Crime of Passion

Starring:Barbara Stanwyck, Sterling Hayden, Raymond Burr, Fay Wray, Virginia Grey, Royal Dano, Robert Griffin, Dennis Cross, Jay Adler, Stuart Whitman, Malcolm Atterbury, Robert Quarry, Gail Bonney, Joe Conley, Patricia Merlin, Hal Taggart, Kenner G. Kemp, Eddie Kafafian, Ralph Brooks, Madelon Erin
Director: Gerd Oswald
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
Product Type: DVD

Average customer rating:

Best movie Kevin Costner has ever made! An exceptional film!
Kostner at his best.
No Way
If you love conspiracy, you will love this movie too!
High caliber thriller!

No Way Out
Starring: Kevin Costner , Gene Hackman , Sean Young , Will Patton , and Howard Duff
Director: Roger Donaldson
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 0792844874
Release Date: 2000-04-25

Amazon.com

This implausible, but effective 1987 film stars Kevin Costner (Bull Durham, Wyatt Earp) as a naval officer and CIA agent who may not be what he seems. This sexy thriller is an espionage mystery and an enigmatic character study of two men trying to be faithful to the loyalties they hold. Costner begins a torrid love affair with the mistress (Sean Young) of the Secretary of Defense, but when she turns up dead, Costner is implicated in a web of intrigue that threatens national security and exposes personal secrets at the highest levels. The Secretary and his men try to cover up the affair while simultaneously searching for a Soviet mole in their ranks. Featuring an exciting chase sequence through the Washington, D.C., subways, No Way Out is a standard issue thriller that nonetheless keeps the action coming. --Robert Lane

Description

Imagine being a hunter leading highly trained bloodhounds in pursuit of a killer...and the trail leads directly to you! Starring Academy-AwardÂ(r) winners Kevin Costner* and Gene Hackman,** No Way Out is "a mesmerizing look at Washington power" (The Hollywood Reporter).Capturing a well-deserved four stars from critic Roger Ebert, this "taut [and] stylish" (Newsweek) thriller is fast-paced and powerful"a perfect nailbiter" (Variety)! In a fit of rage, Secretary of Defense David Brice (Hackman) murders his mistress. To keep a lid on the scandal, Brice's loyal aide (Will Patton) creates the perfect cover-up: he "invents" a more enticing killera Russian spyand then enlists naval commander Tom Farrell (Costner) to find him. But as achilling twist of fate would have it, Farrell also has a strong connection to the victim and now all the clues he's been hired to uncover are leading straight to him! In a desperate race against time, Farrell's search for the killer is not only a matter of national security, but also a matter of saving his own hide. *1990: Director and Picture, Dances with Wolves **1971:Actor, The French Connection; 1992: Supporting Actor, Unforgiven

Customer Reviews:

Best movie Kevin Costner has ever made! An exceptional film! .......2007-03-28

Shel Natowsky, Ph.D.

This movie is Costner's best, without any hesitation. The performances by Hackman and Sean Young are also flawless. Supporting roles are well honed, as well. The movie has everything you could want in a film...I mean everything! The screenplay is wonderfully written, acted, directed, and presented.

Why is it that movies as superb as this one is cannot be made anymore? Everytime I run it, it never ceases to thrill me and to amaze me. If you want to see a Cold War drama that never ceases to excite and one which moves at a fever's pace, then see this one. Satisfaction guaranteed! Well done people!

Kostner at his best........2007-01-09

This early Kostner film is Kostner at his best. It demonstrates his screen magnetism and established him as a star. Great tension, twists and turns. Not a typical Hollywood ending.Great casting.

No Way.......2006-05-11

Only one * because...great actors, totally unbelievably bad plot. I also didn't like the overly synthesized background sounds or the music. Old b/w movies have had better wardrobes. The booklet was missing in the dvd case, and I doubt that I would have added another * for it.

If you love conspiracy, you will love this movie too!.......2006-02-16

This is one of the benchmark for the movies based on political drama and corruption in government departments. The story is about a secretary in Pentagon, and his attempts to cover-up the accidental killing of his mistress. The corrupt officers will not stop at anything to save the secretary from loosing his position. The defence secretary put Tom Farrell (Kevin Costner) in charge of the murder investigation and later uses him for the cover up by falsely accusing him of a being a KGB spy. The world around Farrell changes, as the people he was supposed to trust turns out to be corrupt and partners with the defence secretary. Go for this movie if you like the conspiracy and political thriller because till date very few movies are made up to this mark.

High caliber thriller!.......2005-09-30

Desire and seduction, murder and cover up, scandal and intrigue, half truths and false promises of patriotism; where the duty lies beyond the flatter and the appearance must become a politically correct matter. In this sense this Neo Noir Film transcends the anecdote in a very linked similar profile with classics of the genre such as Pick Up on South Street or Kiss me deadly where the personal destinies are tied with the another dark side of the ethic.

Costner is an actor who is not precisely among my favorite ones, but I must acknowledge all the possible credits for this role, the alluring, irresistible and captivating of Sean Young as Femme Fatale and the worthy acting of Will Patton plus the presence of this giant actor as Hackman making of the sophisticated villain conform a magnificent cast that support the admirable camera work of Roger Donaldson who made until now, his most interesting work.

A magnificent remake of the Big Clock.

Average customer rating:

The Postman Always Rings Twice
a very sexy example of the film noir genre, at its best.....
Tale of Obsession
One ofthe best of its kind
in the time of film noir

The Postman Always Rings Twice
Starring: Lana Turner , John Garfield , Cecil Kellaway , Hume Cronyn , and Leon Ames
Director: Tay Garnett , and David Heeley
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
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ASIN: B0000EYUCU
Release Date: 2004-01-06

Amazon.com essential video

Even under the heavy censorship of 1946 Hollywood, Lana Turner and John Garfield's libidinous desires burn up the screen in Tay Garnett's adaptation of James M. Cain's torrid crime melodrama. Platinum blond Turner is Cora, a restless sexpot stuck in a roadside diner married to mundane middle-aged fry cook Nick Smith (Cecil Kellaway) when handsome drifter Frank (Garfield) blows her way. It's lust at first sight, a rapacious desire that neither can break off, and before long they're plotting his demise--but in the wicked world of Cain nothing is that easy. Garnett's visual approach is subdued compared to the more expressionistic film noir of the period, but he's at no loss when he films the luminous Turner in her milky-white wardrobe. She radiates repressed sexuality and uncontrollable passion while Garfield's smart-talking loner Frank mixes street-smart swagger and scrappy toughness with vulnerability and sincere intensity. Costar Hume Cronyn cuts a cold, calculating figure as their conniving lawyer, a chilly character that only increases our feelings for the murderous couple, victims of an all consuming amour fou that drives their passions to extremes. --Sean Axmaker

Description

Adapted from James M. Cain's story, the film relolves around the destructive relationship of two lovers whose troubles mount after they do away with her husband.

