User Comments:
NO CLIMBING OVER THE OBSTACLE OF AN INFIRM SCRIPT., 28 August 2004
Author:
rsoonsa ([email protected]) from Mountain Mesa, California
An ongoing and tiresome motif occurring in many contemporary films pertains
to dissension within the ranks of law enforcement agencies with the leading
player being some kind of maverick when called to account by his lieutenant,
captain, chief or whomever, upbraided for his wayward ways, yet grudgingly
given a final opportunity for redemption ere his career is permanently
struck down by his choleric supervisor. In this movie, the ultimatum is
administered to FBI agent Brian Dillon (Jack Scalia) whose probable final
assignment will be an attempt to solve the kidnapping of a wealthy clothing
manufacturer whose wife Helen, acted with her customary minute dramatic
range by Bo Derek, does not try to disguise abhorrence of her abducted
husband, Ben. When Ben is purportedly murdered by the kidnappers, the
Bureau closes the case, but meantime Brian and the ungrieving widow have
become lovers, a situation complicated by such issues as fraud,
embezzlement, and the persistent presence of David (John Savage), Helen's
ex-lover and also brother of her late spouse. In addition to the obvious
closed space behind Derek's baby blues, the work is burdened with fatal
flaws, especially a scenario that is rife with unfillable holes in its
plotting for which a plethora of twists and turns are not compensatory, as
the scriptor has eliminated the requisite component of suspense. Scalia is
pleasing as ever, creating and improving his scenes, however, Carol
Lawrence has a majority of her footage cut, unfortunate as she enlivens the
action, in particular when paired with somnolent Derek; generous budgeting
is utilized to good advantage by making the film look and sound good, and
able efforts are turned in by cinematographer Thomas Del Ruth, designer
Alfred Sole, costumer Barbara Palmer, and editor Carl Kress, and the sound
mixing is top-notch, all unhappily at the service of an absurd
screenplay.
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