THE WRONG WOMAN
US, 1995, 90 minutes, Colour.
Nancy Mc Keown, Chelsea Field.
Directed by Douglas Jackson.
The Wrong Woman is a conventional telemovie thriller, focusing on a young woman and circumstantial evidence as to her being a killer. The audience soon knows the real killer and follows the confrontation between the two. The setting is the world of bib business, ambition, personal jealousies. Nancy Mc Keown has appeared in a number of similar telemovies. The villain is Chelsea Field.
1.Interesting and entertaining telemovie? Drama for the home audience? Credibility and plausibility?
2.The city settings? Homes and offices? Affluence? Musical score?
3.The title and the focus on Melanie? The introduction and the collage of her previous encounter? This being held against her later? Circumstantial evidence, her being in the wrong place, photographs by the private detective, reactions of the police? Her imprisonment and its effect? Her own detective work to find the right woman?
4.The portrait of Melanie? Her previous relationship and its violent ending? Her being a temporary secretary? Her skills, friendship with Laura and her support? The relationship with the boss - and not knowing he was married? Her being flattered, being wary, the dinners? Her finding out about the truth and breaking off the relationship? Her relationship with Margaret Bateman in the office? Going to the gallery to see Christine? The circumstances and her being arrested? The reaction of the police? In the cell? Her own detective work, meeting with Laura, disguising herself, the information about the private detective, the phone call listening and suspicions of Margaret? The court hearing? Christine and her change of heart, discussions with Christine? Getting her help? The build-up to the confrontation - and further circumstantial evidence that she had killed Christine? The finale, the photos, the vindication? The apology of the policeman - a future relationship?
5.Margaret Bateman, the efficient manager, her impositions on Laura, her using Melanie? The irony of the private detective photographing her? Her ambition, killing the boss, supportive of Christine in her mourning? Wanting to continue with the business? Christine's hesitation? The visit of the detective, the photographs, her luring him and killing him? The set-up, Laura and forbidding her to contact Melanie? The confrontation with Christine and killing her? Setting up the circumstances to blame Melanie? Her overreaching herself and her death? A credible villain?
6.The boss, estrangement from his wife, affairs, attraction towards Melanie, the meals and the gifts? The photographs? His being killed by Margaret? Christine and the tensions in the marriage? Her gallery? The friendship with Margaret and dependence on her? The photos, her letting Melanie go? Their discussions, the final confrontation with Margaret, her death?
7.Laura, inefficient, working for Margaret, friendship with Melanie, fearful to talk to her, giving Margaret the information?
8.The private detective, his style, the photographs, not giving the full range of photographs to Christine? The cowboy style? Blackmailing Margaret? Her killing him?
9.Popular ingredients for a potboiler drama? The particular perspective of women and women's issues - in business, in the law, in marriage?
