REFLECTIONS ON A CRIME

US, 1994, 94 minutes, Colour.
Mimi Rogers, Billy Zane.
Directed by Jon Purdy.

Reflections on a Crime is a small-budget drama produced by veteran Roger Corman. It is a star vehicle for Mimi Rogers. The film focuses on a wife and the murder of her husband. However, as the film progresses, we are asked whether the action is happening in the imagination of the wife or whether it happened in reality. The bulk of the film is the final night of the woman before her execution. She discusses and remembers the past with the prison guard, played by Billy Zane. The relationship between husband and wife is dramatised in a succession of flashbacks (not necessarily in chronological order). The film is mainly a two-hander with Mimi Rodgers and Billy Zane - however, there is enough complex background to the marriage (as well as a number of ways in which the wife kills her husband) to make us question the nature of the relationship and the potential violence in the wife.

1. Interesting drama? Melodrama? The relationship between husband and wife? The violence? The murder?

2. The bright colours for the flashbacks. The contrast with the brown and yellow tones for the prison sequences? Contrasting moods? Musical score?

3. Structure of the film: the basic framework of the condemnation of Regina to death, her going to Death Row, the discussions with Colin? The interspersing of the flashbacks? Not in chronological order? Or imagination?

4. The title of the film? Regina's reflection - after the event? Before the event?

5. The portrait of Regina? In Death Row, her confessing to the crime, the clash with her lawyer? The encounter with Colin, his reasons for being with her, volunteering? Her reactions to him? Discussions, taunting him? The questions about her crime and motives? The meal? The sexual advance? Her emergency and feeling ill? The doctor, her reaction against a priest, her saying she had a relationship with God? The barber cutting her hair? Her going to execution? The contrast with the flashbacks: her encounter with James, his coming with the flowers and proposing? The years of their marriage? Her being in hospital - for what reason? Abortion? Her changing attitudes towards him? The seven years of marriage? The intimate scenes, her dream as a premonition - and his mother's dream being the same? Or did she just quote her mother-in-law's dream? The meals, the seventh anniversary dinner, the interactions with the guests? The variety of ways in which she killed James? The gun as the cigarette lighter? Stabbing him? Smothering him? What was really happening in terms of her attitude towards her husband and her assessment of why he was weak, not decisive, not wanting a divorce?

6. James, attraction towards Regina, the proposal, the years of marriage? His adequacy and inadequacy? As perceived by Regina? His illness, his mother's visit? The changing attitudes, the visits to the hospital? The final dinner? His death? Deserving to die, loving his wife or not?

7. Colin and his place in the prison, his studies, expertise, on capital punishment. His wanting to be with Regina? Attending the trial, sympathy, volunteering? His initial tentative approach? Asking her questions, discussions? The doctor? Coming into the cell, the sexual advance? His telling the joke - and her interpreting it as a dream and trying to psychoanalyse him? His final reaction to her - and to capital punishment?

8. The visitors for the celebration? Bringing the two together? Their own reactions, to each other?

9. The prison guards, the doctor and his sombre explanations, the barber and cutting Regina's hair?

10. The editing and the links between what she was doing in the prison cell, eg looking at the mirror, and the transfer instantly to a parallel situation in her life? The fact that she was writing a diary?

11. An interesting portrait study of a crime - or potential for crime?