Customer Reviews:

The Postman Always Rings Twice.......2007-06-25

Tay Garnett's sizzling "Postman," adapted from the pulp novel by James M. Cain, concerns fate, temptation, and the kind of irrational urges that drive people to murder. A gorgeous Lana Turner bewitches as the femme fatale, and enigmatic, underrated actor John Garfield plays the regular Joe who falls into her clutches. Garnett's direction is solid and tantalizingly suggestive, as when Frank spots a lipstick rolling across the floor moments before he lays eyes on Cora. Garnett's "Postman" delivers the goods.

a very sexy example of the film noir genre, at its best............2007-05-20

Cora (Lana Turner) is a very beautiful and frustrated woman, married to middle aged fry cook, Nick (Cecil Kellaway), residing with him in a small town that seems way too small for her tastes. Enter Frank (John Garfield), a handsome loner, who arrives at their door, one day. Cora and Frank are instantly drawn to each other, of course. The problem that stands in their way is her husband. What a pesky problem! Together, the two plot to murder Nick, so they can be together. Of course, this does not go according to plan.

This grizzly, sexually charged story said so much with so little (back at a time when even depicting "so little" granted you a firm rap on the knuckles from the MPAA censorship board). Lana Turner glows in a series of white ensembles that she clearly fills out quite pleasingly. What's more, no one ever made lipstick look so sexy before. In fact, Lana Turner's character made lipstick even more popular, after this film came out! Just a little trivia. The acting is wonderful, the plot is engrossing and there is a delicious feeling of dark forboding from this film, one of the best example of sexy film noir (literally, "black film") stories ever! This puts the murder mysteries of today to shame.

Tale of Obsession.......2007-04-19

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

James Cain's tale of lust, murder, and retribution has attracted the filmmakers in different countries in different times. It's been adapted in France in 1939 by Pierre Chenal as "Le Dernier tournant" aka "The Last Turn" with great Michel Simon as a husband who was an obstacle for his young wife's and her lover's happiness. Luchino Visconti told the story in his "Ossessione" (1943) aka Obsession (how appropriate). The novel was also adapted in 1998 by the Hungarian director György Fehér in the movie Szenvedély (1998)aka "Passion". Hollywood has made two films based on Cain's novel of passionate obsession; both are titled "The Postman Always Rings Twice" - in 1946 by Tay Garnett with Lana Turner in her star making role as Cora Smith and John Garfield as Frank Chambers, a drifter who looked for a job but found something completely different and in 1981 by Bob Rafelson with Jack Nicholson and Jessica Lange. I've seen later movie many years ago and all I remember well is the very hot scene between Nicholson and Lange. The earlier film that I saw few weeks ago for the first tine is different. Turner and Garfield are sizzling and although there is no single sex scene between them, the movie is genuinely sexy and perfect in creating the atmosphere of obsession and desperate desire to change the lives no matter what the price would be.
4.5/5

One ofthe best of its kind.......2007-02-25

This is one of the best film noir that was evr made. The plot is captivating, the atmosphere unique and you can feel the sensuality and tension that Lan turner and John Garfield give out. The story is very well known- a hitchaker that stops at a restasurant, falls in love with the owner's wife and they plot to kill him. Extremely well acted and with an also excellent directing and photography this is a must.
Enjoy it.

in the time of film noir.......2007-02-25

I admit to being a film noir fan of long standing. Maybe it was the fact of growing up in the time of black and white television and watching all those late night movies which were freely available at the time. Maybe it was that tight, if improbable, dialogue, the relatively simple plots and the dramatic effect of the shadows of black and white photography on mood. In any case, the Postman Always Rings Twice fits nicely into that mix. The plot line is fairly simple- unhappy California housewife, older uncaring husband and a younger man at the door who turns out to be handy with a wretch- all the ingredients for a murder. Hey, isn't this the plot for Double Indemnity. Oh well, you get the point. Of course, as always the guilty parties will have to face justice. You know this is a modern morality play, after all. In any case one should like Double Indemnity by the same author, James M. Cain, read the book to get a better feel for the language, the steamier sexual tension and better insight into the motivations of the parties. This movie was remade in color in the 1980's and is probably truer to Cain's wicked designs but this is the definitive Postman.

Average customer rating:

Underrated; Haven't Seen the Original Though
Steamy and deffinately not for the faint hearted
PAN & SCAN MARGINALIZES THE PRESENTATION
A movie about fate and lust...
GOING POSTAL

The Postman Always Rings Twice
Starring: Jack Nicholson , Jessica Lange , John Colicos , Michael Lerner , and John P. Ryan
Director: Bob Rafelson
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
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Five Easy Pieces

ASIN: 079073219X
Release Date: 1997-08-20

Amazon.com

In The Postman Always Rings Twice Jack Nicholson teamed up again with his Five Easy Pieces and King of Marvin Gardens director Bob Rafelson for this 1981 version of James M. Cain's hardboiled novel of lust and murder. This version takes a much grittier (and sexually explicit) approach to the material than the slick 1946 MGM version starring John Garfield and Lana Turner. Nicholson plays Frank Chambers, a drifter who happens upon a roadside diner run by Cora Papadakis (Jessica Lange) and her swarthy Greek husband, Nick (John Colicos). Sparks fly, and before you can say l'amour fou, Frank and Cora are making the beast with two backs on the kitchen table. One thing leads to another and they conspire to murder Nick. The movie is still a little too cold and distant to fully convey a hot-blooded passion that leads to murder, but it is a strangely haunting and disturbing film nevertheless. The screenplay is by David Mamet, the photography is by the great Sven Nykvist (Ingmar Bergman's cinematographer), and watch for Anjelica Huston in a supporting role. --Jim Emerson

Customer Reviews:

Underrated; Haven't Seen the Original Though.......2006-09-17

Director Bob Rafelson reunited with his "Five Easy Pieces" star Jack Nicholson on this film, which also stars Jessica Lange, Anjelica Huston, and briefly Christopher Lloyd (also reunited with Nicholson from "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest"). When Rafelson set out to make this film (which had already been adapted from the novel into a 1946 film starring Lana Turner), he wanted to take a detour from the original. In 1946, you weren't really allowed to show sex so the film had destroyed the whole vision of the novel. So, Rafelson has been adamant about not calling this a remake. I've never seen the original or read the book, so this is my first exposure to the material. Having said that, there's something about this film that's kind of funny...There is no postman. When we meet drifter Frank Chambers (Nicholson), he just scammed a restuarant owner named Nick (John Colicos) out of a free meal. About to leave, Nick offers him a job and Frank accepts. Problem is, Frank can't contain his feelings for Nick's wife Cora (the beautiful Jessica Lange). After Nick and Cora begin having an affair, Cora tells Nick that the only way they continue is if Nick is killed. After a failed attempt, they cool off for awhile...But eventually realize that it's something that must be done. The first hour of the film is spectacular, it sags a little in the second hour (causing me to almost give it 4 stars). But the performances are so good and the ending is so beautifully done (some complain it's abrupt, but it works to suit Nicholson's character). I don't know how this film is compared to the book and movie that inspired it, but it's a great movie. For people just looking for nudity, this isn't your movie. The sex scenes are pretty graphic, but the only nudity is Anjelica Huston side-boob.

GRADE: A-

Steamy and deffinately not for the faint hearted.......2006-07-03

Quite a different interpretantion in comparison with the version with Lana Turner. This is deffinately for people who are not conservative when it comes to sex, hate, disloyalty, etc. The performances are excellent. Jack Nicholson has always been my favourite actor and here he is his old evil self. Jessica Lange is very sensual and acts her part well. A very satisfying film when it comes to substance and something more than just sensation. Highly recommended for the serious movie fan.

