MURDER BY NATURAL CAUSES

US, 1979, 100 minutes, Colour.
Hal Holbroook, Katharine Ross, Richard Anderson, Barry Bostwick, Jeff Donnell.
Directed by Robert Day.

Murder By Natural Causes is an efficient and entertaining telemovie. Written and produced by Richard Levinson and William Link, promoters of such successful television series as Columbo, the film has enough substance to make it very watchable and enough style for it to entertain. The murder premise is interesting, a professional mind reader is being conspired against by his wife. There are several twists of plot which call for constant attention to the film. Performances are very good indeed, more substantial than might be required for such home entertainment.

1. The appeal of the murder thriller? Situation, characters, clash and confrontation, violence, ingenuity and puzzle? The quality of this murder thriller?

2. The style of the film as telemovie, situations and character for the how audience, sufficient puzzle and clues? Explanations? The audience left up in the air, but satisfied?

3. The title of the film and its ironies, the attempt at the perfect murder?

4. Hal Holbrook's strong performance as Arthur sustaining the film? His background, marriage? His explanation of his initial showmanship? Seeing him on television ? using his ingenuity as well as information? His., relationship with Alison and the phone call? Return home, party and her concern for him? His relationship with George as business partner? His research with the private detective? Entertaining ladies at parties? Newspaper reporters? His heart condition? The audience knowing him to be victim and sympathising with him?

5. His vanity? Background of his act and performing style?

6. The drama of the confrontation with Gil? The content of the interview and the cat and mouse discussion (especially in the light of subsequent discovery of Arthur's knowing what was happening)? The push ups and the collapse? The tricks and the challenge by Gil? The build up to Gil's hostility and explanation of the plan? The shooting of Gil? Confrontation of Alison? Gil arising from the dead to scare Arthur? The changing of the pace of the plans with the confrontation of George and his shooting Arthur? Arthur's death and the seeming completion of the murder?

7. Alison's return and the disappearance of Arthur? His speaking on the screen about death? The revelation of the truth ? knowing about Gil, knowing about George? His explanation and hold over Alison? The three deadly options? A satisfying ending and Arthur's vindication?

8. The overall portrait of Arthur as a character, the theme of mind reading ? natural gifts, shrewdness, help, showmanship? And people's suspicious response, delighted response? Fear?

9. The portrait of Alison as an evil woman, the phone call to Arthur, liaison with Gil? The pretending to shoot him and testing out the crime? Her fickle concern for Arthur's health? Rehearsals, Gil's hesitation and her ploys to persuade him? The review of the play and her hold over Gil? The truth about George and the pretence for the housekeeper? Her callousness in Arthur's being shot? The reversal of roles and her fear with the final confrontation? A credible characterisation of an evil woman?

10. Gil as the other man, relationship with Alison, watching and admiring Arthur on the television, the acting sequence and his bad temper and violence, the opting out of the plan, the bad reviews and his being talked into doing the crime? The ease with which he acted the interview? Performed the tricks? His being tricked and Arthur inviting him to leave? The possibilities of his being framed ? poetic justice?

11. George as the reliable lawyer and friend, the irony of the truth, the acting for the housekeeper. his not hesitating to kill Arthur?

12. Themes of greed, lack of scruple, cruelty and violence, deceit? Satisfying crime drama with twists?