L'amant diabolique

This film is excellent. Roxanne Hart does an excellent job portraying Ms. Scripps, who was actually murdered by her husband in the mid 90's.

Holly Marie Combs and Sarah Chalke portray Alex and Annie Morrel, Anne's daughters. The Scripps family-(Just think of publishing, NY and their estate in Bronxville, NY) is an old money establishment, and James Wilder portrays Scott Douglas, Anne's new suitor, who eventually marries the unsuspecting Scripps.

Apparently, she did not realize the extent of his capacity for abuse and violence. Perhaps it started as verbal abuse. Douglas seems to resent Anne's life of privilege, though she is a loving mother and wife. He embarrasses her in front of friends, degrades her, and spends his days drinking, while living in her mansion.

The performances in this film are very good, particularly Roxanne Hart, who is simply a wealthy,lonely woman, marries a younger man, and becomes the victim. She is sympathetic yet believable. Holly Marie Combs is also excellent, as the daughter who fights back, and sees the predicament her mother is in.

This is a decent film which realistically portrays the covert world of spousal abuse. Watch it and you will be interested in learning the true story.

This is a USA Original Pictures movie based upon the murder of the Scripps heiress by her abusive controlling husband. The daughters of the mother play a large role in the movie and narrate it at times. It follows a typical and predictable progression, partly based upon its semi-factually based premise. The movie is definitely watchable, but is obviously a made-for-TV movie and is reminiscent of previous USA Original movies.

The theme of the intruding con-man who works his way in until its too late to remove him appears here. Unlike the many other similar movies with this plot, this one is unique since it does have some basis in reality.

This movie appeared to me to be sending the message loud and clear - THIS IS WHAT CAN HAPPEN WHEN YOU BECOME INVOLVED IN AN ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP AND DO NOT LISTEN TO YOUR SUPPORTERS. The fact that this movie is based on a true story removes any need for me to be critical of it. The producers did themselves justice by focusing on the daughters role in what happened. It should at the very least make any victim think about the pain the family and friends go through when they see a 'loved one' in an abusive relationship. I loved the film and all three main actors Holly, Sarah and Roxie were just great.

I have to give the film 10 out of 10 - the whole cast and crew appeared to do more than 'really try;' they portrayed a story easily believable and is all too real. They didn't go for any fancy twists or turns - they just did it! I found myself feeling sorry for the loss of Roxie to all who knew her. Domestic Abuse/Violence is a hot issue for discussion and this film is a great training resource too!

I thought this was a well done movie for a made for TV movie. I think the cast all did a good job.

James Wilder as the diabolical boyfriend/husband Scott gives me the creeps. Roxanne Hart as the heiress made me feel so sorry for her character. There are times when she talks and is crying and her voice quivers and it is so believable. How any woman puts up with such abuse is so hard to understand. The daughters were a good contrast to each other - Holly Marie Combs as the strong sister Alex and Sarah Chalke as the lush, weak sister prone to her mother's poor choice in men.

The way that man shamed and humiliated that woman was unbelievable. Its hard to believe her daughters couldn't have done more to intervene. Hopefully, domestic abuse laws in NY have changed to have more automatic, severe penalties for abusers. The thing that I don't get is that the movie states several times that court favors attempted reconciliation. Why in the world - in the 1990's- would the court encourage a woman to go back to her abuser. This wasn't the 1950's, when abuse was swept under the rug, and people turned a blind eye.

I think this movie reveals an important truth - that violence is an equal-opportunity evil; it inflicts the wealthy as well as the poor. People tend to think violence is an inner-city or working-class problem, but it doesn't discriminate. While they may not make up the majority, wealthy killers aren't hard to find in prison. In the graveyard, wealthy victims are even easier to find.

this movie was wonderful, i don't know if it was based on a true story but it could have been, this woman falls in love with a younger man and he turns out to be abusive and he finds ways to make it so he will always be in this womans life and he torments her. Holly Marie Combs plays an excellent role as the daughter who stands up for her mother to this man. It ends very sad though.