Mariage mortel

THE PERFECT WIFE was pretty suspenseful for a television movie. Shannon Sturges made one bitchy psycho, and Perry King was good as her husband. It had a lot of tension, but it was sometimes hard to watch because the husband was so oblivious to what she was doing. At times I just couldn't believe he was missing things and would yell things out to him, as if it would help. But that's what a good thriller does, making us care about the person who's the victim even though they themselves don't know they are. A tad slow at times, but the final hour was pretty tense, and the performances helped sell the standard revenge plot. Not bad for a TV movie.

Although this film wasn't too bad, i must admit that it was too predictable for my liking. The only actor i liked was Lesley-Anne Down, but her character was a little too bland and her outfits terrible. Still, without her in it i would not have watched it. Shannon Sturgess gives and okay performance, although i think Perry King could have been twenty times better. I think the directors attempts to create atmosphere fell slightly flat. If i could change on thing it would be that the ending of the movie is more eventful, have more action or emotion in it. Overall i;d give it a 5 as i didn't turn it off halfway through. The plot was mildly entertaining.

This movie is like most of the Lifetime "he/she seems nice but is really a psychopath" types that are entertaining and good for a laugh. There are some familiar Lifetime actors, including Shannon Sturges, who overdoes her phony sweetness, and Perry King and William R. Moses, both probably underrated because of their association with Lifetime movies. Michelle Greene adds spice in the scene outside the kitchen at the brother's funeral. I just wonder, since there are no goofs listed, if anyone else wondered, in one of the movie's early scenes, why Greta the housekeeper is complaining that the new wife has been mistreating her for three months, when the happy couple has returned from their honeymoon just minutes ago.

Yes, Lifetime has a habit of making the male species look stupid. And this soap opera ain't kidding when they make Perry King, supposedly a well renowned medical doctor, unable to see the evil surrounding him. Puts your trust in doctors, huh? How can anyone not see what's going on? Is he that stupid? And the evil wife, with a face like a horse, goes around killing off his entire family without a trace. How does she acquire all the drugs? That isn't explained. How does she get off being a secretary in a hospital without any credentials? I guess the director, Don FauntLeRoy asks us to just believe it. I didn't. I kept yelling at the screen at the stupidity of King with all right in front of his face. If the wife was that attractive, maybe, just maybe, I'd accept it. But she's not even that. Shannon Sturges is the perfect wife and I tell you she has the face of a horse. I wouldn't cross the street for her, yet our perfect husband does and quickly. After everybody in the cast get knocked off, I wasn't satisfied with the come up pence given to our villainess. She deserved more than she got. William Moses plays the doctor's brother who unfortunately you know his outcome from day one. Pleasure to at least see one pretty face in this clinker. That of Lesley Anne Down. She gives the film a 2 count just on the relief of seeing someone fetching in this mess. Perry King deserved his fate. What a jerk.

From Lifetime, we have "The Perfect Wife," a 2001 movie starring Perry King, Lesley-Anne Down, William R. Moses, and Michele Greene. Dr. Robert Steward, who stops at the site of an accident to help the victims. One of them, a man, is dead, but he is able to save the woman. When the man's sister, Leah Tyman (Shannon Sturges) identifies her brother's body, she vows vengeance on anyone who played a part in his death. It's a long list since it includes anyone within three feet of them.

Before we know it, Leah Tyman is now Liz Steward, married to Dr. Steward, who is divorced from Helen (Lesley-Anne Down). Leah/Liz goes to work getting rid of people, all the while going to her little jewel box and talking to a photo of her brother.

Typical Lifetime, with a psycho that several people in the story know is insane and his or her spouse has no clue, despite the bodies falling all around.

I've always loved Lesley-Anne Down and thought she was incredibly beautiful. For me she was the only saving grace here. However, I knew what I was getting into. That's one thing about Lifetime movies - they have about six plots and you know you'll get one of them.