TILL DEATH US DO PART

US, 1991, 95 minutes, Colour.
Treat Williams, Arliss Howard, Rebecca Jenkins, Embeth Davidtz, John Schuck.
Directed by Yves Simoneau.

Till Death Us Do Part is based on a real trial by celebrated lawyer Vincent Bugliosi who was later to be even more famous for his prosecution of Charles Manson and his group. He wrote the book about the trial, Helter Skelter.

This film is based on an actual case in 1966, a callous ex-policeman who conspired with a woman to murder her husband, collect insurance so that he could open his own club. Emboldened by the success of his first murder and covering his tracks, he married again and murdered the new wife within a month.

Treat Williams gives an effective performance as the callous husband. Arliss Howard tends to underplay the role of Bugliosi, especially because of his short stature - he does not seem as aggressive as the real-life Bugliosi might have been. The film offers an early performance by Embeth Davidtz who was to appear in Schindler's List and many films in the 1990s.

The film is an interesting police investigation, portrait of a criminal, portrait of a criminal covering his tracks with supreme self-confidence, even to defending himself in court.

1. An interesting murder investigation, court case? Based on facts?

2. The Los Angeles settings, the 1960s, homes, clubs, courts? Musical score?

3. The title, the focus on the initial killing, Sandra and the death of her husband? Alan and his own marriage, divorce, wanting to marry again - for insurance policies? The irony of the title?

4. The portrait of Alan, former policeman, working for the yacht club, his relationship with Sandra, it emerging that he was able to persuade her to participate in the fraud and in the murder? His friend Michael and using him at work? The police investigations, the clashes with Bugliosi? His complete self-confidence? Taking Michael and asking him to pose as a Mob type so that he could pressurise the owner of the club to sell it to him more cheaply? His relationship with his wife, brutality, deception? Trying to run her down, seeing her in hospital, bashing her? The proposal to remarry? His flirting with other women, especially at the opening of the club? His persuading the impressionable young girl to marry him, his being at the club, her wanting to be with him, his shooting her? His attitude towards the police, there being no clues, his confidence in his cleverness? The arrest, the trial, his discussions with his lawyer, contempt of Bugliosi? His being ordered to trial by the judge? His defence? The witnesses, his disproving their testimony? His treatment of Michael, friendship, telling him the truth, his being betrayed by Michael telling the truth in court? His outburst, his sentence, being still in jail?

5. Sandra, her divorce, remarriage, the death of her husband? Going to see her sister and telling her the story? The attraction to Alan, the plan, keeping out of the way, his marrying other women, his phone calls persuading her that he was doing all this for her? Her believing him, her doubting him, her going to trial? Her sentence and parole?

6. The other women, the witness in the trial telling the truth about his proposal and saying he would be married in six months? The young impressionable woman whom he married and killed?

7. Michael, quiet, watching Alan, at work, the interviews with the police? Going to work with Alan, Alan telling him the truth, promising him a management job? Michael and his feeling that Alan was his only friend? Bugliosi going to see him, the pressure, persuading him to testify in court, his telling the truth?

8. Bugliosi, his appearance, confidence, his collaboration with the detective who did the footwork (but failed to make contact with Michael)? His persistence, his superiors and their saying there was not enough evidence? His working on intuition, circumstantial evidence - and his explanation of circumstantial evidence like strands of a rope and being able to break a single strand but not the rope? His taking charge of the case, the apology from his superior? In the courtroom, his witnesses, trying to build up the circumstantial evidence, his interrogation of Michael, his final speech to the court?

9. An interesting popular insight into police detection, preparation for court work, trials, witnesses' interrogation, defence? Sentencing? The gallery of American criminals in American movies and telemovies?