INFIDELITY

US, 1987, 104 minutes, Colour.
Lee Horsley, Kirstie Alley, Robert Englund.
Directed by David Lowell Rich.

Infidelity is a popular magazine style telemovie focusing on relationships and infidelity. The film's couple are affluent, he a photographer, she a skilled medical scientist. The film focuses on their relationship, the pregnancy and a miscarriage, tension, one experience of infidelity and the drastic consequences for the marriage. Kirsty Alley is the wife, Lee Horsley the husband.

The film makes its points emotionally, focusing on the tension between husband and wife, the need for forgiveness and reconciliation. The ending seems rather too good to be true, although it is what the audience has been led to hope for.

1. Popular telemovie? Themes? Popular magazine treatment?

2. African locations, San Francisco? The affluent world? Glossy style? Musical score?

3. The title, the theme, audience response to the relationship, the infidelity, the need for reconciliation?

4. The opening in Africa: the family together, the elephant and the photographs, charging the four-wheel drive? The return to San Francisco? Nick and his family, the Italian background, the eating and singing together? Nick and his work, photography? Elliott and her pregnancy? Her relationship with her daughter?

5. Nick and the going to Nepal, the hesitation by Elliott? The emergency for her pregnancy? His return, her grief, hardening, alienated from Nick, his desperation, her going to the convention in Chicago?

6. The friendship with Scott and Robyn? Eileen as Elliott's best friend? Nick having to cope, the phone calls, his not understanding Elliott's hardness? Eileen and her consolation, the one experience of infidelity?

7. Elliott in herself, her experience, blames? Love for her daughter? The return, her discussion with Eileen, the discovery of the truth? Her anger? Her not listening to Nick? Taking the daughter and going to Africa? Not answering his correspondence? The friendship with Etienne and the affair?

8. Nick, his remaining celibate, his hopes for reconciliation? Meeting Elliott by chance in England, the question of the divorce? His refusal? Eileen and her guilt, reconciliation? Robyn offering herself?

9. The return to San Francisco, Elliott and the daughter, their sense of anticipation? Vito's death? The Rosary, the Italian celebration? Robyn looking after Melissa? Elliott and her affair with Etienne?

10. Her return to Africa, her work? Nick arriving - and the opera music that he liked to sing? The credibility of a reconciliation?

11. Values explored at a popular level: love and marriage, commitment and responsibility, infidelity, possibilities of forgiveness and reconciliation?