PAN & SCAN MARGINALIZES THE PRESENTATION.......2006-02-26

Unfortunately, the image is cropped to full screen. Ironically, the trailer included on the disc is in 16X9!

A movie about fate and lust..........2006-02-01

Jessica Lange and Jack Nicholson star in a very dark tale of two lovers who sought freedom from their grim, quietly desperate lives in each other's arms. Unfortunately, their quest to remain together leads to the destruction of several lives, and quite possibly their own. The movie is primarily set in a rural area, where Lange's character works at a small roadside diner owned by her husband, a Greek immigrant. One of the most important elements of the film is that it never really demonizes the antagonists, and this is true with respect to the husband character - he has his faults, but he doesnt appear to be overly domineering or abusive. In any event, as fate would have it, one day a drifter appears at the diner, Nicholson's character, and soon he and Lange are making love on her kitchen work table, in one of several extremely graphic sex scenes which are peppered throughout the movie. Now, only Lange's husband stands in the way, and Nicholson and Lange decide to get rid of him. The rest of the movie depicts their attempts on the husband's life and the consequences of their actions, without judgment from the filmmakers, as the story moves to its ultimate, and ultimately shocking, conclusion.

The movie does drag at points, and some of the characters seem unnecessary, but the point is never lost on the audience - both fate and lust, while they draw two people together magnetically, can spell disaster.

GOING POSTAL.......2006-01-21

Director Bob Rafelson reportedly wanted to do this remake of the 1946 classic (in 1981) because he wanted to present a steamier, sexier version. Casting Jack Nicholson and Jessica Lange in the leading roles, Rafelson indeed upped the thermometer in this tale of lust and murder. He plays a drifter who cons his way into a job at a remote tavern, where he finds himself attracted to the older owner's lusty young wife, Cora. Of course, once they become attached, Cora wants hubby Nick (the late John Colicos) out of the way permanently and so they conspire to kill him---twice, when the first attempt fails.
I had a hard time feeling any empathy with either Nicholson or Lange. Colicos seems to be an allright husband, and since there's no background as to why Cora married him, it's hard to understand why she chooses murder instead of just leaving him. He's not an abusive husband; he seems affectionate, and although they aren't wealthy, they seem to have a good life. So when the murder occurs, most sympathy goes to Colicos.
Nicholson and Lange are top notch as always, but their inevitable tragic end seems more deserving than tragic. Not a great movie, but well done nonetheless.

Average customer rating:

Trained to kill

Swearing Allegiance
Starring: Holly Marie Combs , Kurt Fuller , Gary Grubbs , Terry Loughlin , and Dee Wallace
Director: Richard A. Colla
Manufacturer: Direct Source Label
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ASIN: B000HRMDK6
Release Date: 2006-09-26

Customer Reviews:

Trained to kill.......2006-10-21

LOVE'S DEADLY TRIANGLE: THE TEXAS CADET MURDER - The small-screen melodrama Love's Deadly Triangle: The Texas Cadet Murder first premiered on Monday, February 10, 1997 on NBC, and now arrives on home video in this release, under the title Swearing Allegiance. The picture dramatizes the infamous Zamora-Graham 'crime of passion' that unfolded in Fort Worth, Texas in 1995, whereby teen lovers (and soon-to-be naval cadets) Diane Zamora and David Graham viciously murdered Adrianne Jones, a local girl to whom Graham had given himself sexually. The incident inspired numerous articles including a September 1996 New York Times piece by Sam Howe Verhovek, and the cover story of the December 1996 Texas Monthly. The telemovie opens with Jones's body discovered beside a road, dead from gunshots to the head and several blows with a blunt object. The police question numerous suspects, before landing on the two culprits: Zamora (played by Holly Marie Combs) and Graham (portrayed by David Lipper). At the time of the arrest, Zamora and Graham are enrolled, respectively, in the U.S. Naval Academy and the U.S. Air Force Academy. E.T. mom Dee Wallace Stone co-stars as Jones's mother; Richard A. Colla directs, from a script by Steve Johnson. (AMG)

A Killing in a Small Town (True Stories Collection TV Movie)

Average customer rating:

HERSHEY DOMINATES
DVD Killing in a Small Town
Great Movie
DVD: A Killing in a Small Town (The True Stories Collection)
Sharp & Cutting

A Killing in a Small Town (True Stories Collection TV Movie)
Starring: Barbara Hershey , Brian Dennehy , John Terry , Richard Gilliland , and Lee Garlington
Director: Stephen Gyllenhaal
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ASIN: B000784WYU
Release Date: 2005-05-03

Description

Candy Morrison (Barbara Hershey, The Killer Beside Me, Chicago Hope), is bored with her life as a wife and mother in a small town. She yearns for excitement and finds it in the arms of her husband's close friend, Stan Blankenship. But, the passionate affair ends almost as soon as it began. A few weeks later, Stan's wife is found brutally murdered - axed to death. Never before in the town's history has someone been killed in such a violent manner. Unbelievably, Candy becomes the prime suspect. Is Candy merely a scapegoat? Or, does she harbor a secret that could push her past the brink of insanity? DVD extras include:About the Film, About the Stars, Interactive Menus, Scene Selections; Approx. 91 minutes; Color

Customer Reviews:

HERSHEY DOMINATES.......2007-02-16

Based on a true story and a book called EVIDENCE OF LOVE, this tv movie is made remarkable by the Emmy-winning performance of Barbara Hershey. She is utterly magnificent in the role of a middle class housewife who brutally murders her ex-lover's wife in a self defensive rage. Hershey superbly captures the many nuances of this seemingly normal woman who commits a heinous deed. Her hypnosis sequence is brutally painful and she pulls out no stops in showing us the hidden rage.
Brian Dennehy is equally good as the lawyer who tries to get her out of her terrifying predicament.
The movie is impressively done and once again worthy most of all for Ms. Hershey's dynamic presence.

DVD Killing in a Small Town.......2007-01-22

I received this DVD in excellent condition and it was packaged with care and arrival time was very fast. I would recommend this seller to everyone and would definitely buy from them again.

Great Movie.......2007-01-10

Barbra Hershy was great she is very good actress i loved the part in the court room and when she killed her best friend with a ax.

DVD: A Killing in a Small Town (The True Stories Collection).......2006-11-22

The movie grabbed my attention within first ten minutes and continued to be interesting throughout. I would highly recommend this movie to anyone who enjoys watching true crime type flicks or murder mysteries. It is also interesting from the standpoint of someone who studies personality disorders.

Sharp & Cutting.......2005-08-14

Good film portrayal of the story of axe murderess Candy Morrison and her neighbor. Rivalry, cruelty and jealousy flare up between these small town women that ends with the brutal strokes of an axe.

