Shadows of Desire

Although not particularly original, I found this film enjoyable for a made-for-TV movie. Sure it's not one that you'd rush out to the cinema to watch but it's still good if you want to sit in front of the telly with your feet up and a good cup of tea. I found myself continuously screaming at the telly when I was watching this; why can't people just take the easy option for a change and choose the best man? Then again that wouldn't make much of a film and part of what makes it so interesting is seeing the struggle that the leading lady goes through in deciding who to pick. Look out for the twist towards the end too... it was the best part of the whole film!

This was a rather nice film that opens up with a young woman going back home for her mother's funeral in a very small town where her mom use to own a local café. This gal is played by Nicollette Sheridan, (Rowena Eckland), "Lost Treasure" who is a rather sexy looking gal with good looks and a great hot body. Rowena lost her cherry about the age of fifteen years to a local rich boy in town and then decided to get married to another guy and then got a divorce. Adrian Pasdar (Jude Snow) was the young man who made love to Rowena and his brother Joe Lando is falling in love with Rowena and trouble between the two brothers starts some fireworks. The ending of this film is rather disappointing and just plain stupid, if you really love someone and you know deep in your heart this is your soul mate, don't waste time, just plain get married and put the past behind you.

While channel-surfing last night I thought I recognized Piper Laurie, one of my favorites (looking a bit plump, rather becomingly), in a TV movie (identified by the title: "The Devil's Bed") being shown on the Lifetime ("Television for Women"[!]) cable network.

The story was a rather sad one, set in a small town in the contemporary American West, that has a Cain and Abel theme. Two brothers, ably played by Adrian Pasdar and Joe Lando, under the firm matriarchal control of Ms. Laurie, enact an updated parallel of one of the Bible's more difficult morality tales. Lando is quite convincing as a randy ne'er-do-well, contrasted by a sensitively melancholy portrayal by Pasdar (Man! What eyebrows!) as his younger, nose-to-the-grindstone brother. I thought Nicolette Sheridan, as their shared love/lust interest, was a bit granitic (What a jawline!) but Ms. Laurie, as usual, brought her solid professionalism to a role that did not descend to any sentimental softening of her character's less sympathetic side. The alternate title, used by Lifetime, seemed to me to be more apt than the original one. In most respects the production was quite well-crafted, however my patience was sorely tried by a stream of commercials of Biblical proportions (the equivalent of Noah's flood, shall we say?) Worth a look if Lifetime schedules it again.

I liked this movie when it first aired on the USA network. I watch it each time it is now run on the Lifetime Movie Network / Lifetime Network. I thought everyone in this movie played their parts convincingly. I had seen Nicollette's work in Knots Landing and to me the part of Rowena wasn't much of a stretch from her role on the TV series. I was impressed with Joe Lando, who I had watched on the Dr. Quinn series as the good and pure-hearted Sully. His role as the troubled Sonny Snow was played to perfection. In fact, if I had to choose between the two brothers as Rowena had to, without a doubt, I would have chosen Sonny, even though he might have been the most reckless of the brothers. (You will have to watch the movie to see who she chooses and how that affects the other brother.) I thought the script was well written and the plot was made clear. I wish this movie would be put on DVD. I would buy it in a heartbeat.

Good TV film with good performances and an acceptable storyline. Worth to be seen until the very end. 7 out of 10 for me.