THIRD DEGREE BURN
US, 1989,100 minutes, Colour.
Treat Williams, Virginia Madsen, Richard Masur, C.C.H. Pounder.
Directed by Roger Spottiswoode.
Third Degree Burn is a smooth thriller made for home box-office television. It is made with style, directed by Roger Spottiswoode (Terror Train, Under Fire, Shoot to Kill).
Treat Williams is believable as the debonair ex-policeman, private detective who is infatuated and falls in love with the innocent and beautiful blonde. (He worked with Spottiswoode in The Pursuit of D.B. Cooper.) Virginia Madsen is the wealthy attractive and lonely wife who falls in love - and turns out to be, of course, the unscrupulous and ruthless femme fatale - who may just have fallen in love with the hero but can't turn back. Richard Masur (who worked with Spottiswoode in Shoot to Kill) is the ex-detective who helps her in her plot.
The film moves at a leisurely pace, the audience identifying with Williams, seeing Anne as innocent, sharing his falling in love. When the expected happens, he is caught. The screenplay is obviously a variation on Double Indemnity - with Williams as the Fred MacMurray? character and Virginia Madsen, very effective, in the Barbara Stanwyck role.
A good murder mystery thriller.
1. Interesting thriller, mystery, romance?
2. The world of Seattle, Tucson Spa? The city. the affluent spa, the desert scenery? Authentic atmosphere for the action? The score and its mood?
3. The title, the references to Scott, crime and punishment?
4. The sketch of Scott: the initial sexual encounter, the husband returning (and his telling stories of Scott's past), the fight with the policeman husband. his being an ex-policeman)? The break-up of his marriage with Julie, the great friendship with her, with Art, getting a job? Seeing Scholes? To Tucson, the plush spa, watching Anna, the photos, her swimming, unwillingly meeting her in the desert and helping her with the car, at the table, the sexual encounter, the sharing with her and her life, the affair, allowing himself to be discovered by her? Her breaking the affair? Giving the photos back to Scholes, keeping one, the chance meeting. beginning again. being photographed? Anne calling him a fool for love?
5. His office being robbed, the attitudes of the police, the set-up in the house, finding the body, the arrest? His denials, his skill in escaping, disguise, tracking down the camera and the photo? Telling Anne, meeting her, the decision to trust her or not, sexual encounter, the phone call, going to play? The talk, taping it, the shot? Anne's behaviour, her lies, Scott's chasing her and her crash? His future?
6. Anne as lovely, alone in the desert, the build-up and the background, the swimming, the car breakdown, the meal, the sex, audiences and Scott believing her innocence? Her saying she was ashamed, denying it, renewing the relationship? The audience's view of her for the credibility of the film? The death, questioned by the police, Scott meeting her, the phone call, the truth with Clay, shooting Clay, her crash and death? No loyalty?
7. Clay and his disguise, the revelation, how he was recruited and seduced, the truth, his death?
8. Julie and her love for Scott, helping him with jobs, with investigations, the police work, Art and his friendship and jobs?
9. The hostile police, the arrest, the escape techniques, police angers, evidence?
10. A film noir of the '80s? Human nature, deceit, violence, greed ? and love? Betrayal by love?