Average customer rating:

"I know that you can achieve so much more Bill"
Some Women Just Aren't Cut Out to Be Housewives.
Who says 1950's suburban housewives lived dull and simple lives?
Crime of Passion
Latter Day Barbara Stanwyck In Engrossing Crime Story

Crime of Passion
Starring: Barbara Stanwyck , Sterling Hayden , Raymond Burr , Fay Wray , and Virginia Grey
Director: Gerd Oswald
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
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ASIN: B0000CNY2I
Release Date: 2003-12-02

Description

Barbara Stanwyck soars in a "rafter-rattling portrayal of a homicidal housewife" (The New York Times) in this "exciting, taut" (Motion Picture Daily) thriller about wanting it allandstopping at nothing to get it. A most unusual story for its time, Crime of Passion delivers nail-biting suspense, shocking plot twists and a 1950s anti-heroine you won't soon forget! Advice columnist Kathy Ferguson (Stanwyck) abandons her successful career when she marries police detective Bill Doyle (Sterling Hayden). But her new role as a 1950s suburban homemaker quickly stiflesher spirit, and she transfers her thwarted ambition to her husband's career, scheming to push Bill up the ladder by any means necessary even murder!

Customer Reviews:

"I know that you can achieve so much more Bill".......2006-02-11

Barbara Stanwyck was an actress of formidable talent, she was subtle, and elegant, yet she could bluster and lose control and do it with so much grace and grandeur. In Crime of Passion a 50's noir potboiler, Stanwyck plays a popular San Francisco newspaper columnist named Kathy Ferguson. Fiercely independent, Kathy prides herself on the fact that she's a career girl, and that she hasn't resorted, like most other women of her generation, to settling down to cook and clean for a man.

All this changes however, when she meets and falls in love with hunky detective LA Police detective Bill Doyle (Sterling Hayden). Whisked off to suburban Los Angeles, Kathy finds it hard adjusting to life as a policeman's housewife, and she's frustrated at her husband's lack of ambition. It doesn't take long for the droning petty misery of suburban life and the stifling social puddle of the detective's wives to steadily unbalance her.

Without her husband's knowledge, she uses her feminine wiles to help advance his career - cleverly conspiring to associate with Alice Pope (Fay Wray) so as to get close to Chief of Detectives Tony Pope (Raymond Burr), Bill's boss. Bill remains ignorant of Kathy's dangerous schemes even when they result in him being unfairly pushed ahead of his more-qualified Captain, Charlie Alidos (Royal Dano). Things really spiral out of control when Kathy starts to put the moves on the retiring Chief Pope, in the hope that he will place Bill first on the LAPD's short list for his job.

Although the story isn't remotely believable, and the Lady Macbeth-like themes are indeed quite bizarre, the film is mostly worth watching for Stanwyck's fine performance as Kathy. She starts out as a tough, wisecracking, and no nonsense newspaperwoman, who is quick to put male chauvinist cops in their pace, and then she quietly turns into this macabre, coolly manipulative woman, who will stop at nothing to advance the career of her straight-shooting but unimaginative husband.

Made in 1957 and in a time when there was much discussion over the role of women in the workforce, Crime of Passion brings feminist issues right to the forefront. Kathy's far too cool to be shaken by conservative detective Dano's assertion that she belongs in a home cooking some man's supper. But she's getting on in years and must be feeling the need to marry, because she lands a man of her own almost before she knows what's happened. And it's quite remarkable that she jumps into the role of dutiful wife without so much as taking a breath.

Director Gerd Oswald gives us a tough and uncompromising look at 1950's suburban middle class life. Kathy is forced to live in a wasteland - here's a woman who is used to working with intelligent and creative people, now all she has for company is her doltish but loyal husband - when she can get to see him - and a bunch of gaggling unsophisticated detective wives for company; they're shallow women that seem do little more than praise the big boss and butter up the hen at the top of their pecking order.

To give away much more of the plot would be to destroy the viewer's enjoyment of this compelling film, but suffice to say as Kathy becomes even more unhinged, and her straight-jacketed life becomes too much for her, she resorts to terrible ends to get her way; this intelligent and supposedly sophisticated woman just can't accept a man without ambition. You really believe that a high flier like Kathy could fall in love with a man like Bill and then imprudently push him beyond his limits.

Barbara Stanwyck and Sterling Hayden are terrific together and there's a real chemistry going on here. Bill loves Kathy unconditionally and just wants her to be happy, but Kathy's fatal mistake is that she can't accept her husband for who he is. It is to Barbara's credit that she plays the role straight, without resorting to camp. And Sterling Hayden is a revelation as Bill. He's a sort of a sensitive stalwart, a Mr. nice guy who knows he's just good enough to do his job and is comfortable with that.

Crime of Passion is bleak and cynical in its portrayal of the claustrophobic aspects of suburbia, especially in the way that women were stifled intellectually and creatively. Full of existential angst and fuelled by a sort of quasi-macho misogyny, the film is a powerful and commanding depiction of a middle-class 50's marriage gone terribly wrong. Mike Leonard February 06.

Some Women Just Aren't Cut Out to Be Housewives. .......2005-11-21

Kathy Ferguson (Barbara Stanwyck) is a popular advice columnist for a San Francisco newspaper. Career-minded and unmarried, Kathy has a certain disdain for the housewives with whom she professes to sympathize in print. But when a murder suspect confides in her, Kathy is able to turn the woman in to the two Los Angeles police detectives who were on her trail. Her role in capturing a fugitive is a boon to Kathy's career, and she's offered a better job in New York. But Kathy has fallen in love with one of the police detectives on the murder case, Lieutenant Bill Doyle (Sterling Hayden), a steadfast, unassuming man of whom Kathy says, "I don't think you'll get very far, but you're a nice guy." She gives up her career to marry Bill, make him happy, and keep his home in suburban Los Angeles. But she is soon frustrated by the tedium of bourgeois dinner parties and policemen's wives.

"Crime of Passion" is a female melodrama where violence and hysteria invade the idyllic post-war suburbs. What starts out as an advocacy of women leaving their careers to be homemakers, personified in Bill Doyle's chauvinistic partner Captain Charlie Alidos (Royal Dano), doesn't turn out that way. Kathy is an ambitious, self-possessed woman trapped in suburbia with nothing to do but have ambitions for her husband. She becomes obsessive and neurotic, but is as driven as she ever was. Uh oh. It's hard to say if "Crime of Passion" sympathizes with Kathy Ferguson, as a victim of ridiculous and stifling expectations, or makes her out to be an immoral monster because she's selfish and ambitious. Perhaps both.

Barbara Stanwyck gives Kathy the necessary force and hysteria, but it is painfully obvious that she is 15 years too old for the role. Her face is a mass of crow's feet in some scenes, and her neck is always covered. The hideous frosted hairdo doesn't help. Handsome Sterling Hayden looks downright ungroomed and unappealing. Raymond Burr, who is terrific as police Inspector Tony Pope, the one person who understands Kathy's character, appears younger than the film's 2 stars and is supposed to be older. Well, the actors' appearances wouldn't matter if they were not actually distracting. And Stanwyck and Hayden are perfectly cast otherwise. The film's final crime-solving sequence is contrived and implausible, but "Crime of Passion" features a captivating supporting effort from Raymond Burr, a passable performance from Barbara Stanwyck, and some interesting themes. There are no bonus features on the MGM 2003 DVD. Subtitles are available in English, French, and Spanish.

