UNHOLY MATRIMONY
US, 1988, 100 minutes, Colour.
Charles Durning, Michael O' Keefe, Patrick Duffy, Lisa Blount.
Directed by Jerrold Freedman.
Unholy Matrimony is an entertaining thriller based on a true story. It focuses on conmen, their plan to get money by faking accidents as well as by the murder of a former prostitute. However, the police investigation unmasks them and justice is seen to be done.
Charles Durning enjoys himself as a sleazy allegedly reverend gentleman who runs brothels in Phoenix and is mastermind of the plans. Michael O' Keefe is also effective as his stooge - a pathological liar, serious but prepared to testify against his boss. Patrick Duffy is the police investigator.
The film is designed for television - popular presentation of a crime, delineation of characters, the trial.
1. Entertaining and interesting telemovie? American crime? Based on a true story?
2. The Texas and Arizona settings? The towns, the highways? Hotels, sleazy locations? Musical score?
3. The title and its suggestions? Sader and his marrying Trish? Corey performing it? The dire consequences?
4. Bill Sader, his background, personality? The faking of the accident and the deal with Corey? Watching Trish with the client? His courting her, the happy sequences together, the marriage? The honeymoon and his tantrum about the car, with her in the hotel, her leaving, the reconciliation? The staged accident and his tripping her under the car? His own girlfriend, the alternate life? His conman repertoire and range of degrees? Encounters with the police, being followed, interrogated? Lying? The police chase? His agreement to do the deal and testify against Corey? His performance in the court? Adequate sentence?
5. Corey, his role in the cities, owning the brothels and clubs? His lifestyle? Fake accidents? Setting Sader up? Performing the wedding? Seen in flashbacks and his relationship with Sader, happy about Trish's death? His smooth answers? The interrogations, explanations of himself? In court, freed, rearrested, testimony on the stand, his seeming to get off, the decision of the judge to admit evidence? Condemned?
6. Trish, her family background, their concern, in the brothel, afraid, courted by Sader and falling in love with him, communicating with her family? The honeymoon, the misunderstandings, in the hotel with the dog? The happy walk in the town - and her death?
7. John and the police investigations, the superiors? John and his angers about rapists being let off? His family life, son, wife? His violent outbursts? Investigating Sader, discovering the truth, the evidence of the cars, demanding the stripping of the cars? Pursuing Sader? Officers and the threats to his family, supervision? Discussions with the lawyers? Deals? His sitting in his office and working out the connections? The frustration in the court, the judge upholding the evidence, success?
8. The police investigations, police routines and work, the law courts, the role of the judge, defence attorneys and their clients?
9. An interesting combination of melodrama and true story?
