Lively, entertaining reviews of, and essays on, old and newer films and everything relating to them, written by professional author William Schoell.

Thursday, December 7, 2017

GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN

Lawyer and client: Brooke Shields and Scott Glenn
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN (2005 telefilm/mini-series). Director: Armand Mastroianni.

Defense attorney Betsy Tannenbaum (Brooke Shields of Communion) receives a large retainer from wealthy developer Martin Darius (Scott Glenn), who tells her he may at sometime be needing her services. He sure does -- when he's arrested for the serial murders of several women. Prosecutor Alan Page (Lou Diamond Phillips) is contacted by a lady cop named Nancy Gordon (Marilu Henner) who tells him that Darius, under another name,  managed to get away with several murders in another town ten years earlier -- his own wife and child were among the victims. Apparently there was a cover up in the other case, and Betsy must not only learn what happened a decade earlier, but figure out if her client is guilty of these new murders as well as the older ones. Based on an absorbing bestseller by Phillip Margolin, Gone But Not Forgotten is a suspenseful and entertaining telefilm, and the satisfying ending actually improves upon the novel. Shields makes a more than capable leading lady. Glenn underplays a bit too much to come off like the dynamic figure of the book, but the other performances are good, especially Robin Riker in the supporting role of a reporter doing a story on Betsy. Mastroianni also directed Grave Misconduct.

Verdict: Creepy cable movie with interesting, if far-fetched, twists. ***.

2 comments:

angelman66 said...

Love movies like this one, will be fun to see Brooke work with Scott Glenn, who I love so much in Silence of the Lambs. Glenn was quite the dreamy hunk back in the day—just saw him with Travolta and Debra Winger in Urban Cowboy from 1979 or 80. Hot stuff!
- C

William said...

Yes, Glenn was a busy actor back in the day, and Shields eventually emerged as an honest-to-goodness adult actress. Now she has a recurring if peripheral role on "Law and Oder: Special Victims Unit" and is fine -- and still very attractive as well.