Who says 1950's suburban housewives lived dull and simple lives?.......2005-10-04

This review is for the 2003 MGM DVD

Barbara Stanwyck stars as Kathy Ferguson, an ambitious, independent woman who writes a relationship advice column for a San Francisco newspaper. While on the job, she gets a different assignment dealing with a Los Angeles police investigation and through some savvy detective work, helps the out of town detectives crack the case. One of the policemen is Bill Doyle (Sterling Hayden) and they quickly fall for each other. But at the same time, Kathy just accepted a job with a prestigious New York paper and is clearly conflicted between going east or continuing a relationship with Bill. On impulse they elope and Kathy becomes a housewife for Bill in suburban Los Angeles. It doesn't take too long for Kathy to realize that she's too ambitious and too liberated to be a stand-by-your-man spouse and quickly devises some schemes to push Bill up the business ladder. This sets up the rest of the film where things go wildly out of control.

The movie is in some ways a slice of life picture of life in the later 1950's. The social gatherings are segregated so that the women calmly chat in one room while the men recreate and discuss business in another room. I'm sure some people viewing this movie today would argue that the Kathy Ferguson character was an oppressed victim rather than a greedy, drunk for power wife. The movie has plenty of good acting, especially from one of my all time favorite actors Raymond Burr. The irony of the movie is that this "relationship coach" turned out to be the most dysfunctional character imaginable. It's overall a very good movie, but not a great one for me. Perhaps its because the ending plays it too much by the book and also it's a bit heavy handed since it portrays housewives in the `50's as shallow, simple minded, and boring.

As for the DVD, the B&W full screen picture was near pristine with minimal graininess or contrast problems. The DVD did not have any bonus material.

Movie: B

DVD Quality: A-

Crime of Passion.......2005-05-25

Ace San Francisco newspaper columnist Kathy Ferguson (Barbara Stanwyck) cracks a big murder case and is offered a prestigious job on a New York paper. Opting for love over ambition, she instead marries Los Angeles homicide detective Bill Doyle (Sterling Hayden), leaving her, as she breathlessly tells him, with one ambition left - `to make you happy.'
A tender sentiment, but Barbara Stanwyck rarely walked through any movie with a single ambition. Even if Stanwyck's newlywed avowal is as portentous as Arnie telling a police clerk that he'll be back, it's expressive of more ambition than her husband can muster. While the housebound Kathy is slowly melting down in the dining room, chatting stuffed olives and chiffon dresses with the girls, husband Bill is contentedly debating the merits of the retirement plan with his work pals in the kitchen. If Bill isn't going anywhere it's fine enough with him. Another fifteen, twenty years on the force and he'll be able to retire with full benefits.
Enter Police Inspector Tony Pope (Raymond Burr). Enter the story, anyway. The Doyle's aren't quite in Pope's social set, and from the looks of it Pope doesn't go slumming too often. It's only when Pope goes a-knocking at a door that he ought to have stayed away from, sickly wife or no, that CRIME OF PASSION gains some last act momentum and lives up, or down, to its melodramatic title.
CRIME OF PASSION is an indictment of suburbia and suburban values, including marriage. It's a portrait of a socially ambitious woman married to a behind-the-curve, slug of a husband. It's a star vehicle for femme fatale par excellence Stanwyck, ably abetted by a strong, understated cast.

Latter Day Barbara Stanwyck In Engrossing Crime Story.......2004-10-05

"Crime of Passion", it seems is never included in the pantheon of Stanwyck classics during any retrospective of her legendary career however it makes an interesting addition to her body of film work in the mid 1950's when meaty roles for maturing actresses like Stanwyck and Bette Davis were becoming increasingly scarse. Having to spend alot of her creative time in this period appearing in westerns or television, "Crime of Passion", in a way represented a return to the type of role Barbara had made her own, the non nonsense practical woman who could match a man every step of the way in intelligence and drive. While no great classic the film benefits from a powerful performance by the seasoned Stanwyck who always knew how to play both vulnerable and tough when the situation called for it. In "Crime of Passion", she begins as a fast talking, non nonsense newspaper columnist Kathy ferguson who has no time for romantic attachments. Underneath however is a woman who wants to be loved and when the opportunity for the usual option of marriage and family offers itself Kathy impulsively jumps at it. However following that "traditional", path has its pitfalls which leads Kathy into a nightmarish world of ambition, infidelty and murder. Here is where the real power of "Crime of Passion", sits as it shows an ambitious driven woman who to "improve", the very different man she marries, is prepared to involve herself in murder to make it happen. Alot of societies expectations of this mid 1950's era, of who and what men and women "should", be are vividly brought to life in this screenplay which makes "Crime of Passion", an intriguing snapshot of another time and set of expectations.

The story opens with Kathy Ferguson (Stanwyck), leading the sort of independant, no frills life she enjoys. She is a columnist on a San Francisco newspaper offering advice to the love lorn. She is successful and respected and operates very well within a traditional man's world of journalism. When some LA detectives are brought in on a case where Kathy has been offering advise to the woman of a wanted man Kathy's life is changed forever when she encounters affable Police Lt.Bill Doyle (Sterling Hayden), along with his arrogant superior Capt. Charlie Alidos (Royal Dano),who believes women should only be concerned about cooking and caring for their husbands. Bill makes a refreshing change from the usual ruff and tumble crowd Kathy is used to and before much time has passed Kathy finds herself not only resigning her position on the newspaper to be with Bill, but also marrying him and moving out into the suburban life in the San Fernando Valley. However domestic bliss as the house wife with the picture postcard suburban home soon pales for Kathy as she begins to realise very quickly the mind numbing existence she is trapped in. Not only does her domestic routine appear drab and predictable but is seems that Bill very quickly settles into this type of non challenging existence and has no desire to try an improve himself. Kathy's own intelligence is also put to the test when she must endure endless evenings of silly small talk with the other police men's wives who's thoughts dont go beyond new dresses and things to do with their homes. Kathy quickly realises she needs to take matters into her own hands to get Bill into the type of responsible positions she feels he is capable of away from this suffocating existence. Kathy sees that the real person who could make a difference is Police Captain Tony Pope (Raymond Burr)and she sets out to win over both him and his wife Alice (Fay Wray)in her plan to get Bill promoted out of his mundane job. Becoming increasingly desperate to improve things in their lives Kathy learns that Tony Pope is planning on retirement so she uses every means at her disposal to win his job for Bill. Being of a similiar character Kathy and Tony square off against each other with few illusions which ultimately results in them having a short affair which Kathy naively believes will secure Bill the coveted place in the Police hierachy. Tony however has his own private views on who should succeed him in the top position and when it becomes obvious to Kathy that Tony has no intention of naming Bill as his successor things definately turn ugly. Discarded as a momentary fling by Tony Kathy resorts to the most permanent of solutions for her problems,... murder. However this supposed solution to her situation has the opposite effect where all her schemes unravel and she eventually not only looses her marriage but finds herself convicted of murder in the first degree.

