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

Thursday, January 18, 2018

DEADLY INTENTIONS ... AGAIN?

Joanna Kerns and Harry Hamlin
DEADLY INTENTIONS ... AGAIN? (1991 telefilm). Director: James Steven Sadwith.

In this sequel to Deadly Intentions, Charles Raynor (now played by Harry Hamlin) has gotten out of prison after being convicted of trying to murder his first wife. His second wife, Sally (Joanna Kerns) has always believed in his innocence, but she becomes suspicious of his actions, as well as of a chained up case that he keeps in the trunk of his car. Sally finally comes to the conclusion that not only is Raynor guilty of the crime he was convicted of, but he is still planning to get even with his wife, not to mention the prosecutor whose book was turned into the Deadly Intentions telefilm. Will Sally be able to notify the authorities before her time runs out? Deadly Intentions ... Again? is an entertaining TV flick, but Hamlin [Clash of the Titans], although more than competent, can't hold a candle to Michael Biehn, who played the role in the earlier film. The always-amiable Hamlin rarely if ever seems seriously threatening. Kerns is excellent, however, as are Eileen Brennan [Jeepers Creepers], who is even better as Raynor's mother than Cloris Leachman was; and Fairuza Balk, who plays Raynor's troubled stepdaughter. More fictionalized than the original film.

Verdict: You just can't keep a good sociopath down. ***.

4 comments:

angelman66 said...

This one I also remember well. I never missed anything Hamlin appeared in, from Clash of the Titans to Making Love to LA Law, and of course all these pre- Lifetime marriage gone wrong epics! This one I do remember was great, wth another all star cast. got to love this genre, and Harry and Joanna Kerns were king and queen for a long time.
- C

William said...

I saw all the films you mention and remember him as well in a comedy in which he played a boxer or something along those lines. Was he also in "Studs Lonigan" on TV? I do remember that he has a child (I think) with Ursula Andress, had a brief marriage to a pretty blond who was on "Falcon Crest," an affair with Nicolette Sheridan from "Knot's Landing," and then wound up with soap star Lisa Rinna. Busy boy!

Gary R. said...

Hamlin played a John Garfield-ish boxer in "Dynamite Hands," which is part of 1978's MOVIE MOVIE, a parody of 1930s double features. It's paired with "Baxter's Beauties of 1933," a Busby Berkeley takeoff.

William said...

Yes, Gary, thanks, I remembered seeing the movie in a theater years ago but couldn't remember the name of it. I think it was Hamlin's first picture.