A Little Thing Called Murder

Based on a true story, director Richard Benjamin and star Judy Davis (as Sante) nevertheless give this "Lifetime" TV movie a comedy treatment. It's even possible to view "A Little Thing Called Murder" it as a satire of psycho sexy criminal mother movies. Chewing the scenery like it's made of ham, Ms Davis devours her role. Angel-faced (the grown-up) son Jonathan Jackson (as Kenneth "Kenny" Kimes) is her main accomplice. He and the supporting cast stay out of the way and allow Davis and Mr. Benjamin to do their thing. We get why Mr. Jackson went south, but wonder about Davis' character. The subject isn't all that funny, but Davis certainly seems to be having fun. If you relish Davis, chances are you will too.

****** A Little Thing Called Murder (1/23/06) Richard Benjamin ~ Judy Davis, Jonathan Jackson, Chelcie Ross, Cynthia Stevenson

"A Little Thing Called Murder" is another TV movie about Sante and Kenny Kimes, the real-life mother and son con artist/murder team. The first film starred Mary Tyler Moore and focused mainly on the murder of Irene Silverman, the New York woman killed for her brownstone and whose body was never found. (Court TV also did a documentary on them.) In this version, the murder of Irene is at the end of the movie. Director Richard Benjamin takes us through the bizarre life of Sante, with each crime a new episode that begins with the title "A Little" - which is how Sante thought of her crimes - A Little Problem with the Maid (slavery), A Little Problem with the Check, etc.

Now in prison, Sante Kimes must be in life as over the top as depicted by Mary Tyler Moore - and if you thought Moore was outrageous, wait until you see Judy Davis sink her teeth into Sante. The approach in this film is more of dark comedy, though much of it is quite shocking. Davis' performance can only be described as out there - and probably accurate. Sante thoroughly corrupts her young son, played here by adorable Jonathan Jackson, which makes his crimes and killings all the more horrible. She sets fire to the family home for insurance; she takes a test drive in a car and holds onto it for a year; her Mexican help are actually slaves; she shoplifts, and when caught, she hits her son and goes after the security guard; the two claim to the cops that the security guard slapped Kenny and leave; she hides her husband's death so she can clean out his Bahamian bank accounts; and finally, of course, the Silverman case. In real life, not shown here, Sante actually posed as Silverman, an 82-year-old, in order to sign some papers.

Catch Davis performing "Santa Baby" with a boa and you'll know you've entered the twilight zone. She's a scream. The film is very well done, interesting, and intriguing. But don't look for motives or reasons. The writers deliberately didn't explore them. Sante is so nuts, though, one wonders if she hadn't lost sight of her original demons years earlier.

Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction.

For what this movie was, it was perfect. It was Mommy Dearest meets Weekend at Bernies.

Judy Davis was incredible as a Grifter of extraordinary caliber, manipulating everyone yet seemingly believing in her own innocence. The actress should get an award for her superb performance. As an added bonus, she often (perhaps this was intentional?) looked like another flamboyant life of the party - Serina, Samatha's witch cousin from the original Bewitched television series.

Chelcie Ross and Jonathan Jackson were also a great supporting cast, completely believable in their roles as basically manipulated, yet loved, family members.

I love Judy Davis in almost anything she does, and absolutely was blown away by her performance in "Life with Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows" a few years ago. And while I wasn't sure if it was necessary to re-tell this story that was done in 2001 with Mary Tyler Moore called "Like Mother Like Son: The Strange Story of Sante and Kenny Kimes" which was not a bad TV movie, this version was done well enough that it is a different kind of movie.

And as much as I love Judy, I felt like I was watching Judy Garland do this role, sort of like she was channeling Judy Garland playing Sante Kimes. It was totally watchable though, even though knowing it's a true story (at least the facts of the story) make it all the more interesting to watch.

I should have taped it though (yes, I'm still in the VCR world occasionally,) because I cannot stand the incessant and never-ending commercials on Lifetime...

We're told that the Sante and Kenny Kimes is a true story. Not even Tennessee Williams would have dare to dream up a mother/son relationship like this one. Horribly funny. Monstruosly entertaining. Judy Davis is, quite simply, spectacular. Although Richard Benjamin (the director) seems to go for the campy aspects of this outrageous tale, Judy Davis keeps it rooted to some kind of illogical logic. Sante's madness is a first for the screen. Part Bette Davis, part Judy Garland but one hundred per cent Judy Davis. If that seems like an absurdity, look at the movie. Sante/Judy is in constant movement even when she's standing still. A fearless magnificent performance. If this little murder had been a big screen movie. Judy would, certainly, be nominated for an Oscar.