Giudizio al buio

I just picked up a video of this one for 75p-about all its worth. I usually like the True Story types but this is only true if you realise that people murder people. More likely its a rip off of Fatal Attraction. A woman apparently discovers her husband has been murdered-there was no motive for her to have done it yet she's arrested.A lawyer gets her off on some sort of technicality-which could have been due to the fact that there was no fingerprints,witnesses or motive but the police need to do this stuff. This is when you think it can't have been a True Story because it starts to get into the realms of fiction with plots and subplots based on the storyline of a woman lusting after her lawyer who tells her he's happily married.We find out later he DID once have an affair which nearly destroyed him. How utterly original! It just seems as if the plot is being added to when the woman employs a hit man to bump the lawyers wife off after arranging to have his nightclub torched.It gets too silly I was glad when it finished the film overstayed its welcome by about an hour

This 1991 film was really predictable and no surprises for a mystery. Writer Christopher Canaan could have done more with the subject matter based supposedly on a true story. Aren't all LMN TV movies true stories? Director George Kaczender tried but had bad actors to work with and I feel he finally gave up.

For certainly Peter Coyote, an actor I never have liked, gave a one dimensional performance. Watch the scene where he discovers his wife's murder. Blank face, no expression, no regret, just sits in the dining room staring into space. This is all right if you're playing shock, but to continue the same thing through the entire movie got boring as hell. And through all of this where are the children? Who's looking after them? For Coyote is too busy saving his own neck. Bad, bad, bad! Now Lesley Ann Warren has come a ways since Cinderella, hasn't she? She makes these googly eyes and giggles, reminiscent of VICTOR VICTORIA and A NIGHT IN HEAVEN. It seems to be the only thing she can do. She's quite a lovely lady and should try less intensive roles and just look pretty, which she is. Jean Smart as the wife was the only actor who had any balls at all. As the wife, she made a presence to reckon with. And Freda Williams as the dumb secretary taken in by the obvious allure of Warren did okay.

Forget this one. No hope for it.

and the fact that this incident actually occurred, it may have been helpful if the writer had included more background information on Leslie Ann Warren. She portrays Melanie Evans, a woman who murdered her husband and subsequently resorts to other acts of violence when she does not get her way.

Peter Coyote portrays the defense lawyer who clears her of murder charges. They live in Travis, Missouri, a nice small town where people are supposed to be supportive of one another. Peter Coyote's wife (Jean Smart) is later murdered by a brainless hit man, who claims he had "some kind of spell" put on him by Melanie Evans (do they still use that hackneyed phrase?!).

Anyway the conclusion brings too many protracted court scenes, and I agree with the other review, Warren having a breakdown on the stand equals ho-hum melodrama. Also the scene where she puts on too much lipstick and resembles a clown is reminiscent of "The Bell Jar" and far too many other films where the director does not know how to show a character with a mental breakdown.

Peter Coyote is good, however (similar to the "Jagged Edge role") Leslie Ann Warren- wonder whatever became of her?. 7/10.

This film deals with a psychotic woman who lusts after the lawyer who got her off a murder charge. It has many of the essentials a woman who supposedly kills her husband ( Warren) How she's gotten off by her lawyer ( Coyote) Actually more on a no bill from grand Jury as opposed to a trial. But it lacks something which I consider essential. The film was presented as a docudrama. It didn't have a final narrative as to what eventually became of the participants. As a film it is entertaining but in a docudrama I expect some type of summary as to what became of the characters since it is supposes to be a true story. In spite of it's short comings it does provide some entertaining viewing . If only there had been a postscript it would have passed for a good film.