DEATH OF A CENTREFOLD

US, 1981, 96 minutes, Colour.
Jamie Lee Curtis, Bruce Weitz, Mitchell Ryan, Bibi Besch, Robert Reed.
Directed by Gabrielle Beaumont.

Death of a Centrefold is a telemovie telling of the story of Playboy model Dorothy Stratten who had a brief moment of success in modelling, photography and films but was killed by her insane husband-manager. The film is a picture of the American dream come true and then suddenly brutally destroyed. It was the subject of Bob Fosse's rather more spectacular Star 80 with Mariel Hemingway and Eric Roberts with Cliff Robertson as Hugh Hefner.

Jamie Lee Curtis is effective in the central role. Bruce Weitz does well as the obnoxious Snyder. Mitchell Ryan has some moments as Hugh Hefner.

The film shows Dorothy's background in Vancouver, the sudden fame with her selection to be a centrefold and the repercussions on her life and career. Robert Reed has the role of David Palmer, a film director - modelled on Peter Bogdanovich who was promoting Dorothy Stratten who appeared in his film They All Laughed. Direction is by Gabriel Beaumont, a BBC television director who made the thriller The Godsend.

1. Interesting drama? True story? Glamour, violence in the American dream? The world of Playboy and modelling?

2. The telemovie style, the home audience, a treatment of Dorothy Stratten and the sordid doings for a home audience?

3. The Vancouver settings, Los Angeles, Hefner and his mansion, Hollywood - a contemporary style?

4. Audience awareness of Dorothy Stratten? Information, interest? A young girl, the American dream. possibilities and fulfilment? Her being Star 80? Fantasy and reality? Sex, the exploitation of sexuality? Wealth? Films? Yet death?

5. The credits and the highlighting of Dorothy Stratten as Playboy model, the audience seeing her through the camera lens? Jamie Lee Curtis credible as Dorothy?

6. Her growing up: her aunt and looking after her, care for her, her sister? Domestic scenes? Dorothy as a nice young girl, helping in the drug store, her friends? Sweet as apple pie! The background of her father leaving? Friendship with Paul? Her aunt's disapproval? The final phone call to her aunt before she died?

7. Paul Snyder's finding Dorothy, taking her out, the warnings she received, her need for him, the photo sessions, the nude posing, sending the material to Playboy? His dominance over her? Her going to Los Angeles, the arrival, the limousine, the Hefner party - a new world and her delight in it? The encounter with Hefner and his polite treatment of her? Her hopes and career? Paul's arrival in Los Angeles, the clashes with him? Her photo sessions, becoming Playmate of the Year, the celebratory party, Paul's boorish behaviour? The encounter with David Palmer - the audition, the ironic theme of the audition about a sexual liaison, her eventually going to live with him? Her manager and his skills, advising her against Paul? The continued warnings against Paul by everyone? David's building her up, the beginning of her screen career? Her last day - David's warning, going to the hairdresser's, her friends, her ring to her aunt? Going to Paul, his violence, the sexual encounter, death? The pathos of a young girl dying so young?

8. Paul Snyder and his sleazy background, the club, the male go-go dancers, Lomax and his crookedness, the contacts with the police, deals? The chance meeting with Dorothy, taking her out, arriving home, his self-assurance, beginning to exploit her and dominate her, the nude photos, sending them to Playboy? His possessiveness and obsessiveness, the phone calls, arrival in Los Angeles, throwing his weight around, antagonising everybody, his spiv style, his wheeler dealing? The cautions against him, going to buy the gun, his obsessive meeting with Dorothy, killing her? Killing himself?

9. David Palmer and the parallel with Peter Bogdanovich - suave, experienced, his vision for Dorothy, the affair, helping to train her? The end of the film focusing on his grief?

10. The Playboy world and its philosophy, the Playmates, the mansion, parties, the genial atmosphere - for the television audience? A sympathetic sketch of Hugh Hefner?

11. The girls and their response, their place in the playboy world, designed to attract the public? The comment on the American magazine, masculine-feminine roles? Exploitation of the girls?

12. The world of Hollywood, agents, managers, double-dealing?

13. An American fable about the American dream - and its souring?