THE LADY IN QUESTION
US, 1999, 90 minutes, Colour.
Gene Wilder, Cherry Jones, Mike Starr, Barbara Sukowa, Claire Bloom, John Benjamin Hickey, Michael Cumstie, Kerry Mc Pherson.
Directed by Joyce Chopra.
The Lady in Question is a second telemovie devised by Gene Wilder and co-writer Gilbert Perleman and directed by Joyce Chopra. Wilder has created a theatre director in Hartford, Connecticut, a widower, who solves murder mysteries. He is aided by the local policeman, played by Mike Starr, and by his fiancée, airline hostess, Cherry Jones.
The setting for this mystery is 1938. Claire Bloom portrays Emma Sachs, a rich woman who had married a Jewish man, who had been killed in Berlin in 1933. She devotes her life to getting Jews out of Germany. Barbara Sukowa is her companion. There are various suspects including her secretary, John Benjamin Hickey, and her niece. The German cook is also a suspect as well as her spendthrift nephew.
The film is a strange mixture: the theatre in 1938 (with some song-and-dance routines). The film emphasises the anti-Semitism of the 1930s with people in the US watching newsreels of Hitler and his speeches? Michael Cumstie portrays an SS officer who impersonates an American and is possibly a suspect in the murder of Emma Sachs.
The other aspect of the film is that it is made in the style of the 1930s (which does make it seem too dated). It is also in the style of the murder novels of the time, especially those of Agatha Christie and similar authors. The detective and the theatre director interrogate all the suspects, lies are told, tensions felt, the murderer is gradually revealed.
1.An entertaining murder mystery? The comic touches? The 1938 issues, especially of anti-Semitism?
2.Hartford, Connecticut, the mansions, the theatre, the police precincts, the hotels? Authentic setting? The plane sequences and the rather luxurious styles of flights in the late 1930s? The musical score – the concert pieces, the songs?
3.The title – referring to Emma Sachs or to Rachel Singer?
4.A good murder mystery? The victim, the circumstances, the possible suspects and their motives, the investigation, the solution?
5.Larry Carter, knowing that he was Mimi’s fiancé and seeing him in a passionate scene with Dorie? Then discovering it was a play rehearsal? The theatre, his knowing Emma Sachs because of her being on his board? His relationship with Mimi, meeting her at the airport – and the final meeting her and singing the song, the dance? Interaction with his players? Choosing the songs with the band? Friendship with Tony Rossini and getting him to investigate Emma Sachs’s illness, then her death? His being present at the interrogations, liking Rachel Singer? Suspicious of the others? Going back to the theatre, his having visited Emma, Rachel having seen him in the room? The discussion about her relationships, engagement, her denial? His looking up the papers? The rehearsal with Dorie and getting her to imagine that she had inherited money and whether she could kill? The confrontation with Rachel in the theatre, Rossini being present, his sympathetic attitude? The truth? Her death? His going to the airport and greeting Mimi? Gene Wilder’s screen presence, appearance, comic style?
6.Mimi, on the plane, care for Emma Sachs, her neighbour? John Wheeler and his flirting? Her suspicions? The German woman on the plane? The return home, meeting Larry, with him, the discussions, phoning Emma Sachs, going to the house? Her having to go on the flight again? Rossini getting her to meet John Wheeler, her questions, the cocktail, his flirting? Her leaving – being rescued by Tony pretending to be her fiancé? The second flight, meeting the German woman? The return home and the happy ending?
7.Emma Sachs, her marriage, her work? Rachel as her companion? On the plane, tired? Her seeing through John Wheeler? Back home, changing her will? Dorie seeing her about her pregnancy and wanting money? Her nephew pleading for money? Her giving the note to Mimi that she would be murdered? Her death? Appearing in the flashback and her warning Rachel’s fiancé away from her? A motivation for murder?
8.Rachel, on the plane, Emma’s companion, saving her, but resentful of her? The spilling of the drink? In the household, the care? Her being interrogated, her lying about her engagement? Playing the piano, having wanted to be a concert pianist? Her musician father, musician fiancé? Her attraction towards Paul? Rejection? The sympathy of Larry? Her going to the theatre after talking about her engagement? Taking the poison, confessing, the motivation because of Emma’s warning off her fiancé?
9.Dorie, in the play, her pregnancy, love for Paul? Wanting the money? Lying about the changing of the will? In rehearsal? Her being innocent?
10.Rudy, his wanting the money, his borrowing money and replacing it, the interview with the bank manager and his outburst?
11.Paul, his work as secretary, love for Dorie? The past relationship with Rachel and his rejection? The irony of his being Wheeler’s brother? His being arrested for conspiracy?
12.John Wheeler, being seen on the newsreel, his really being Klaus Gruber, coming to America, his flirting on the plane, getting information about Emma Sachs? His lies about his business? Mimi meeting him, flirtation? His being in conspiracy with his brother? His being murdered by the German woman?
13.The mysterious German woman, on the plane, at the hotel, the meeting with Wheeler, killing him and explaining?
14.Gertie, the German cook, her Germanic manner? Suspect? Dorie telling lies about her politics? Larry pretending? Her explanation of her devotion to Emma Sachs, hungry from World War One, coming to America, acceptance, food and salary?
15.A range of characters, a traditional murder mystery – especially, 30s style?