A vintage noir drama "Crime of Passion", certainly is with the usual twists and turns in the sometimes incredible proceedings but it is the performances that make it interesting viewing. Barbara Stanwyck is right at home in this type of character who is ruler of her own destiny and is smart and forward thinking. Despite her at times odd chemistry with the much more placid Sterling Hayden playing her husband the two generally combine well together while Hayden would certainly never be listed among Stanwyck's more memorable leading men. Raymond Burr in a pre "Perry Mason", acting role does well as the hardnosed Police Chief who sees through Kathy's devious thinking and pays the ultimate price for standing in her way. The scenes between Burr and Barbara Stanwyck surprisingly bristle with a real sexual tension one does not expect from one of televisions most loved personalities. "Crime of Passion", also has on offer two veteran actresses playing most interesting supporting characters here in Fay Wray as Alice the unsuspecting wife of Burr's character who befriends Kathy and Virginia Grey as Sara Alidos, Kathy's rival in her quest to have Bill promoted. Both veteran actresses have some of their best later career scenes here in particular when they are performing with Barbara Stanwyck. Perhaps the main weakness in "Crime of Passion", is the sudden turn arounds that Barbara Stanwyck's character experiences. Never for one moment can you really see her Kathy Ferguson settling for a life in suburbia however that does makes an interesting point about the role of even ambitious women at this time which most often tied their futures in with marriage and families. Also Kathy's sudden transformation into a murderess even when she realises all her plans would certainly come to nothing is a bit hard to fathom when watching it. However the often unlikely proceedings make this story great viewing and it contains an interesting late career Barbara Stanwyck performance. This film effort did at least did provide this veteran actress with a role far better than many of the others she was forced to take around this time, like alot of other maturing actresses in order to remain working.

I always enjoy Barbara Stanwyck's work in any genre she tackles and film noir is idealy suited to her. Certainly "Crime of Passion", came along quite late in her starring career but I believe late Stanwyck is better than no Stanwyck at all. Watching her play a scheming minx is always enjoyable and when blackmail or murder are thrown in you are guaranteed a enjoyable viewing experience. Supported by an interesting and most able supporting cast the star here manages to make something worthwhile of both her character and the proceedings. For a good dose of intrigue and to see the original tough lady Barbara Stanwyck in one of her many anti-heroine roles you are sure to enjoy United Artists "Crime of Passion".

Average customer rating:

Decent Cast, Poor Direction
Average movie with above-average stars
The Sociopath meets the Terminator
Annette Bening is never in bad movies.
Casting and Meandering Issues

Mrs. Harris
Starring: Annette Bening , Ben Kingsley , Lawrence O'Donnell , Frances Fisher , and Cloris Leachman
Director: Phyllis Nagy
Manufacturer: Hbo Home Video
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ASIN: B000FFL2GQ
Release Date: 2006-08-01

Amazon.com

Mrs. Harris is HBO's fact-based tale about the tumultuous relationship between Jean Harris and Scarsdale Diet author Dr. Herman Tarnower, whom she is accused of shooting to death in a jealous fit of rage. But it's also a cautionary tale about what can happen when a woman is so obsessed with a man she'd rather die--or kill--than be left behind. As Harris notes when she's on trial for his murder, she doesn't understand how "something that ugly and sad could've happened between two people who didn't argue, except over the use of the subjunctive." As the oddly paired lovers, Annette Bening and Ben Kingsley do a formidable job with their roles. She is a well-educated social climber teaching at a girls' prep school. He is a wealthy doctor who loves her enough to propose marriage, but not enough to go through with it. She sticks around for 14 years, hoping she'll outlast all his other mistresses. When her best friend suggests she find someone worthy of her, Harris scoffs, "I despise decent men. ... Cruelty isn't a crime. Boredom is." Unfortunately, the film--even with all the sensationalistic background material--is a meandering production that evokes boredom and impatience rather than viewer's pity, anger, or understanding. --Jae-Ha Kim

Description

Drama) The sensationalistic murder of diet guru Dr. Herman Tarnower is explored in this decidedly low-key take on the tabloid cover story from first-time director Phyllis Nagy. As the inventor of the popular "Scarsdale Diet" Dr. Herman Tarnower (Ben Kingsley) became an overnight success during the peak of the early 1980s diet craze. Despite the popularity of the Dr. Tarnower's revolutionary "lose one pound per day" diet, the womanizing ways of the Casanova cardiologist would soon come to a brutal end at the hands of his jealous, prescription drug-addicted lover Jean Harris (Annette Bening). Driven to despair after their fourteen-year romance failed to result in marriage and enraged by Dr. Tarnower's shameless status as a ladies man, Harris confronts her former lover in one violent, final act of desperationTagline: Nothing is more dangerous than the truth.

Customer Reviews:

Decent Cast, Poor Direction.......2007-06-28

I was expecting a well-told story, but instead suffered through a plot that dragged and skipped about haphazardly.

Average movie with above-average stars.......2007-04-23

Annette Bening and Ben Kingsley are at the top of their acting game and chose to appear together in this film. That alone says something about the subject matter and/or the writer/director Phyllis Nagy. Or maybe it's just that HBO has raised the bar of prestige in the made-for-tv movie category. Whatever it is, viewers can be glad that Kingsley and Bening chose to be part of this film.

Mrs. Harris covers the controversial trial of Jean Harris for the murder of diet specialist Dr. Herman Tarnower. It also covers, in flashbacks, the various accounts of events leading up to the actual murder/accidental death of Dr. Tarnower.

Mrs. Harris ultimately serves as a vehicle to present superb acting by both Kingsley and Bening, whether they are on screen together or not, each of them brings so much to their characters: Bening creating the defiant, yet slightly off-balance female character we've seen in American Beauty and Running With Scissors, and Kingsley creating a sociopathic self-centered doctor, kind of like a light-hearted version of his character in Sexy Beast.

in the end, the viewer is left to decide for themselves what really happened that fateful night that Dr. Tarnower was shot by his jilted ex-lover Jean Harris. I didn't feel that the film was biased either way. Really the film leaves you thinking that neither of them is blameless, and neither of them should have been around the other one anyway.

The featurette offers some backstory on the trial and on the tabloid reactions, as well as some archive footage of Jean Harris herself speaking about the events. This DVD is a good slice of history for a shocking event.

The Sociopath meets the Terminator.......2007-04-06

This movie flowed in a wonderful way, unraveling the life of Mrs. Harris' and the life she had to endure being the wife of everyone's super hero. Mr. Harris' total flagrant disregard for his wife's emotional needs, can be found among many married couples. His emotional abuse, narcissism and his need for adoration, however is much less common. He never took her seriously. At her final moment of desperation, he was incredulous that she betrayed him (and so was she).
This movie is for every woman who has been neglected and dismissed. This movie is a warning for every man, who thinks that the women exist merely to serve him.

Inspite of the serious subject matter, it was told in a thoroughly entertaining manner. I truly think that many men would find this entertaining and not feel targeted, those who do feel targeted probably need to get some reality therapy.

Annette Bening is never in bad movies. .......2007-03-20

I liked this movie because I remember the story from that time, how highly sensational it was in the media. The part I was surprised about was that I thought she killed him out of jealousy. I had no idea she was depressed, that she was going to commit suicide and was on drugs. When she told the media that she didn't want them to say anything bad about him, I could tell she really loved him and respected him. Plus it gave a new side to her: In the media, she was always portrayed as a very staid woman - head mistress, upper crust. She had a persona in the newspaper but in the movie you saw how much she liked him and how fun-loving she was toward him. She had a sense of humor, especially when she said to him "Dedicate herself to giving ME pain, not other women." I didn't know that he had asked her to get married either, so it filled in a lot of the gaps for me.

