Murder Once Removed

John Forsythe plays a doctor who has a history of losing patients wherever he's practised. While he is supposed to be on his outcall rounds we see him making out with Lisa Manning (Barbara Bain) in the woods. He plays golf with her husband who is not prepared to give Lisa a divorce. The two men spar with each other on this matter and on the doctor's dubious backstory. There are hints that the doctor fiddles his patients' medical records with regards to electrocardiograms and blood samples. So we are teased as to how far the doctor will go to achieve his needs and desires. There's a small cast in this TV Movie so the story is sped through quickly. There's a policeman who is trailing a drug-addicted Vietnam veteran who both play their part economically in the story. My choice of the characters is Nurse Regis played by the matronly Reta Shaw with her throwaway lines. Her warnings that she doesn't trust doctors and that her dog Happy "howls every time we lose a patient" are delivered in a dry and dark and humorous way. I didn't see the end of the plot coming too far in advance so be prepared for some late twists and turns.

Years ago, mysteries like "Murder Once Removed" were common TV fare, and frankly, I liked it that way.

This is a particularly neat one starring John Forsythe, Richard Kiley, Joe Campanella, Barbara Bain, and Reta Shaw. Forsythe plays Dr. Wellesley, who has a less than stellar past, which he's been reminded of by the husband of the woman (Bain) he's in love with (Kiley).

Wellesley plans to get rid of his competition and plans the perfect murder, framing a young Vietnam vet (Wendell Burton) whom he's weaning off of a heroin addiction. The camera has Forsythe in tight closeup most of the time, and with its hard lens, it's unforgiving.

Very entertaining, and it's nice to see all those old TV stars once again, including Forsythe, who didn't usually play someone evil, the terrific Kiley, the always reliable Reta Shaw as Dr. Wellesley's nurse and Barbara Bain as the very attractive object of the doc's affections. Now 84, Joseph Campanella was once a mainstay of prime time TV, and he still pops up occasionally.

Someone said the script was far-fetched -- maybe, but it's very intriguing. Enjoy.

VERY worth while 74 minute diversion here, a strikingly offbeat, Neo Noir ultra low budget made for TV movie (CBS) with John Forsythe cast brilliantly against type as a philandering doctor who finds himself engaged in a cat & mouse battle of wits against the husband of his mistress. Barbara Bain from "Space: 1999" plays the woman, Richard Kiley is the husband, Wendell Burton is the junkie set up as the fall guy, Joseph Campanella is the hard-nosed police detective who seems troubled by certain loose ends, and Reta Shaw steals the show as the doctor's nurse, who is perhaps a bit too observant and inquisitive to have stayed on with this particular doctor as long as is implied.

Why? Well you see several of Forsythe's patients have died. Rather suddenly. It can all be explained very simply, but this is one of those clever scripts where nothing is quite as simple as it seems. And at a mere 74 minutes it's not much of an imposition on anyone's schedule. Sure, it was made for commercial TV in 1971 so there isn't anything *too* distasteful on camera. Viewers who predicate their enjoyment movies based on people's heads exploding might be a tad disappointed, but if you PAY ATTENTION you will be rewarded. And a repeat viewing might answer some questions about passages of dialog that slipped by on the first time through.

Definitely worth having, and a respectable enough little movie to maybe watch with mom on a rainy evening when she needs some company. Can't say that about too many murder movies.

7/10

As basic entertainment, this is kind of fun. It's a nicely plotted film if you don't think too much. The plot involves a doctor who has psychotic tendencies and acts on them fairly frequently. Because he doesn't get caught, he feels vindicated. He applies this logic to other murderers as well. He is played pretty well by John Forsyth. He has a relationship with Barbara Bain from the Impossible Missions Force, and hopes to marry her. I'm surprised his last name isn't Bluebeard, because he seems to have a thing for trophies. The acting is credible in the made for TV venue. It's nicely done. As a previous writer said, it's a little like those Link/Levinson productions, ala Columbo. It moves along nicely and there are lots of surprises.

Now for the other part. There are so many coincidences and potential pitfalls that it would be really hard to make the plot work. Anything could mess it up. There's also the fact that the person murdered first knows about Forsyth's history and still allows him to perform surgery. He also baits him about his past. There had to be other avenues he could have taken, knowing what he knows. There's also a frame up that really would have to be so obvious to anyone with a shred of investigative insight.

The characterization is good. I really liked the nurse, Rita Shaw, who has a handle on everything. She is Forsyth's main adversary, and he doesn't even know it. She has always played those kinds of characters and, like people in her profession, she's the guts of the operation.

I would recommend this film if you aren't too picky. It will keep you involved.

Frank Manning (Richard Kiley) goes to his doctor, Ron Wellesley (John Forsythe) for a simple procedure. Frank has also come to Dr. Wellseley's office to inform him that he suspects him in a pair of murders. He also lets him know that he's aware that he's been sleeping with his wife (Barbara Bain).

Frank then tells Wellesley that if he doesn't leave town, he'll blab.

What could possibly go wrong?

MURDER ONCE REMOVED is an exceptional made-for-TV movie with a perfect twist ending! John Forsythe is particularly good in his eeevil, conniving role. Wellesley will stop at nothing to carry out his plan of vengeance and death!

Joseph Campanella is great as Sgt. Proctor, a mutual friend of Manning and Wellesley who must snoop around for clues.

Highly recommended for the lover of suspenseful thrillers...