A Vida por um Fio

Abysmal remake of the 1948 classic starring Barbara Stanwyck, itself an adaptation of a popular radio play starring Agnes Moorehead. This one was made for TV with Loni Anderson. What an embarrassment for all involved. The acting from Anderson is next level awful. I've seen her in enough roles to know that, while she was no Stanwyck or Moorehead, she could deliver her lines in a reasonably believable way. Here she's the absolute pits. To make matters worse the entire production feels cheap, even by TV standards. Veteran TV director Tony Wharmby's idea of building suspense is akin to nails on a chalkboard. Instead of anticipating what was going to happen next, I was begging for it all to be over. I really only checked this out because I love Hal Holbrook but even he couldn't save it. Terrible movie.

I thought this film was the best thing I've ever seen. It had everything; suspense, romance, comedy. It made me laugh, it made me cry. If I think about it I can't fault this film on any count. The acting was superb, the photography was just delightful, and the direction was assured. And may I take this opportunity to say that even the trailer was wonderful Masterpiece 10/10 Bravo.

Good presentation using lots of flashback to good effect. When a bedridden woman overhears a phone conversation which leads her to believe a crime is being planned, a night of terror begins for her. After making a series of calls to various people she begins to piece together a tale of greed and illegal gains involving a cartel of gangsters, the D.A.'s office, her father's business, and her husband. Tense drama with a heart pounding finale.

Honestly, I would have seen a better standard of acting if I had watched a school Nativity play. The plot is extremely good, and this film would have been a hit if the cast included some good character actors. Alas it is not to be. The standard of the two main performers (Loni Anderson and Carl Weintraub) is absolutely laughable - abominable all round acting, and neither of them can fake a cry whatsoever. In one scene Loni Anderson is acting out a faint - I have never laughed so much in my life while watching a film. She cannot make a convincing frightened expression at all. Patrick McNee is on his usual fine form, a pity he has a small part and not a principle role because I think he would have been able to drag this film up to be a very big hit, which alas with the current performance, it is quite rightly not so.

I don't know what the negative reviewers were smoking, but I found this movie to be a ten rating out of ten! It had all the elements of an engaging story...suspense, romance, action, drama...you name it.

Also, the movie had an attractive well acting cast. This is my opinion.

The original movie is excellent too, but of the two I like this version a little better...perhaps more than a little better actually. Maybe because for some reason, the movie reminded me of a Columbo style film (without a detective focus) in how it was laid out...who knows...except that it is one hell of a movie.

Ignore the stone throwers and check it out...If you can find it.

Stay well all...