BLOOD VOWS: STORY OF A MAFIA WIFE

US, 1987, 95 minutes, Colour.
Melissa Gilbert, Eileen Brennen, Talia Shire, Joe Penny, Anthony Franciosa.
Directed by Paul Wendkos.

Blood Vows: Story of a Mafia Wife is yet another telemovie about the Mob. It has been treated seriously, of course, in the Godfather films. It has been shown in its brutality in such films as Goodfellas. Other films like State of Grace illustrate the brutality in New York itself. (There were also comic touches in Married to the Mob - even with the serious undertones.)

This is a rather slight telemovie, directed by veteran Paul Wendkos. It offers an attractive performance by Melissa Gilbert as well as interesting performances from Eileen Brennan as a rag-trade factory owner and Anthony Franciosa as an FBI man and Talia Shire as a Mafia wife.

Joe Penny is persuasive as the attractive lawyer who befriends the young woman at a police station, falls in love with her, doesn't reveal anything about himself - until it is clear to the wife after her marriage. She experiences the pressures of the Mafia family, especially during gang wars when the family has to go to a mansion which is under siege. She is used, as is her friend Sylvia, by the Mafia to import cocaine from Mexico. The film emphasises the romance - which makes the brutality at the end, the killing of Sylvia as well as the murder of the Mafia wife, a touch more poignant.

1.Interesting and entertaining Mafia story? The human dimension to the Mafia families?

2.The New York settings, the streets, the rag trade district, the Mafia mansions? The violent sequences and stunt work? The musical score?

3.The title, the relationships in marriage, vows? The relationships within family? Priorities? The woman caught up in the world of the Mafia, innocent and becoming its victim?

4.The portrait of Marian: being mugged, the treatment by the police in the precinct, Eddie and his sympathy? Her dress designing, friendship with Sylvia? The dates with Eddie, his inviting her to the home, meeting the family? Her not realising the Mafia connections? The proposal, their living together, the wedding? The beginnings of a happy marriage? Eddie and his giving her an apartment, injecting money into the rag trade? The irony of the importing of drugs? Her talks with Gina and her suspicions? Going with Sylvia to the factory, the threats to her life, Sal and his protection, having to move out in the middle of the night, in the mansion, the discussions with Eddie's mother, with Gina? The FBI and their presence, the agent and the discussions, the photos? The danger with the helicopter raid, the shootings? Eddie and his protestations? Her going to the FBI, giving evidence - her being abducted, back to the family, the reconciliation with Eddie, her horror at Sylvia's death, his shooting her? The victim?

5.Eddie, suave lawyer, the dates? Taking her to the family and the audience understanding the Mafia atmosphere? His suspicions of Gina? The marriage? His absences, love for Marion? The siege, protecting her during the raid? Sylvia confronting him about the drugs? Sylvia's death? His protestations to Marion, his love - and shooting her? The atmosphere of the family, the blood vows, his Don father? Sal and the protection? The clashes with the families and his taking command? The codes and his standing by them? Frank and his death?

6.Sylvia, genial, the dress designs, the failing business? Wisecracking? The marriage, the money injected into the company? Sal's presence? Agreeing about the marketing of the dresses? Her discovering the truth, confronting Eddie, her being run over?

7.The Mafia, the brothers, the younger generation and their vengeance? Helicopter raids and gunmen? Sal and the bodyguards?

8.The contrast with the women, the mother and her accepting what was going on? Gina and her love for Frank, her taking to drink? Her ambitions in art, not being able to get out? The pressure of the FBI agent? Her discussions with Marian, the agent showing her the photos of Frank's infidelity? Her wanting to know about Marian if anything happened - and the possibility that she would witness against the family?

9.The FBI agents, the surveillance of Eddie and Marian? The intrusion at the wedding? The family's hostile reaction? The information given to Marian and Gina, the pressure on Gina with the photos? Looking after Marian - but her abduction? His explanation of Italian-Americans?, and the bad name of the Mafia?

10.The cinema tradition of Mafia stories? This angle of the innocent victim? Romance - turning into the ugliness of violence?