibility of bisexuality is discussed In-universe.
108	* NotGoodWithRejection: When Violet attempts to pack up her belongings and leave for good, Caesar doesn't take it very well and takes both Violet and Corky hostage.
109	* NotSoDifferentRemark: It's spelled out [[spoiler: in the last line in the movie.]]
110	-->'''Corky:''' You know what the difference is between you and me, Violet?\
111	'''Violet:''' No.\
112	'''Corky:''' Me neither.
113	* OhCrap:
114	** Corky stops trying to chat up a femme lesbian named Jesse in the bar when she sees Jesse's girlfriend flashing her badge.
115	** Corky and Violet immediately scramble to make themselves look normal when Caesar opens the door and almost catches them having sex on his couch.
116	* TheOner: The main sex scene was filmed in one long shot, as Creator/TheWachowskis believed that the continuous shot would be more realistic than several shots edited together.
117	%%* OneWordTitle: The film is titled with only a singular word, "Bound".
118	* OutlawCouple: A lesbian version; a female ex-con hooks up with a gangster's girlfriend.
119	* PhoneyCall: Caesar gets a call from Violet and pretends it's Gino Marzzone letting him know that he got into an accident.
120	* PizzaBoySpecialDelivery: The plumber version is invoked when Violet asks Corky to help her get the earring from the drainpipe. Seduction ensues.
121	* PointOfNoReturn: Corky mentions during the UnfoldingPlanMontage that after she places the paperweight into the suitcase, there is no turning back.
122	* PoliticallyIncorrectVillain: Caesar refers to Corky as "a dyke" and comments that [[{{Irony}} 'her kind can't be trusted.']]
123	* PreMortemOneLiner: When [[spoiler: Violet]] has a gun aimed at [[spoiler: Caesar]].
124	--> "You don't want to shoot me, [[spoiler: Vi]], do you? Do you? You won't shoot me."
125	-->"[[spoiler: Caesar]], you don't know ''shit''."
126	* PreserveYourGays: [[spoiler: Violet and Corky are just about the only major characters still alive at the end, ''and'' they get to drive off into the sunset with the money.]]
127	* PunctuatedForEmphasis: Caesar, tipping his gun against Corky's chin: "Where ... is ... my ... money?"
128	* QueerFlowers: The main character is a lesbian and named Violet.
129	* QueerRomance: Closeted lesbian prostitute and mob moll Violet is drawn to ex-con Corky. They get involved while hatching a scheme to rob $2 million from the Mafia.
130	* TheQuietOne: Gino and Mickey's security guards, Roy and Lou.
131	* RansackedRoom: We see the aftermath of Caesar turning Johnnie's apartment upside down in his search for the money.
132	* RealMenTakeItBlack: When Violet stops by Corky's apartment one morning to offer her a cup of coffee, the coffee is served black with no cream. Violet assumes that Corky takes her coffee black and Corky accepts the drink.
133	* RemovingTheRival: Caesar sees Corky as competition for Violet's love and attempts to get rid of her through murder.
134	* RidingIntoTheSunset: [[spoiler: Violet and Corky]] drive off with the loot to [[StartingANewLife begin a new life]].
135	* RightThroughTheWall: Corky hears Violet and Shelly having sex due to the apartment's thin walls, as well as Ceasar having sex with Violet.
136	* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: Not wanting to risk going back to jail because her potential love interest Jesse's girlfriend is a cop, Corky leaves the bar immediately but not before telling her taken love interest to call her when she's single.
137	* SexyDiscretionShot: The third time Corky and Violet have sex, it happens off-screen, it is hidden by the apartment walls, and only Violet's moans are heard throughout.
138	* SeparatedByTheWall: With Corky and Violet in adjacent apartments.
139	* ShortDistancePhoneCall: Played for drama when Caesar calls the last number Violet dialed and hears the phone ringing next door.
140	* ShowerOfLove: Caesar lies about doing this with Violet as an excuse to fool mob man Mickey.
141	* ShoutOut: Corky tells a taken femme lesbian named Jesse who she previously attempted to pick up in the bar, "When you get tired of ''Series/CagneyAndLacey'' over here, give me a call".
142	* ShownTheirWork: The Wachowskis had Susie Bright advise them on lesbian sex and culture.
143	* SleevesAreForWimps: Creator/GinaGershon as Corky consistently wears tank tops.
