DA CONSPIRACY TO KILL

US, 1971, 100 minutes, Colour.
Robert Conrad, William Conrad, Belinda Montgomery, Steve Ihnat, Don Stroud, Leslie Parrish.
Directed by Paul Krasny.

DA Conspiracy to Kill was one of a series of early telemovies from Universal Studios focusing on a district attorney played by Robert Conrad. The chief is played by William Conrad. It is familiar material by this stage, police work, investigations, mysteries. However, it is light and popular and easy entertainment.

1. How enjoyable as a police drama? What characteristics of the police genre were used? How well?

2. Why the appeal of this kind of film to audiences? The influence of television serials and series?

3. The picturing of the police in the 1970s? How adequate, fair, how interesting?

4. How satisfying was the film as a mystery? Initial interest, development of the plot, adequate clues, adequate detection?

5. The interest of the film as a court drama? The ingredients of courtroom tactics, cross-examination?

6. The importance of the talk of justice, convictions, the truth? How adequate are legal processes for discovering the truth?

7. The film's emphasis on the persons and the quirks of the District Attorney's office? How credible giving the human element in justice and its administration?

8. The film's presentation of judges and lawyers? How fair?

9. How interesting were the characters? The developments of the crime? How? credible was the plot? Audience reaction to the persons and the growing discovery of the truth?

10. Was the plot of De Haven and Burtren credible? The manner of its administration?

11. Audience response to the murdered men? Their greed and their being used by De Haven?

12. The contribution of the minor characters in terms of realism, human element, credibility: Ramona, Gibson's sister, Mrs De Haven, the woman at Catalina etc?

13. The values of film-making in this type of film? As a piece of Americana?