JANE DOE: THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER

US, 2008, 90 minutes, Colour.
Leah Thompson, Joe Penny, William R. Moses, Elaine Hendrix, Philip Casnoff.
Directed by Leah Thompson.

The Eye of the Beholder is the ninth in the series of Jane Doe telemovies. Leah Thompson is the heroine, Cathy Davis, an ordinary housewife, who has had a career as a secret agent and is called upon by the agency, especially through Joe Penny as Frank Darnell, to help solve cases.

This film is more elaborate than some of the previous films, with flashbacks to Nazi activity in Holland, entering into the art world and the story of a lost Vermeer.

The film shows the stealing of the Vermeer from a Los Angeles art gallery, a great deal of complications about who stole the painting and why. This involves neo-Nazis in California as well as the art gallery management, insurance agents, art experts.

There are several twists, although Elaine Hendrix as the insurance agent, looking particularly blonde Nazi and Arian, is obviously going to turn out as one of the villains.

Leah Thompson brings her accustomed aplomb to the role of Jane Doe, combining activities and adventures, risking her life, with some of the domestic scenes and the ordinariness of her home life. Leah Thompson also directed this episode.

1.The series of Jane Doe investigations and mysteries? The quality of this episode?

2.The California settings, Jane Doe’s household, the art galleries, the countryside? The use of the locations? Musical score?

3.The prologue, the parents in Holland, their daughter, the arrival of the SS, taking the pictures? The parents disappearing into the camps? The later flashbacks, the picture of the clown, the father giving it to his daughter, her treasuring it because of the father, the message – and the truth revealed sixty years later?

4.The old lady, the selling of the painting? The art gallery and the temporary placement? The transition to the gallery in Holland? The reputation of Vermeer? The crowds coming to the gallery?

5.The social at the gallery, the clues for identifying those responsible for the robbery?

6.The neo-Nazis, the message about Hitler’s birthday? Miller, the interrogation? The other neo-Nazis, their philosophy? Reverence for Hitler? The flags outside the old lady’s house? Letting Miller go? His being one of the guards, the interrogations, the confrontation with Lance Saxon? The flashback to his role in stealing the picture? Giving to the attendant in the shop? His vengeance on Saxon – and his henchmen throwing Saxon from the helicopter?

7.Saxon, smooth, art dealer, suspect? The confrontation with the police? His murdering the attendant at the gallery? His confrontation with the art gallery expert? The brakes on his car and his death? Saxon and his abduction of Agnes? Their relationship, brother and sister? His escape, his death?

8.The interrogation of the young man at the gift shop, his hurrying away, his death? The caterer, her giving evidence, her fear, hiding under the sink, police protection? Identifying Agnes?

9.The Amsterdam gallery personnel, the concern about the painting, publicity? The manager of the LA gallery? The experts and verifying the authenticity of the painting? Jane Doe’s realisation of what had happened, the test of the paint, the truth?

10.Agnes, insurance, from Scotland? Her look, self-assurance? Her attraction towards Frank? Jane’s suspicions? The further complications, the implications, the revelation of her part? Abducted by Lance? Her imprisonment? The truth about her robberies? The continued attraction for Frank?

11.The home sequences – Jane, the transition from work to home, the meals, the lobster, cooking? The realisation of the truth?

12.Going to the old lady, her being on the list of suspects? The revelation about the clown painting, her father hiding the true Vermeer? The happy ending – and her giving the proceeds to the organisation against the neo-Nazis?

13.Light mystery, popular ingredients?