SINS OF THE PAST

US, 1984, 100 , Colour.
Barbara Carrera, Kim Cattrall, Debby Boone, Kirstie Alley.
Directed by Peter H.Hunt.

Sins of the Past is an entertaining average murder mystery for television audiences. It has a touch of the daring with showing a group of women in the early '70s running a prostitution organisation. Years later, they are all respectable. When one of them was killed by her father in the '70s, the father went to jail - but now he is out and pursuing the women, blaming them for the death of his daughter. There are a couple of twists in the plot. However, the interest is on the women, what has happened to them, their burying of their past, their fears and the dangers, their combining together to defend themselves. The film has quite a strong cast led by Barbara Carrera and includes Kirstie Alley, Kim Cattrall as well as having Debbie Boone being somewhat sensational as one of the prostitutes, but more herself as a gospel singer. Anthony Geary is the police interest and romantic interest. The direction is by Peter H. Hunt, whose films have ranged from action material, as with Charles Bronson and Lee Marvin in Death Hunt, to popular television movies like this.

1. Entertaining telemovie? Murder mystery? Women under threat?

2. The New York settings for the 1970s, the prostitution racket? The contrast with California in the '80s and the various areas of life and work for the women? The musical score?

3. The title, the tone, the moral judgment? Atonement?

4. The introduction to the women and their work: the group, Terri organising them, their scenes with the men and their skills as prostitutes? The personal bickering and clashes? Their backgrounds and the reason for their wanting money? Ellen and her being cantankerous? Her being killed, her father being blamed? His being sentenced to jail? The decision of the women to close the business and never meet again?

5. The '80s, their respectability, their not telling their past to their husbands? Seeing them in their settings: Terri and her being a successful business consultant, the custody wrangle with her husband, with her children? Patrice and her acting, her wanting better parts? Clarissa and her conversion, the successful gospel singer? Paula as the successful doctor? Maureen and her marriage, working with the church? Her husband's political ambitions? Diane and her arrival, the news of Amy's death? Diane being run over? The sending of the photos, Easton out of jail, the fears?

6. The women getting together, the initial reactions, their fears about their past, their reluctance? Their meeting? The significance of Diane's death? Patrice and her death? Their not willing to tell the police?

7. The police, their investigations, Terri's phone number, her resistance? Maureen seeking the information about Easton? The lieutenant, his ambitions, questioning the women, questioning Terri, the funeral? The sexual encounter, the motivations? Her finally telling him the truth? His wanting to protect the women? The gospel concert, surveillance, the struggle with Easton?

8. Terri, her sophistication, her taking charge? The dangers for her custody suit? Her refusal to tell the police? Her going to Patrice's play, finding her dead? The concern about Clarissa? The discussions with Paula, the discovery of the truth, Paula's threats, the struggle in the hall and Paula's falling to her death?

9. Paula, clashes with the women, her success as a doctor? No regrets, no morality? The truth about finding Ellen injured, killing her? Caught by Patrice? The blackmail and her murdering of Patrice? Giving herself away about the wig? Her fears and her death?

10. Clarissa, her conversion, trusting in God, knowing that she was next? Going out to sing - and her faith vindicated? The religious preacher and his support of her?

11. Maureen, the black community, her husband? Her deciding to tell him the truth, his reaction, her attempted suicide? His coming to her bedside, the reconciliation?

12. The popular ingredients of the murder mystery? Sufficient indication of clues? The sensational touch with the women as prostitutes? The possibility of overcoming the sins of the past?