The Fan (1981): cast, story & where to watch
1981 · Film · ★ 5.9
Released in 1981, The Fan is a thriller, drama and horror film directed by Ed Bianchi, running about 95 minutes. “The final act is murder.” — that tagline sets the tone.
What it’s about. A record store clerk is an obsessed fan of an actress of stage and screen. However, when faced with rejection, the fan strikes out in increasingly violent ways.
Who’s in it. The Fan stars Lauren Bacall as Sally Ross, James Garner as Jake Berman, Maureen Stapleton as Belle Goldman and Hector Elizondo as Police Inspector Raphael Andrews, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 5.9/10, The Fan has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response. It went on to earn $3.1M at the box office.
Where to watch. In US you can stream it on fuboTV, Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential and Paramount+ Amazon Channel and rent or buy it from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies and YouTube. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch The Fan page.
If you liked it. Fans of The Fan tend to enjoy The Dark Knight, Pulp Fiction, Parasite and Fight Club.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch The Fan (1981)?
- In US, The Fan is available to stream on fuboTV, Paramount Plus Premium and Paramount Plus Essential, and rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Google Play Movies. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is The Fan worth watching?
- The Fan holds an audience score of 5.9 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy thriller, drama and horror. Reactions are mixed, so it may depend on taste.
- Who stars in The Fan?
- The Fan stars Lauren Bacall, James Garner, Maureen Stapleton, Hector Elizondo and Michael Biehn.
- When was The Fan released?
- The Fan was released in 1981, with a runtime of about 95 minutes.