BEST KEPT SECRETS
US. 1988, 104 minutes, Colour.
Patty Duke, Fredric Forrest, Peter Coyote, Meg Foster, Howard Hesseman.
Directed by Jerrold Freedman.
Best Kept Secrets is an '80s telemovie about the role of police, special investigations groups, the keeping of dossiers on ordinary citizens and the role of the law. Patty Duke, star of so many telemovies, is effective in the role of the wife of a policeman who finds that her husband does not get promotion because she is on such a surveillance list. There are tensions in the marriage but more tensions as she continues to investigate the truth or not about the files and exposes them. She is pressured by her husband (played by Fredric Forrest) and by associates and friends (including Peter Coyote and Meg Foster). Howard Hesseman is the newspaper reporter who takes up her story and exposes the scandal.
The film shows aspects of American families, professional tensions within marriages, especially amongst the police. It shows the closing of ranks by the police - as well as media and its role in exposing scandals and authorities having to deal with them. The theme of personal decision making and conscience is strong.
1.Interesting and entertaining telemovie? Serious themes for the wide family audience?
2.The American town, the precincts, the homes? The countryside? Stunts and special effects for police work? The musical score?
3.The title, the role of surveillance, official secrets and files? The dilemma for the ordinary citizen to keep these matters secret or to expose them for justice sake with the risk of hurting family and friends?
4.Laura, her relationship with Blaze? A police marriage? Her support, giving lectures to the police wives? Her children? The tensions within the marriage - and the memories of affairs? Her support of her husband, listening in on the radio, contact with Frank and his wife? His wife as her best friend? Jim Ramos's wife and the others? The socials together? Her ringing the police station and getting information? The tension with her husband in action? Her church work, Salvadorian refugees? Her husband's lack of promotion, the information about the file and her reaction? The support of her mother- and father-in-law? The pressure from Frank and his wife? The investigations about the files, seeing the police chief on television, going to interview him - and the reaction of the other police, Blaze and Laura being shunned? The pressure from Frank's wife? Her ringing Jim Osborne at the paper, hanging up? Stealing the file during the social, seeing the storage, seeing the explosion and their destruction? Blaze and the separation? Giving him the file and his burning it? Her mother-in-law coming to take the children for protection? The expose, the deal that she give testimony about the drug dealer setting the fire? Her decision and refusal? Blaze and his decision to move, the reconciliation? Portrait of an individual, a woman with a crisis of conscience?
5.Blaze, husband, father? His work? Not supporting his wife, the clashes with her, closing ranks with the police? His lack of promotion, giving her the information? Their being shunned? His moving out? Burning her file? His return?
6.Frank and Jim Ramos, the special investigations branch, tough, the revenge by Frank for the death of his son on a drug overdose? The drug dealer and the difficulty of pinning him in prison? Stealing the files, using them and selling the information? Blaze not being promoted? The hostility towards Laura? Frank and his domination of his wife? Ramos and the tensions with his wife? Laura and her decision, the hostility of Frank? Their being indicted?
7.Jim Osborne, newspapers and articles, television interviews? The information about the files, needing evidence, the editor and her demands of Jim? Laura's phone calls, Jim Osborne tracking her down, the interview? Her sending the information and the final expose?
8.The members of the special squad, interviews with the media, the taking of the drug dealer? Arson? Their not being able to keep him? Griffin and his not giving information to Laura? The chief and the interview with Laura - and the independence and secrecy of special branches?
9.Frank's wife, the trauma of her son's death, her being dominated by her husband, appealing to Laura to give false evidence?
10.Family themes and tensions in American society? Police and justice? The law and police being above the law? The role of the media? Ordinary citizens and conscience?
