Vanishing Act

This is about as good as a TV-movie can get. I saw it when it first appeared on TV in 1986, and looked for it for the next 12 years, as it couldn't be found on video, then without warning, this excellent film hit video and cable on The Mystery Channel. The plot is not original, but it is a clever idea to borrow, and it has a helluva twist at the end, and it leaves you hanging all the way until that last minute. Fred "Herman Munster" Gwynne does a wonderful job, as well as Mike "MASH's B.J. Honeycutt" Farrell.

Completely forgotten and overlooked, this is a murder-mystery par excellence.

Not generally a favourite genre of mine, I stumbled across this movie on TV late one night years ago and never forgot it. I then managed to track it down on an ancient VHS quite recently and watched it again. It was every bit as good as I remembered.

No special effects, no overblown budgets. Just a cracking script, superb performances, tight and efficient direction and one of the best twists ever.

An absolute masterclass in small budget movie-making.

Addictive thriller has Mike Farrell as a distraught husband whose wife has gone missing from their holiday house in the mountains after an apparently minor conflict. Newly transferred police chief (Gould) initially spends more time attempting to source his favourite pastrami sandwich, but soon discovers there might be more to the alleged disappearance than meets the eye. When the missing wife miraculously reappears (Kidder) Gould returns to his sandwich priorities except Farrell is insisting that the woman claiming to be his missing spouse, is not his wife.

Classic mystery is an engaging remake of the 1976 James Fanciscus telemovie "One of My Wives is Missing" with a capable cast which features Gould as an enigmatic detective with more going on between the ears than he lets on, while Kidder is an almost haunting presence in the role previously played by Elizabeth Ashley. The situations are taut and the dialogue is careful in containing the mystery until the last scene which is a cracker.

The only liabilities are the telemovie budget which limits the scope of the production and the casting of, while talented performers, actors who are sometimes difficult to separate from their long time small-screen alter egos (BJ Hunicutt and Herman Munster occasionally remembered in the performances of Farrell and Gwynne). In this respect, although the original Franciscus movie has more credibility as a serious thriller, "Vanishing Act" still leverages a superbly conceived idea with enough potential to please the matinée audience for whom this was intended.

In the Rocky Mountains, Harry Kenyon (Mike Farrell) seeks out his missing wife Chris Kenyon in the Winter Parade. Harry meets Lieutenant Rudameyer (Elliott Gould) and tells that he is from San Francisco and has just married Chris, who is from Philadelphia, in Las Vegas. They traveled to the Rockies in honeymoon and they had an argument on the previous day and Chris left their isolate cabin driving her car. Harry also tells that he is worried with her disappearance since she is not a good driver.

Harry returns to his cabin and receives a phone call from the local priest, Father Macklin (Fred Gwynne), who summons him to go to the church. Father Macklin tells that Chris (Margot Kidder) is in the church waiting for him. When Harry sees Chris, he tells that she is not his wife; but the woman knows details of their lives and Harry is discredited by the evidences. Is a stranger impersonating Chris or is Harry delusional?

"Vanishing Act" is one of my favorite movies ever and very difficult to be found. I saw this movie in the 80's, borrowed on VHS from a video rental, and since then I have not had the chance to see it again. The VHS is rare; it was inexplicably not released on DVD or Blu-Ray; and is not available for download. Yesterday I found a Youtube with "Vanishing Act" divided in three parts and that was the chance to see it again.

"Vanishing Act" has a top-notch screenplay, with several plot points and the truth is only disclosed in the last scene. Elliott Gould has one of his best performances in the role of the witty New Yorker Lieutenant Rudameyer and Joel Cohen built in "Fargo" the character Marge Gunderson performed by Frances McDormand that recalls the cool behavior of Rudameyer. Margot Kidder is very gorgeous and Fred Gwynne is very funny. Mike Farrell gives credibility to his character and makes the viewer sympathize with his situation. Maybe I have exaggerated a little giving a ten to this movie, but I really love it and I believe it will please any viewer. My vote is ten.

Title (Brazil): Not Available

This is a great movie for those Who love old fashion mysteries. Harry reports to Lt.Rudameyer that his wife Chris is missing.

Chris shows up with Father Macklin, and this is when the fun begins. Elliot Gould, Margot Kidder And Mike Farrell are great...But Fred Gwynne is wonderful as Father Macklin. Check it out!!!!!