Wahnsinn - Der Tod hat nur einen Buchstaben

Occasionally, here on IMDb, you start clicking on some names and then you continue clicking on some more names, and then you suddenly stumble upon a film title you never heard about before but instantly want to see. Deep down you realize there's probably a very good reason why this film is totally unknown, but nevertheless you fanatically track it down because it just *might* be a hidden gem. Sounds familiar? Well, it happened to me a couple of times already, like with "W".

And, moreover, for about 2/3 of the running time, it also actually seemed as if I did stumble upon a hidden treasure! The plot is simple but effective and compelling, the cast contains a few fabulous names (Twiggy, John Vernon, Eugene Roche), and the freak accidents/sabotages that overcome the young couple in the first half are genuinely suspenseful.

Careless couple Katie and Ben live happily, with their two dogs, in a beautiful house with ocean view. Out of nowhere, they both become the targets of a series of vile attacks, and the letter "W" is always left behind as a sort of signature. It turns out Katie wasn't always called Katie and was previously married to a violent and abusive man named Willian "Billy" Caulder. She disappeared and started a new life, but Caulder got accused of her murder and sentenced to prison. Has he escaped and found Katie? They can't go to the police, since Katie never came forward to admit her former husband is not guilty of murder at all.

"W" becomes even better with the abrupt and unpredictable introduction of the new character of a private detective, Charles Jasper, who spontaneously offers his services to the desperate couple. His reasoning makes sense, and several little details indicate he's a professional private eye, but can he really be trusted? Personally, I was very impressed with how the story was unfolding and with the creative angles featuring in the script, but then - alas - follows a hectic, illogical, contradictory, and massively disappointing finale. Caulder eventually shows up, but he surely isn't the evil mastermind-schemer he was made out to be throughout the entire film thus far. Quite the opposite, in fact, he - as depicted by Dirk Benedict - comes as mentally unstable and pathetic, and all the built-up mystery and credibility vanishes in the blink of an eye. Very, very sad.

And yet, based on the first 80 or so minutes, "W" is definitely a mystery/thriller worth tracking down, and it deserves better ratings and friendlier comments that the ones given by my fellow reviewers around here.

A passable suspense film. Most memorable is Eugene Roche; playing a yeah-yeah-seen-it-all-before detective, he's responsible for a lot of the credibility.

Someone should have realized you can't call a film W. These one-character films, like M and $, always wind up embracing a fallback title.

I have nothing against or for Twiggy. She's had a few good songs but she's just not much of an actress. When she's cast as a singer (like in "The Boy Friend") it works. But, in a straight suspense drama like this, she's hopeless.

To be honest I have trouble remembering the exact plot. I caught it years ago on late night TV and had trouble staying awake! She plays a woman who was married to an abusive husband who was jailed. Now she's happily married but starts thinking her abusive husband is stalking her--but he's in jail. Is she going crazy or is he free? A "thriller" with no suspense, no blood, no action, no NOTHING. It moves at a crawl and Twiggy's attempts at acting are just painful to watch. It's not entirely her fault--the script is against her all of the way. Boring and deservedly obscure thriller. You can easily skip this one.

Twiggy is a very good actress. She has given stellar performances in "The Young Charlie Chaplin", "The Little Match Girl", "Madame Souszatska". One would not know what a fine actress she is from this film. It was a poor follow-up to "The Boyfriend". The problem is that the script is awful and the direction leaves a great deal to be desired. Twiggy has had much more success in TV programs such as "Tales From the Crypt", "Bodybags", and the ill-fated 1991 sitcom, "Princesses" (which was given the kiss of death by being put on Friday night!) shows what a marvelous knack she has for comedy. Don't judge Twiggy as an actress from this poorly written and directed lusterless thriller. She really is a fine actress in good material.