MURDER IN NEW HAMPSHIRE: THE PAMELA WOJAS SMART STORY

US, 1991, 100 minutes, Colour.
Helen Hunt, Chad Allen, Larry Drake, Riff Regan, Hank Stratton, Howard Hesserman, Ken Howard, Michael Learned.
Directed by Joyce Chopra.

Murder in New Hampshire came out five years before the Nicole Kidman film of Gus Van Sant, To Die For. They are the same story. While To Die For takes a very satirical tone, Murder in New Hampshire is much more straightforward in its narrative of a true story.

Helen Hunt is strong as a young schoolteacher, who manoeuvres herself into a marriage, falls out of love with her husband, is infatuated with a sixteen-year-old school student, is able to persuade him and his friends to kill her husband. However, she underestimates their immaturity and members of the group talk about it and she is arrested and tried.

Helen Hunt had been in a number of films during the 1980s as well as Mad About You on television. She would emerge in the late 1980s as a strong cinema actress with an Oscar for As Good As It Gets. Chad Allen is the young student and was to be successful in Doctor Quinn, Medicine Woman as well as such films as The End of the Spear.

The film shows the murder at the beginning, goes back to tell the story of Pamela Smart and her husband, her work in the school, the murder. However, interwoven are scenes of the court case. Ken Howard and Michael Learned bring some dignity to the film as the parents of the dead man (Hank Stratton).

1.A film based on characters and actual events? Knowledge at the time? The influence on the film To Die For and the different treatment?

2.The New Hampshire settings, the town, homes, school? The media department? Authentic? Musical score?

3.The opening with the murder and the indecision of the students, with Billy Flynn praying for God’s forgiveness, the group in the car? The structure of showing Pamela Smart, her marriage, life, the work at school, the relationship with Billy Flynn, the build-up to the murder? The scenes of the trial intercut?

4.Pamela Smart, her age, tough, her relationship with her mother? Wanting to be married, Greg Smart and her love for him? Her being welcomed into his parents’ home? The wedding? Her listing all the gifts and their worth and making comparisons between families? Her expectations of her husband? Their not being satisfied? His drinking, her reaction to his pushing her out of the way, going to his parents’ house? Falling out of love with him? His absences? Her work at school, the media, Cecelia and her crush, making her her assistant for credits? Billy Flynn and the other students? Her talk, seductive manner, asking him questions? The media project, the orange juice and the Stone Age style? Going to Billy’s house? Questions, advances? His response? The affair, at home, at his home? Her domination of him? Taking him up on his word, the possibility of murdering Greg? The two false alarms, losing their way? The final and the achievement? Her manipulation of Billy Flynn? Her grief, being interviewed by the police, warning her against the media, her strong media interview, her dress and attributing everything to Greg living within her? Her relationship with Greg’s parents? Her thinking that everything would be well?

5.Billy Flynn, his age, living with his mother, his assertiveness? Infatuation with Pam, listening to her, seduced by her, the affair, his dependence on her, his willingness to kill? His relationship with the other members of the group? The double attempts and their failure? Pam and her condemnation, manipulation, making him walk home? Her taking him back? His being willing to do anything? The actual murder, his hesitation, the shooting? His being arrested, his not wanting to betray Pam, the lawyer persuading him? His testifying against her?

6.The other members of the group, their motivation, lack of moral standing, agreeing to murder, their greed? Friendship with Billy? Their being suspicious of Pam? In prison, in court? The deal? Their discussions with their mate who was not in on the killing, the gun, his telling the boss, going to the police?

7.Greg Smart, a good man, in love with Pam, his work, drinking at Christmas, the wedding, his exasperation with Pam? He and his father winning the company prize? His return home and his being murdered?

8.His parents, good people, love for Pam, support of their son? Their grief? In court, the final rest at the cemetery?

9.The presentation of the court scenes, the lawyers, the interrogation? Pam on the stand and her lies?

10.The popularity of this kind of telemovie based on actual characters? Audience appetite for these scenes of crime?