LET ME CALL YOU SWEETHEART
US, 1997, 90 minutes, Colour.
Meredith Baxter, Tony Lo Bianco, Victor Garber, Nick Mancuso, Art Hindle.
Directed by Bill Corcoran.
Mary Higgins Clark Let Me Call You Sweetheart is one of many telemovies made from the celebrated author's murder mysteries. They are conventional enough - but attractive for a wide audience, have a mystery and a twist, and have generally little to disturb the television audience by ways of sex, language or violence.
Meredith Baxter is the heroine of this story, a smart lawyer, tough, divorced and bringing up a child. She teams up with another lawyer to rescue the reputation of a man imprisoned for the death of his wife. There are many twists - and many possibilities for the killer. And it all ends happily ever after.
1.Entertaining telemovie? For the general audience? Suitability and ease of watching?
2.The murder mystery, the situation, the clues, the investigation, the twists, the revelations?
3.The New York atmosphere, affluent society, the courts, legal offices, the police? The background of the Mafia, of senate politics?
4.The focus on Carrie: the background of her legal training, divorce from Bob (and still encountering him, his role as a lawyer, the reason for his leaving)? Her love for her daughter and caring for her, the time together? The possibility of her being made a judge? Her daughter and the plastic surgery, the encounter with Dr Smith, seeing Suzanne Smith's face on several of his clients? The coincidence of the encounter with Jeff and his belief in Skip's innocence? Her reflecting on her early years in the courts, her investigations and reports, her not pursuing the innocence and told not to rock the boat?
5.The Mafia and Bob working for them? In court, the boss and his attitudes, relationship with Suzanne? His accountant and his turning witness against his boss? The persuasive police - and the murder of the informer? The Mafia possibility of the death of Suzanne? The attacks on Carrie's daughter - and her evading them? The hetman and Jeff and Carrie interviewing him? His story and being witness to the killing? The irony of the Mafia boss having a sense of false guilt?
6.Dr Smith, his pursuit of Suzanne's face, his clients? Pursuing them for example to the health clinic? The background of Suzanne as a plain young girl, her step-parents and stepsisters, her diary? Her father giving her a life? His possessiveness of his daughter? His evidence in the case, about the jewellery, about Skip and his violence towards his wife? Carrie and her visits, the enquiry about a facelift? Dr Smith and his pursuit of the truth? The final confrontation with Carrie, his admitting of the truth, his memories of finding Suzanne dead, making Skip the villain? His note, Skip's tape, the intention for suicide - and his being murdered at his door?
7.Skip, his relationship with his wife, his declaration about the tape and its being unavailable? His years in prison? The support of Jeff and Carrie? The issue of the jewellery? His being a victim - and finally getting the tape back?
8.The senator and his wife, their love for Carrie and her daughter, helping out? The senator warning her against pursuing the case? The revelation of the truth about the deals, the wound on his face and the hospital records, the truth and his wanting the pin back from Suzanne? The accidental killing? His wife shooting him?
9.Carrie as a relentless and intense character, in the courts? The contrast with her relationship with her daughter? The bitterness towards Bob? His threatening her about the Mafia case? The meeting with Jeff, Jeff as a lawyer, personable, breaking off his engagement? Falling in love? Her being appointed a judge - and their all being present?
