BODY OF EVIDENCE

US, 1993, 101 minutes, Colour.
Madonna, Willem Dafoe, Joe Mantegna, Anne Archer, Julianne Moore, Frank Langella, Stan Shaw, Jurgen Prochnow.
Directed by Uli Edel.

Body of evidence has an ambiguous title, especially with Madonna as the star and her reputation for interest in sexuality. However, it also refers to the court case and the evidence against Rebecca, played by Madonna.

The film is a murder mystery with the touches of a thriller. It is also an erotic melodrama, with quite an amount of nudity and explicit sexual behaviour.
Madonna plays a young woman, very free in her attitudes, having sexual relationships with older men, with the possibility of inheriting their wealth. Willem Dafoe plays her lawyer, a married man but susceptible to Rebecca. Joe Mantegna plays the DA and prosecutor in the court case. Anne Archer is the devoted secretary to the murdered man. Julianne Moore is Frank’s wife.

The film was directed by German lily Eidel who made such films as Christiane F, Last Exit from Brooklyn and The Baader Meinhof Complex.

1. The film as thriller and murder mystery? Court drama? Psychological interplay? Psychological games? An erotic drama?

2. The impact as erotic, sleazy aspects, dramatic? How effective?

3. The Portland city settings, American society and wealth? Exploitative gold-diggers? The role of the law, justice?

4. The title, the innuendo? Sex and the court case? The opening, the victim and the video, nudity and sexual behaviour, explicit? The dead man, his reputation, wealth? Taking up with Rebecca? Gossip in the city? Rebecca’s relationship, affairs, using people?

5. The exposing of Rebecca’s affairs? With the dead man? With Roston, the age difference, his infatuation, his wealth, her discovering him with another man, his testimony in court, acknowledging the relationship with the man? The role of the Doctor, the liaison with Rebecca, information, the drugs, lying in court, playing the tape? The later revelation of his conniving with Rebecca? Her seduction of Frank? Her sexual proclivities, sado-masochism? Her motives and behaviour?

6. The situation with the police investigation, the dead man, the pornography, his being tied to the bed? The police, information, evidence?

7. Rebecca, the accusations, at the funeral, her decision and motivation, the jealousy of the secretary? Her going to Frank, requesting him to defend her, their discussions, the eight million dollar inheritance, the issue of whether she was guilty or not? His decision to defend her?

8. Bob, his role in the DA’s Office, the meetings, as blunt questioning of Rebecca, her answers, the issue of cocaine and her special aspirin program and
the visit to the pharmasist? Frank and his doubts?

9. The case, the court and the photography style in the courtroom, on Rebecca, on Frank, on Bob, on the judge, on the people in the courtroom? The judge and her behaviour? The witnesses? The jury? The interrogations? The doctor and the information from the autopsy? The doctor and the advice he gave, the information? The secretary, her love for the deceased, as secretary for six years, the video of their sexual liaison? Roston and his story? Rebecca and her demanding to be put on the stand? Telling her story, giving the explanations, playing the tapes?

10. Bob, his role with the police, his angers in the court? His style of interrogation? Frank, his questions, the reactions, exasperation? The response of the judge?

11. Frank, his life, his wife and her café, his bond with his son? Allowing himself to be seduced, going back into the house, at the restaurant with Rebecca, the nature of the relationship, her asking him to find a man that would respond to her, his not yet knowing that it was him? The wax and the candle, sado-masochism, his continually succumbing? Anger with Rebecca? The end, the visit, the discovery of the truth?

12. Frank’s wife, her anger with him, coming to the court, in the restroom with Rebecca and slapping her?

13. The portrait of a murderer, her clam and ruthlessness?

14. The end, Rebecca with the doctor, despising him, the explanations, the doctor and the gun, the shootings? Her death?

15. Bob’s comments to Frank, Rebecca living by the sword and dying by the sword?