SILHOUETTE

US, 1991, 89 minutes, Colour.
Faye Dunaway, David Rasche.
Directed by Carl Schenkel.

Silhouette is a routine murder mystery made for cable television. Its star, Fay Dunaway, served as executive producer and has made a vehicle for herself.

The film has New Mexico settings, the desert, an isolated town. There are several possible suspects - though David Rasche's villain comes as something of a surprise.

The film also relies on a build-up of a sense of menace, the heroine seeing only the silhouette of the murderer, her fears, the attacks on her, her daughter. The film also has a race theme with the victim being Hispanic and her angry brother demanding vengeance.

The film was directed by Carl Schenkel, who was to go on to direct another murder mystery, bigger budget, with Christopher Lambert, Knight Moves.

1. Entertaining telemovie? Murder thriller? Mystery?

2. The New Mexico settings, Sam driving in the desert, the traffic, the broken windscreen? The small town and her being trapped there? The atmosphere of the town, the roads, the jail? The musical score?

3. The title, its significance for Sam seeing the murderer? The range of characters presented in silhouette? For the final confrontation?

4. Sam, her architect background, driving in New Mexico, the accident? Meeting with the garage man and her having to stay? The response of the proprietor of the hotel? In the room, looking at the town, going to the bar, Mariana and the others thinking she was looking down on them? Her being accosted by the man in the bar? The friendship of Pete and his police background? Her seeing the murder, her reaction, Pete's response, Kyle's response and his disbelief? Her fears, having to stay, the discussions with the police? Her memories? Seeing the light? Her wanting to escape, the pursuit in the desert by the van, the burning of her car, her being shot at? In the jail? Protected by Pete, the confrontation with Mariana's brother and his wanting to kill her? Being rescued by the police chief? The daughter held to ransom? Her relationship with her daughter? Getting the gun, going out to the rendezvous, discovering the dead body? Discovering Kyle as the murderer, the confrontation, Pete and his saving her daughter and herself? The final shoot-outs? The effect of the experience on her?

5. Mariana, her behaviour in the bar, the protection of her brother, the Hispanic background? Her angry reaction to Sam? Sam seeing the confrontation between her and Kyle, the murder? The anger of her brother? The funeral? The more sympathetic mother?
6. Pete, as a possible suspect? The investigation, questioning Kyle, told off by him? Letting Sam leave? His final rescue, being shot? Vindicated?

7. The main suspect, his behaviour in the hotel, his being framed, at the garage? His death?

8. Kyle, his place as the sheriff, the isolated town? Relationship with his wife, severity with his son, comment about his father's attitude towards him? The investigation, sympathetic to Sam, keeping her in the town? The revelation about the pregnancy, his beeper light being on? The confrontation, the shooting?

9. The atmosphere of the town and the supporting characters - at the garage, at the hotel, in the bar?

10. Sam's daughter, her response to her mother, coming to get her, the danger and the confrontation?

11. Popular but satisfying murder mystery?