THE PENTHOUSE

US, 1989, 95 minutes, Colour.
Robin Givens, Robert Guillaume, David Hewlett.
Directed by David Greene.

The Penthouse is a telemovie thriller reminiscent of William Wyler's version of John Fowles' novel, The Collector. A glamorous woman is kept prisoner in her penthouse by a childhood friend who has an infatuation for her. He is mad and seemingly suicidal. The police try to control the situation. However, the heroine's father intervenes. The film is more or less as expected, a bond growing between captor and captive, the violence and aggressiveness of police and those with rescue tactics. The violent killing of the captor. Robin Givens is the heroine, Robert Guillaume is her father.

1. Psychological thriller? Violent action? Relationships between men and women? Victimisation?

2. The Canadian city locations, the affluence of the penthouse, the buildings, technology for conducting a siege? Atmosphere? Musical score?

3. The title, the focus, the wealth of Dinah St. Clair? The place of prison?

4. The portrait of Dinah, her background, poise, her story, allowing Joe in, the memories of friendship, hospitality, suspicions, wanting him to go? her being held captive, the terror, her energies, trying to pacify him, trying strategies, the contact with her father and the police,. her inability to injure him, her inability to escape? Her growing to understand him, the violent attack, her anger at his death? Reunited with her father?

5. Joe and his background, infatuation with Dinah at school, the remembering of stories of the past, the death of his mother, his violence? Coming into the penthouse, the revelation of his murdering the guard? The visit, the implicit menace, the gradual surfacing of the menace, his techniques of staying, attitude towards Dinah, tender and terrorising? His response to her, seeing through her? The continued menace, his reaction to the police? Holding her in front of him, his death?

6. St. Clair and his angers, phone calls, wanting direct intervention, violence?

7. The police and their handling of the situation, tactics? The experts coming in to try to persuade Joe to give up? The attack strategists and their wanting to intervene and shoot? The political background and the politicians intervening?

8. The resolution of the difficulty? The use of psychology, waiting, the use of weapons? Audience reaction and decisions?

9. Interesting psychological thriller? Or exploitive thriller?