Seule face au crime

Robert Desiderio has been keeping a big secret from wife Ann Jillian. When their son is snatched off the street Jillian learns that her husband is the son of Mafia Don Charlton Heston and this is a part of a new war that's getting going between the clans.

As we learned from Richard Castellano in The Godfather there's always a lot of bloodletting every decade or so. It's to clear the air. This sounds like one of those type occasions.

In any event Jillian and Desiderio are taken to the Corleone like compound of Heston and spend the rest of the film there. The life of a Mafia princess even by marriage is tempting, but Jillian just wants her chikld back.

God only knows why Heston chose this project. Nothing about him whatsoever suggests a Mafia Don. He declares war on the opposition like he was Moses laying God's word. Bad casting, bad writing, and bad directing.

Not one of Charlton Heston's better screen roles.

Ann Jillian is Sharon Richards, Bloomington, Indiana art teacher and wife of building contractor John (Robert Desiderio) whose son Matty (Zachary Benjamin) is kidnapped. John hasn't told Sharon that he is actually John Mancini, the son of Mafia godfather Louis Mancini (Charlton Heston) and it is believed that the kidnapping is connected to Mancini warfare. The Richards' seek refuge in the Mancini Phoenix estate while they try to discover who has Matty.

Jillian's black roots under her blonde hair are evident, particularly when she runs after the car that takes Matty (the car cruises away slow enough for Sharon to be able to later identify the driver), and in scenes where the wind exposes the back of her head. She is given a seemingly inexhaustable wardrobe at the Mancini's, in spite of her not knowing she would be made to stay on, and is featured being pursued in two car chases. Her best moment is a close-up when she realises the Phoenix police are controlled by the Mancini's, after she runs from the estate for help.

The teleplay by Philip F Messina is a poor man's The Godfather with less scope, presenting the Mancini family as old world and corrupt, with Biblical associations. Louis's younger son, Chris (Lou Liberatore) has been given control of the family business but is not valued, which is why Louis wants John, the prodigal son. The reason for John's initial departure is not made clear, but presumably it is related to the suicide of his mother.

Director Ron Satlof helps Heston show a unexpected degree of emotion - perhaps the hairpiece helps - and his extended begging John not to leave shows him as surprising vulnerable considering his stoic persona. The loud ticking of a clock on the soundtrack as John tells Sharon of his family makes us forgive the slow motion in gunfire scenes, but otherwise this is a frustrating title, since Satlof's tone suggests something we wait for which never eventuates.

I recently watched Original Sin (1989) on Tubi. The storyline follows a perfectly happy family in the suburbs until their son is kidnapped. As the husband and wife investigate the events that led to the kidnapping, secrets from the husband's past begin to surface, suggesting they may have played a role in their son's abduction.

This film is directed by Ron Satlof (Bush Doctor) and stars Ann Jillian (Babes in Toyland), Robert Desiderio (Knots Landing), Charlton Heston (The Ten Commandments), and Jason Bernard (Liar Liar).

This made-for-television drama (NBC Network) was better than I expected. The cinematography feels typical of a TV movie, but the acting and storyline exceeded my expectations. The performances feel authentic, and the storyline includes some intriguing twists and turns. The conclusion hits the mark for the premise as well.

In conclusion, Original Sin has its limitations but is better than it should be. I would score this a 6/10 and recommend it with the appropriate expectations.