MARY HIGGINS CLARK'S LUCKY DAY

Canada/UK, 2002, 96 minutes, Colour.
Amanda Donohoe, Gregor Toerzs, Tony lo Bianco, Gino Marrocco, Elizabeth Clark.
Directed by Penelope Buitnhuis.

Lucky Day is another television film version of a novel by Mary Higgins Clark. There have been quite a number in this series and they are always entertaining in a PG kind of way. There is usually a plucky heroine and a rather sinister man, often husband, in the background.

This film takes place over a couple of days in New York City, Amanda Donohoe playing Nora Barkin, an aspiring actress, married to an accountant played by Gregor Toerzs. Their good friend, an old delivery man who works at the office, Gino Marrocco, wins the lottery but is killed.

The writing veers suspicions by the audience onto the husband, the possibility of his having an affair, murdering the man and robbing him. Tony Lo Bianco is a police detective investigating. However, there is a twist at the end - and a very happy ending, not only the reconciliation in the marriage but the couple getting the lottery millions. Direction is by Penelope Buitnhuis who has had a career in television and small-budget feature films.

1. The popularity of Mary Higgins Clark's novels? Mysteries? Accessible to all audiences? The film versions?

2. The New York settings, the streets, apartments, offices? Police precincts? Gambling shops? Musical score?

3. The credibility of the plot? The lucky day, the lottery ticket, the murder, the plot against Bill Regan? The cover-up?

4. Nora, her relationship with Jack, the five years of marriage, the tensions, her audition, her career as an actress, his ambitions to write a novel, his work as an accountant? The tensions at home? Raising audience suspicions? Jack as a character, believable that he could be having an affair, his going to do research, his reactions against Nora, the danger from the electricity in the bathroom, his being found with Selina? The irony of audiences and Nora misjudging him?

5. Nora, her friendship with Bill, chatting with him, at work, his lucky day, her lucky day? The audition, the humiliation by the director? Her friendship with Crissy? At home, preparing the meal for Jack, Bill ringing, his not turning up, Jack turning up late and wet? Her fears, Bill not at work, going to his apartment, his not coming home? Bill being family with Nora and Jack? Her going to the police, Marinello not listening, his assistant's scepticism? Advising her to retrace Bill's steps, her going to the various offices for deliveries, her pretence about the cap? Her finally going to the betting shop, the police on patrol, her ruining the sting? Her being arrested? Her going to the office and finding Jack had been there, Moore and his information? Penny at the desk? Her growing suspicion of Jack, of seeing him in the shop with Selina? Discussions with Crissy? Her going back, not telling the police, talking with Moore? The build-up to the confrontation? Finding Jack and Selina together? Moore's arrival? The revelation of the truth? The shoot-out in the stairwell? The reconciliation with Jack? Her speech at Bill's funeral? The news about the money - the over-happy ending?

6. Bill, whistling, lucky day, the lottery ticket, chatting with Nora, his disappearance, the finding of the body, the murder?

7. Marinello, his not listening to Nora, giving her advice? His being called in about the sting going wrong? His curiosity aroused? The discovery of the body, his decision to have an autopsy? The discovery that Bill was murdered? His assistant, scepticism, praise of him? The final shoot-out and the rescue? His coming to give the good news about the money at the funeral?

8. Moore, seen incidentally, seeming innocent, his lies - the plan, the murder of Bill, Selina and her cashing the ticket, the money going to the Caymans? Their leaving? The confrontation and the shoot-out, his death?

9. Crissy, friend at the auditions, discussions with Nora, warning her about the dangers? Helping her in the investigation, seeing Jack and Selina together?

10. Popular ingredients for a murder mystery - with a satisfying twist? And the happy ending?