This is a great little thriller from brother directors Jim & Ken Wheat (AFTER MIDNIGHT). Struggling actress Robyn (Ann Dusenberry) answers an open casting call and is shocked when she is immediately offered the part by Jessica (Gail Strickland). Jessica, who is producing a film about a rich heiress who died in a mental ward after seeing her parents killed, wants to start rehearsing right away. Stewart (Bruce Davidison), the dead girl's brother, has other plans and shows up at Robyn's house to tell her that his sister is still alive. He tells her she has been lied to so his Uncle can uses Robyn's video taped rehearsals as grounds to have the girl committed for life in an effort to gain her fortune. Together, the duo of Robyn and Stewart map out a plan to foil this scheme.
The previous text comprises only about the first half hour of the film. There are many twists and turns and to ruin them all would be no fun. The Wheats definitely want to live up to their title and, even though a lot happens, it is all logical. At one point a character asks someone why they didn't just kill their target and they actually have a thoughtful answer for it (although this clearly adheres to the "talky villain" code). The film sports an all-star supporting cast including Clu Gulager, Terence Knox, Bert Remsen, and Stacy Keach Sr. Even Dick Miller shows up as a sleazy horror film producer (I believe it was a law in California at the time that he had to be in everything). It is curious as to why the Wheats never did more than this, the anthology AFTER MIDNIGHT and EWOKS: THE BATTLE FOR ENDOR as directors.
The previous text comprises only about the first half hour of the film. There are many twists and turns and to ruin them all would be no fun. The Wheats definitely want to live up to their title and, even though a lot happens, it is all logical. At one point a character asks someone why they didn't just kill their target and they actually have a thoughtful answer for it (although this clearly adheres to the "talky villain" code). The film sports an all-star supporting cast including Clu Gulager, Terence Knox, Bert Remsen, and Stacy Keach Sr. Even Dick Miller shows up as a sleazy horror film producer (I believe it was a law in California at the time that he had to be in everything). It is curious as to why the Wheats never did more than this, the anthology AFTER MIDNIGHT and EWOKS: THE BATTLE FOR ENDOR as directors.