The fact that the acting was so good, kept me engaged. I thought that Annette Bening was spectacular as always, so was Ben Kingsley.

Casting and Meandering Issues.......2007-01-18

Annette Benning gave a bravura performance in this film; a film which begins with slick cinematic promise, but slowly meanders its way about the sensational story.
I absolutely adore Sir Ben Kingsley's acting; but honestly, he was completely miscast as the irresistible, Brooklyn New York Jewish doctor. He kept barking a distracting crass laugh which I suppose was a character choice to indicate his character's coarseness; but gee whiz. Supporting actor John Rubinstein who played his "friend" in the film would've delivered a stronger and more credible performance. Imagine if Ron Silver or Judd Hirsh had been cast?

Costumes were exact for the period, although I longed for one truly spectacular 60's evening gown for La Benning ... something very Jackie and sophisticated.
Music choices were great.

But somehow the camera and director kept their distance from the intimate aspects story and left me out in the cold; great, great acting by Miss Benning, but no endearing close-ups ... all seemed sadly at arm's length to me.

Average customer rating:

Wine and murder
MURDER IN WINE COUNTRY

A Crime of Passion
Starring: Tom Butler , Gordon Currie , Cynthia Gibb , Michelle Harrison , and Jennifer Clement
Director: Charles Wilkinson
Manufacturer: Allumination
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B0002PYOZK
Release Date: 2004-10-12

Description

Heiress Frederica Dumay (Cynthia Gibb) has everything to live for, including a gorgeous new husband and half ownership of a multi-million dollar winery. But her happiness is short lived when her business partner's wife is slain. Frederica suspects foul play, but she cannot tell whether the murder was the result of greed, obsession or both. Plus, her old flame (Sebastian Spence) suggests that her seemingly perfect husband (Gordon Currie) is hiding a guilty secret. Now Freddi must find a way to crack this baffling case before she becomes the killer's next victim!

Customer Reviews:

Wine and murder.......2007-01-29

Mary Higgins Clark's novels have spawned several TV movies, ranging from schmaltzy to solid. "A Crime of Passion" is solidly in the middle, with a solid whodunnit set in sumptuous luxury, but an unintentionally funny ending.

Wine heiress Frederica Dumay (Cynthia Gibb) is devastated when her business partner's longtime wife drowns after a party. But she's even more upset when the partner, Thomas Shipman (Tom Butler) immediately takes up with a sultry, golddigging Frenchwoman, Arabella (Alexandra Kamp-Groeneveld), who is young enough to be his daughter.

The disagreement threatens to tear the company apart -- until Arabella is murdered. Thomas is the obvious suspect for both deaths, but Freddy knows that he can't be guilty. Yet someone killed those women, and Freddy soon finds that the killer may be very close to her -- especially when her husband's suspicious past comes to light.

"A Crime of Passion" is a pretty spectacle -- lots of sumptuous mansions, candlelit seductions, beautiful woods and much quaffing of wine. And courtesy of many red herrings, there's some genuine confusion over whether Allen is a villain or not.

As a sumptous spectacle, it's lots of fun, especially when the nasty golddigger is sashaying around the place, making threats and grabbing at the "Mick Jagger of fermentation." While she's on, it's pure trashy fun. But it loses luster once she leaves, especially since the identity of the murderer is quite obvious, as is the motive.

Cynthia Gibb turns in a decent performance as a pampered wine heiress who gets a nasty shock, and Gordon Currie has a nicely elusive turn as her might-or-might-not-be-a-golddigger hubby. The sour note is the actor playing the murderer, who acts like a villainous William Shatner on ecstacy.

"A Crime of Passion" is a visually appealing, fluffy movie, so long as you don't expect much in the way of actual mystery.

MURDER IN WINE COUNTRY.......2005-07-03

This entry in the PAX TV Mary Higgins Clark series is a fairly entertaining whodunit. The pace is a little slow and Jennifer Clement's over the top performance as the loyal maid borders on parody, but it's story of the murder of a wine magnate's wife is intriguing and there are a few surprises along the way. Cynthia Gibb is effectively plucky as Freddie, the wine heiress, and Sebastian Spence is well cast as her old flame. Gordon Currie is a little too "prissy" as her husband, and the aforementioned Clements is so demented that it's like watching an old Bette Davis movie. But I enjoy a good mystery and this one managed to be entertaining.

Average customer rating:

DELICIOUS STUFF, INDEED...
A SAVORY MURDER/MYSTERY BROTH
A mystery lover's delight
Exciting and highly entertaining
"I miss your healing hands."

Mystery: Malice Aforethought
Starring: Ronnie Masterson , Phyllis Ryan , Fiona O'Shaughnessy , Barbara Flynn , and Ben Miller (II)
Director: David Blair (II)
Manufacturer: Wgbh Boston
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ASIN: B0007PAMOW
Release Date: 2005-04-26

Description

Falling in love with this doctor could be bad for your health...

Between an endless round of garden parties and village gossip, the only way long-suffering Dr. Edmund Bickleigh can bear the torment of his formidable wife Julia's ferocious tongue is to find solace in the arms of sweet and besotted Ivy Ridgeway. But when he falls for the charms of Madeleine Cranmere, the exotic new resident of Wyvern's Cross, both Ivy's and Julia's fates are sealed as Madeleine won't marry a divorced man. With no other recourse, Dr. Bickleigh decides that one will be dismissed, the other murdered.

Arrogant with the success of a seemingly undetectable murder, Dr. Bickleigh rushes to be united with Madeleine only to find that he has been supplanted by a wealthier suitor. Gossip about his wife's death is rife and it seems to Dr Bickleigh that there is only one way to make the gossip stop. And that is to dispose of the gossipers…

Ben Miller (Johnny English), Barbara Flynn (The Forsyte Saga) and Megan Dodds (Love in a Cold Climate) lead an ensemble cast in this classic tale of infatuation, revenge, and the scandalous business of murder.

Special DVD features include: link to the Masterpiece Theatre Web site; scene selections; and closed captions.

On one DVD9 disc. Region coding: All regions. Audio: Dolby stereo.

Customer Reviews:

DELICIOUS STUFF, INDEED..........2006-02-26

Sink yourself into a comfortable chair and revel in this near perfect depiction of the perfect crime. Wonderful music. Terrific direction and camerawork - and unnervingly solid acting all around. Just be careful that you pour your own drinks, and prepare your own snacks...

A SAVORY MURDER/MYSTERY BROTH.......2005-09-26

As I have previously indicated on this Board, I am a huge fan of British Murder/Mysteries. "Malice Aforethought" is certainly a "jolly good Murder/Mystery!" It has everything in its list of "ingredients" that I feel a good Murder/Mystery should include in order to make for a good and savory (what I call) "Murder/Mystery broth". "Malice Aforethought" certainly has the right "ingredients" to make it a most enjoyable 180 minutes of viewing. The "ingredients" comprising the ("Malice Aforethough) "Murder/Mystery broth" are as follows:

(1) Good suspense with the murderer appearing to have gotten away with murder, but as they always say: "murder will out". In this case, it's Typhoid Fever will out.

