DEFENSELESS

US, 1991, 104 minutes, Colour.
Barbara Hershey, Sam Shepard, Mary Beth Hurt, J.T.Walsh, Sheree North.
Directed by Martin Campbell.

An interesting and entertaining crime thriller, a star vehicle for Barbara Hershey, who plays a strong minded lawyer who is having an affair with one of her clients. It emerges that he is guilty of the charges of being involved in pornographic films - and his wife turns out to be her best friend from College days.

The film focuses on the pornographic film industry and the involvement of big business as well as of the actors (and the hostility of their upright families). The film also highlights the ambitions of local DA's, the use of cases and their presentation in court for self-promotion. With the murder, Barbara Hershey finds herself as the possible suspect, and by a twist of planning, eventually finds herself imprisoned for the murder she did not commit.

The supporting caste is also strong, Sam Shepard as the police investigator, Mary Beth Hurt as her best friend, J.T.Walsh as the murder victim.

The film keeps its pace going, as audiences involve with the characters - and is reminiscent of the Kevin Costner thriller, No Way Out, where the central character is the object of the police investigation and is trying to avoid detection.

1. Interesting and entertaining thriller? Action, court case, murder mystery?

2. The city backgrounds, authentic atmosphere, apartments, warehouses, the world of pornographic film making? Authentic atmosphere? The musical score?

3. The title - with reference to whom?

4. The opening, the filming, Jack and his direction, the actor and his performance, attitudes towards the films, Cindy and her performance? Bodeck defends his daughter and the physical violence, the hospitalisation of the actor, Jack's disappearance? K.T. and her legal practice, Steven as client? Investigating the pornographic film-making? The case, financial implications, Steven and his lying? The information about Steven, his involvement? The videos with his daughter? The anger of Bodeck - and his physical attack on the star?

5. Barbara Hershey’s K.T.: her work, Russell as her assistant and helping her, the affair with Steven? The lunch with him? The ironic meeting with Ellie, their reminiscences over old times, love-hate relationship? Her discovery that Steven was Ellie's husband? Going to the dinner, the tension at the table, the daughter and her suspicions? Going to Steven, her anger, discovery of the truth about his involvement? The physical attack, breaking his nose? Leaving the pullover? The keys? Discovering his death? The continued tangle of the truth and the lies? Russell and his help? The phone calls? Her meeting with Beutel? Ellie's arrest, the discussions in prison, her offer to help? The visit to the Bodeck home, Mrs. Bodeck and the discussions about Cindy, about her violent husband? The visit with Cindy and discussing the involvement in the film making? The political background of the investigation and the case, Munroe and his campaign, wanting her on side, her hostility? The meeting with Janna, taking her to the beach (and the different standards in modesty)? The weapon in her car? The discussions with Beutel? Going to the bar, discovering the truth about Bodeck and his not being the murderer? Bodeck and the phone calls, the attack in her apartment, Beutel rescuing her? The court case and her performance?

6. Steven, business, sleazy background? His relationship
with Ellie? The dinner sequence? His tension, Ellie knowing the truth? Her immaculate house, the whiteness and the wine on the carpet? Ellie's arrest, her anger, the truth and her lies? Steven and his taking the video of his daughter? The court case, Ellie free?

7. Janna, her relationship with her father, with her mother? The video, sexuality, the relationship with her father? Going to the beach with K.T. and enjoying it? Her future?

8. Beutel, taciturn character, his enquiries, friendship with K.T., clashing with her? The surveillance, rescuing her from the attack?

9. Munroe, D.A. the campaign, photo, the social? Beutel's attitude? The background for self-promotion through the court case?

10. The case, the witnesses, the judge? Prosecution, interrogations?

11. Beutel and K.T., the truth, her going to prison, Ellie and her visit and her hatred?

12. The final confrontation, Janna and Ellie, K.T. and the kitchen, the confrontation, the revelation of what had happened?

13. The over-all impact of the human drama, characters, interactions? Police investigations? Cover-up? Prison? K.T. as defence, defenceless?