THE CORPSE HAD A FAMILIAR FACE

US, 1994, 95 minutes, Colour.
Elizabeth Montgomery, Denis Farina, Yaphet Kotto, Lee Horsley, Audra Lindley.
Directed by Joyce Chopra.

The Corpse Had a Familiar Face is the title of an autobiography by Miami journalist, Edna Buchanan. She collaborated in the making of this film, taking some points from her autobiography.

As portrayed by Elizabeth Montgomery (in the Murphy Brown vein), she is curious and pushy, persistent in getting stories. The film shows her at her best, arriving on the crime scene, helped by the police who constantly wish her away but continuously help her. Where she fails is in not recognising (as we would recognise now after the revelations of the 90s about sex abuse and incest) what the situation was with the runaway daughter and her seemingly respectable father. However, at this stage, Edna does not realise what was happening and her interference leads to the death of both father and daughter.

Elizabeth Montgomery has a combination of Jane Fonda, Candice Bergen and Meg Ryan in her portrayal of Edna Buchanan. Denis Farina is genial as the tough Miami policeman and Yaphet Kotto is her connection with the force. Lee Horsley is the father and Audra Lindley plays Edna's mother, leading to a theme of an absent father in Edna's case and the repercussions of his walking out on his family all throughout her life and her inability to form relationships.

1. Entertaining telemovie? Blend of the personal story, the story of a reporter, police and crimes?

2. The Miami settings, the comments about Miami and people coming from other places to there? The police locations, the crimes, apartments, the homes of the wealthy? The musical score?

3. The title, its tone, the autobiography of Edna Buchanan? The film as a professional autobiography, personal autobiography?

4. The opening with Edna and her contacts, with Matt? Going to the scene of the crime, going into the house, taking the young rookie? The confrontation with the criminal, his shooting? Her comforting his wife? Her wanting to follow up the story, writing up the young policeman, ringing the mother of the victim, going to see her in hospital? Her words of comfort? An illustration of the kind of work that an investigative journalist could do? The personal angle on the crime?

5. Her preoccupation with the missing girl, seeing the notices, the police not pursuing it? The papers not pursuing it? The television interviews with the father, her going to see him the discussions, the girl's room, the mother with MS? Her taking sides with the father? Arguments with the reporter and his not pursuing the story? Arguments with the editor? Her tracking down the school magazine, discussing with the girl's best friend, the lead for the boyfriend? Going to the hotel, the desk clerk's wry comment on her age? Her coming back, confronting the boy, his taking her to see the girl, the father following, the revelation of the truth about the incest, the father as a public figure, his private behaviour, the victimisation of his daughter? Pulling the gun, the girl being shot, his killing himself? The boyfriend and his grief? The arrival of the police? Edna and her blaming herself, shock, her wanting to resign from the paper?

6. Edna and her age, previous marriages, the phone calls with her mother, her mother giving her the pottery animals? The birthday? The visits, the discussions with her mother? Her exasperation? The challenge about her own father leaving when she was seven? Confronting her mother, her mother avoiding the issues? Wanting her mother to hug her, her inability to hug? Her trying to understand her father, why he left? The effect on her, her emotions, her inability to relate deeply?

7. Matt, his friendship, work with the police, the phone calls from Edna, his forbidding her to go to crime scenes but yet her doing it? A good friend?

8. Harry, his work in trying to get Rodrigues, mistaking the criminal? The encounter with Edna, comments on her hair? Matt taking her to the club to meet him, their clashes, the attraction, phone calls, the apologies? The further discussions, police work? Her going to the boat, his throwing the record player into the water - and then paying the youngsters? The bonds between the two - a possible future?

9. Work at the paper, the editor, the man at his desk always getting the odd jobs? The photographer and his eagerness? The other journalists? Edna and her place, her pushiness, curiosity, dominance?

10. Police work, investigations, not prejudging a case, not intervening so that accidents would happen and people die?

11. A light autobiography, a light crime story, a light personal relationship story?