Deadly Intentions

I remember watching this movie on television while I was in University. I was providing some overnight home care for an elderly relative who went to bed early. After he was asleep, I placed a chair in the middle of the living room to watch TV and this movie came in. For the next two evenings, I sat perfectly still in the chair, not a muscle moved, white-knuckled, as I watched this story unfold. It was terrifying in its realism yet I could not pull myself away, desperately wanted this poor young wife to free herself from the grasp of her sickly possessive husband. I never forgot this movie and still bring it up once in a while in conversations about movies that had the biggest impact on my life.

If I watched it now, it may not have the same effect, but 30 years ago, it certainly left its mark!

There have been a number of films that deal with the `babe in the woods' woman who marries Mr psycho himself. Some like the Stepfather films are fictious and some like this one and Our Mothers Murder are true. In this one an educated man i.e. MD is the psycho husband. Once again the question comes up what exactly is it that makes these guys attractive to these women? This is a made for TV feature and is well done and well cast for the thriller/suspense factor. One interesting side note I noticed is that Cloris Leachman was cast as Charles Raynors mother. She also appeared as yet another wacko mother in a film about the late comedian Ernie Kovacks entitled Between the laughter.

I liked it. I thought it was good for a drama and sorta scary.

A REALLY disturbing movie! Madolyn Smith plays Katherine Raynor, a young, naive woman who falls for and marries Dr. Charles Raynor, awesomely portrayed by Michael Biehn. Before long (but unfortunately AFTER she has his child), she realizes that he is NOT what he seemed.

Madolyn Smith did a fine job as Katherine, but the best performances were by Michael Biehn and Cloris Leachman. Michael Biehn was incredible as the "good" doctor, he really made you believe he was totally unhinged! And as for Cloris Leachman, well if Raynor's mother was anything like she portrayed her, you can almost see why he was such a wakco.

There was a sequel, "Deadly Intentions...Again", but unless you are really dying to know what happened "after", skip it. It does tell you that, but it doesn't hold a candle to this one.

I bought this video for £2 second hand because the cover looked like a horror film. What I got was a thriller but very well put together and well acted. What's more, I found it in many ways to be as scary as any horror film because unlike Zombies and monsters etc, this could happen and it is based on true events. Watch this to see perhaps the worst husband you could ever meet. I especially liked the "gut you like a fish" speech. The most chilling part is the ending but I wont give that away. I am yet to find the sequel but I would love to see it.