144	* SpannerInTheWorks: Violet's and Corky's caper works out as planned until Caesar comes up with his idea to follow Johnnie and take Violet with him.
145	* StairwellChase: Caesar chases after Violet down the building's staircase.
146	* StartingANewLife: [[spoiler: Violet and Corky in the end]].
147	* SuspiciouslyAproposMusic:
148	** The Aretha Franklin song "I Never Loved A Man (The Way I Love You)" plays out at the lesbian bar as Corky attempts to charm another woman.
149	** The Ray Charles song "Hallelujah I Love Her So" plays out as Corky goes to work noticeably more happy because she's in love with Violet.
150	* {{Swirlie}}: Shelly gets a toilette waterboarding treatment.
151	* TapOnTheHead: Caesar knocks Violet out with the butt of his gun. Corky goes out after a kick to the chin from Caesar.
152	* TattooedCrook: Corky sports a labrys, a symbol of lesbianism and feminine strength. She's a {{butch lesbian}} and ex-con.
153	* TheGhost: Mr. Bianchini, who is Corky's employer and the manager of the apartment complex [[BuildingOfAdventure where most of the action takes place]].
154	* TomboyAndGirlyGirl: A classic LipstickLesbian and ButchLesbian pairing.
155	* TomboyishName: Corky, a typical male name, given to a ButchLesbian.
156	* UnfoldingPlanMontage: While Corky explains the details of the plan, we see a montage of how events are playing out.
157	* UnsettlingGenderReveal: Caesar is embarrassed when he mistakes Corky for a man due to his apartment being so dark.
158	* UnspokenPlanGuarantee: The plan had to fail thanks to Corky laying out the details involving an UnfoldingPlanMontage.
159	* WaterWakeup: Caesar uses this technique to wake up Violet after the TapOnTheHead, as well as Corky after the kick to the chin.
160	* WhatAreYouInFor: Ceasar has no qualms asking Corky that question on their first encounter. She doesn't give him an answer but later reveals to Vi that she did those five years for burglary.
161	* WhereEverybodyKnowsYourFlame: Early on, Corky visits a lesbian bar called "The Watering Hole", which establishes her orientation (you know, assuming anybody [[ButchLesbian didn't already guess]]).
162	* WhiteShirtOfDeath: Caesar in his white shirt standing in a room-wide puddle of pure white paint, to boot.
163	* WhosLaughingNow: Caesar both plays the trope straight and says the tagline almost verbatim. He also gets... [[EvilFeelsGood rather]] [[MadnessMantra animated]] while doing so.
164	-->'''Caesar:''' I'm a dead man, Johnnie? I'm a fucking dead man? Guess again, Johnnie. Who's the dead man? Who? Who's dead, fuckface? Who? Who? I can't hear you, Johnnie. Guess again. Take another guess, Johnnie. Take another fucking guess!"
165	* WindowLove: Violet and Corky do the opaque-barrier version, putting their hands on the dividing wall between them.
166	* WouldHitAGirl: Caesar. Both Violet and Corky have to learn that.
167	* WrenchWench: Corky is a handywoman whose romance with Violet (Creator/JenniferTilly) begins with wielding a wrench for her.
168	-->'''Corky:''' You dropped that earring down the sink on purpose, didn't you?
169	* XanatosSpeedChess: Caesar is madly scrambling to outwit his perceived enemy and find the money while Violet and Corky madly scramble to steer him in the right direction in order to make him skip town. Caesar turns out to be much smarter than they'd anticipated.
170	* {{Yandere}}: Caesar is not willing to let Violet walk out of his life when she gets tired of his violent mob life. He is also quick to assume that if Violet is not with him, then she's against him.
171	* YouHaveGotToBeKiddingMe: Caesar repeatedly says this when he sees that the person breaking into his apartment and double crossing him is Corky.
172	* YouNeedToGetLaid: Violet tells herself and another patron at the lesbian bar that she needs to get laid.
173	* YouWouldntShootMe: At the end, Violet has a gun on Caesar:
174	-->[[spoiler: '''Caesar:''']] You don't want to shoot me, [[spoiler: Vi]].... Do you? Do you? I know you don't.\
175	[[spoiler: '''Violet:''']] [[spoiler: Caesar]], you don't know shit. [[spoiler: ''(Shoots him.)'']]

Context Film / Bound1996