The Woman Hunter

Barbara Eden stars as a woman named "Dina Hunter" who has just inherited a fortune due to the death of her father. Because she was accidentally involved in the death, her husband "Jerry Hunter" (Robert Vaughn) accompanies her to Acapulco so that she can recover both mentally and emotionally. While there she meets a man named "Paul Carter" (Stuart Whitman) who she believes is a murderous jewel thief intent on killing her and taking her jewelry. Now, considering the presence of accomplished actors like Robert Vaughn and Stuart Whitman one would think that their mere presence would be able to lift this film up from mediocrity. Sadly, that is not the case as this "made for television" movie fails to capitalize on their abilities. Fortunately, Barbara Eden manages to keep the film from completely crashing due to her beauty and charm. Even so, the lack of action and suspense is definitely noticeable and the final product suffers accordingly. Somewhat disappointing.

If your main goal in life is to watch old films with LOTS of footage of the beautiful Barbara Eden wearing bikinis, fashionable clothes and traipsing about Mexico, then I have a film for you! One reviewer gave this very ordinary film a 10--mostly because this was what they were looking for in a movie! Clearly, this is among their favorite films! However, for most viewers this isn't really enough reason to recommend "The Woman Hunter"--an at best ordinary made for TV film from the 1970s. While Miss Eden IS radiant here, some of her other work of this period (such as the creepy made for TV film, "The Stranger Within") is much better.

Eden plays Dina Hunter--a super-rich heiress who is emotionally ill following a tragic accident. Not helping much is her husband, Jerry (Robert Vaughn)--a man who seems more interested in business than spending time with his sexy wife on a Mexico vacation. During this time, a stranger, Paul Carter (Stuart Whitman) obviously deliberately ingratiates himself with the family and soon Dina realizes this was no accident. What follows is mildly interesting at times, but too often it just seems very rushed and sloppy. Even the surprising twist at the end doesn't save the film because it's handled VERY poorly--ending with an impossibly well-aimed rock and an explosion that seems to come out of no where. All in all, the film had some decent ideas but comes off as very superficial and silly.

Stuart Whitman is stalking Barbara Eden. She's an heiress married to Robert Vaughan, and she's just gotten out of the hospital, so they take a vacation in Mexico, where Larry Storch tells stories at night, and Whitman is their next-door neighbor. He is a painter, so after meeting Eden (whose character is named Dina Hunter; the Hunter woman, get it) on the beach, and catching her in a bikini, he offers to paint her portrait. Then he 'runs into' Vaughan in town, and sticks himself in the middle of their lives. As Miss Eden grows more and more uneasy, Vaughan tries to remember where he's seen Whitman before. Well, the man's career was shrinking in prominence.

It's a TV movie of the 'cozy mystery' variety that now seems to run all the time on the Lifetime cable channel. Director Bernie Kowalski does a decent job with his highly professional cast and standard camerawork.It's nice to see Vaughan play a decent guy, and Miss Eden in a bikini. It looks like editor Melvin Shapiro had to leave the end to a couple of subplots on the cutting room floor.

This was like a dull television show. I would hope that when a director looks at a script, he or she would make an effort to produce something that teaches or delights or does something to make the effort worthwhile. There is really nothing here. Barbara Eden is honeymooning with Robert Vaughn. He seems only interested in business. She has recently lost her first husband in a terrible accident. There have been some recent jewel thefts and a woman has been murdered. Barbara becomes attracted to a handsome young artist, and he becomes the murder suspect. There are efforts made to gaslight Barbara, but she knows what she knows. The movie grinds along to a contrived conclusion. We do get to see Barbara in all kinds of outfits. It's really not worth an hour and a half of your time.

After opening with the murder of a woman, we are introduced to the prime suspect, Paul Carter (Stuart Whitman).

Enter beautiful, zillionaire socialite Dina Hunter (Barbara Eden) who has just returned home after a terrible auto accident. Dina's husband (Robert Vaughn) is an overly-driven, inattentive jerk. Not-too surprisingly, this sends bored and neglected Dina into the arms of another man.

Uh oh!

Dina's gotten herself mixed up with none other that Carter, who has been following her all along! This all leads to suspense and thrills during the big twist finale.

THE WOMAN HUNTER is a wonderful made-for-TV thriller. It's Ms. Eden's movie and she makes the best of it. While she is indeed stunningly gorgeous, she's also a great actor. Her dance scene is a show stopper!

Highly recommended for the Barbara Eden fanatic...