Dead of Winter is a 1987 American horror thriller film, directed by Arthur Penn and starring Mary Steenburgen, who plays three roles.

On New Year's Eve, a woman retrieves a satchel full of cash from a train station's locker and drives into an empty parking lot.

In New York City, struggling actress Katie McGovern lives in a cramped apartment with her out-of-work husband, Rob Sweeney.

The pair drive upstate into the midst of a snowstorm and arrive at the secluded home of Dr. Joseph Lewis, a paraplegic who uses a wheelchair.

Dr. Lewis explains that Katie has been hired to replace Julie Rose, an actress who had a nervous breakdown during a film shoot.

She was picked due to her remarkable physical resemblance, as the plan is to still use the footage shot with Julie with new film of Katie.

The following day, Mr. Murray cuts and dyes Katie's hair to match the photos of Julie.

Her barricade undisturbed, Katie quickly finds the secret door to the attic, which has a working phone.

As Dr. Lewis redresses her finger, he explains that Julie was involved in a vicious family feud with her sister, Evelyn.

Being pleased with Julie's progress, he did not expect Evelyn to kill her, ordering a hit man to take her finger as proof.

[4] In Janet Maslin's review for The New York Times, she wrote, "When a director approaches Gothic horror with this much enthusiasm, the results are bound to be as merry as they are frightening.

"[5] Roger Ebert gave the film two and a half out of four, and concluded that, "The movie itself is finally just an exercise in silliness – great effort to little avail – but the actors have fun with it, the sets work and there are one or two moments with perfect surprises.

"[6] Writing for The Washington Post, Paul Attanasio stated that Steenburgen "manages with élan an assignment that has her playing three parts".