(2) Interesting characters consisting of an outwardly meek, masochistic letch of a philandering, obsessed with sanitation husband/doctor; a shrew of a wife that by her own personality and ways would certainly drive even a saint to want to murder her; a blond artistic vamp (with certain demands) for the "put upon" husband to lust after making the murder of the wife even more desirable: a "must get rid of (long standing) girlfriend" that becomes dispensable in order to get to what and/or to whom is really wanted. This girlfriend is very willing to (lie) in order to prove that she really loves her man; plus some innocent looking but irritating, see-all, know-all, town gossips that keep the "low cast" doctor and his philandering in their sights with the kindest word for the doctor/husband being "he's a beastly man". In addition there is a see all sickly gardener that too must be disposed of before he tells all of what he has seen.

(3) Great script that is written very well with nary a dull moment keeping this viewer on the edge of his seat.

(4) Wonderful recreation and depiction of a fascinating decade and/or era (the 1920s).

(5) Great acting with Ben Miller playing the lower class, seemingly "hen- pecked", letch, "scum-burger" of a husband marvelously; Barbara Flynn (in a role switch for her--she usually plays the Victorian fragile type of woman) is wonderful as his domineering, upper class very irritating, brow-beating, pretentious, full of herself harpy of a wife; and Megan Dodds is great as the conniving, money seeking would be artistic vamp.

(6) An intriguing setting for the entire "goings on"--a rural, picturesque and peaceful (at least on the surface) small English village with cobblestone walkways and small sheep herds.

The entire above ingredients meld together marvelously to make a wonderfully delicious concoction. Added, to the cauldron and to the above listed "ingredients", is just a pinch of so-called British "black humor" making for a most enjoyable and savory "Murder/Mystery broth".

This mystery is not a "detective driven" Murder/Mystery. Although there is a detective in the story his investigation does not bring the culprit to justice; potted meat and flies see that justice prevails.

To sample a "jolly good" example of some very savory steaming "Murder/Mystery broth", purchase this DVD.

A mystery lover's delight .......2005-06-12

Malice Aforethought is one of those British mysteries that are set in a small rural village of yesteryear and populated with a cast of memorable characters. Dr. Edmund Bickleigh is a henpecked husband who denigrates his aspirations as an amateur artist. It's also why he is a chronic womanizer. Then into the village moves Madeleine Cranmere and he falls hard. The problem is that he must remove the obstacle of his domineering wife, end his affair with a local girl, and continue the veneer of respectability demanded of a man in his position. The costumes are period authentic, the sets are scrupulous detailed, the dialogue engaging, the acting first rate, and the plot twists are truly imaginative. Also available in a video cassette format and lead to an exciting and unpredicted conclusion, the DVD edition has a total running time of 2.5 hours and also includes access to the "Mystery! website, offers scene selection, and features closed captioning for the hearing impaired. Malice Aforethought is a mystery lover's delight and certain to be a popular addition to any community library video collection.

Exciting and highly entertaining.......2005-05-31

Dr. Edmund Brickleigh (played by Ben Miller) is living a life of quiet desperation, trapped beneath the thumb of his domineering wife, and finding little solace among the young ladies that his practice puts him in position to seduce. But, when Madeleine Cranmere (Megan Dodds) moves into town, Dr. Brickleigh falls head over heels in love with this passionate free spirit. Madeleine won't have an affair with Edmund, and wouldn't take him as a divorcé, which leaves him only one course - he must murder his wife. Oh what a tangled web Dr. Brickleigh must weave, and when his plans begin to go astray, he must contemplate even more murders. [Color, released in 2005, with a running time of 3 hours.]

I must say that my wife and I enjoyed this movie immensely! It's something of a murder mystery shot from the other side. That is to say, instead of focusing on the detective and his attempts to bring the murderer to justice, this movie focuses on the murderer and his attempts to get away with murder! I found the change of perspective quite refreshing.

Also, I must say that I enjoyed the movie for itself. The cast does an excellent job of bringing the story to life, and making me believe that they are real people caught up in this drama. Will Dr. Brickleigh be brought to justice? You will be forced to go on watching to find out.

As for the content of the movie, there are some adult situations and conversations, plus one scene with a woman in a revealing outfit. But, that outfit is certainly not less than many women wear to the beach. So, overall I did find this to be an exciting and highly entertaining mystery, one that will keep you glued to you TV. We highly recommend it!

"I miss your healing hands.".......2005-05-28

There is a point in all unhappy marriages when a certain pleasure is derived from making one's spouse miserable. Dr. and Mrs. Bickleigh have reached that point. Set in the picturesque coastal British village of Wyvern's Cross, "Malice Aforethought" is the story of the Bickleigh's miserable marriage, and how Dr. Edmund Bickleigh (Ben Miller) decides to free himself from it.

It is the consensus of village gossips that Julia Bickleigh (Barbara Flynn) married beneath her. Julia, a rigid snob, who never fails to mention her family connections, agrees that her husband is a lowlife. Every chance Julia gets, she exposes her much younger husband to ridicule and public humiliation. It's a way of making him behave. Dr. Bickleigh may have his professional status, but his roots are humble. Julia's continuous insults always reach their target, and Bickleigh engages in a series of affairs as a form of defiance. The Bickleighs' bad behaviour--her insults and his affairs--serve as a balance system in their relationship.

Bickleigh's current amour is Ivy Ridgeway (Lucy Brown), and their affair is common knowledge--although Bickleigh and Ivy imagine it's their little secret. Into this domestic maelstrom enters Madeleine Cranmere (Megan Dodds)--a glamourous bohemian whose artistic pretensions match Bickleigh's. To Bickleigh's smitten heart, Madeleine makes Ivy look like a dull country maid. Bickleigh promptly dumps Ivy and pursues Madeleine.

Madeleine, however, isn't as naïve or as plaint as Ivy, and she also states that she can't possibly marry a divorced man. Bickleigh concludes that Julia is standing in between him and happiness ....

If you are a fan of British mysteries (this one is set in the 20s), then you won't be disappointed in "Malice Aforethought." Bold characterizations mix with strong drama and a touch of black humour to produce 180 minutes of solid entertainment. The acting is excellent, the sets splendid, and the village scenery quite beautiful. But it's the small touches that make this an excellent film--the maliciousness of the village gossips--two seemingly innocent elderly ladies, for example who parrot each other's condemnations of the local doctor. Another humourous aspect is Dr. Bickleigh's perception that he's well thought of in the village. The Dr. and the seductive vamp, Madeleine deserve each other. The film is based on a novel by France Iles. If you enjoy "Malice Aforethought", I also recommend "Dandelion Dead"--displacedhuman

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Love turned into Money!
Film Film

Murder in the Hamptons
Starring: James Allodi , Shawn Christian , Catherine Disher , Daniel Fathers , and Sandra Guerard
Manufacturer: Lifetime
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000BVM1U0
Release Date: 2006-01-31

Description

A provocative drama based on a true story of the high profile murder of powerful multi-millionaire Ted Ammon. The movie unfolds around his relationship with his volatile, estranged wife, her lover with a dubious past, and Ammon's shocking murder that created scandalous hea