Dr. Rachel Thorne attempts to explain to a couple of bumbling police detectives the nature of transference, wherein a patient begins to identify the therapist with an important figure in his or her life. But one of the detectives reads Dr. Thorne's book in which she describes in chapter 9 the theory of counter-transference, in which the therapist associates a neurotic connection with the patient.
Such is the drama of Emily Edmunds, a fashion designer whose fiancé was killed in a plan crash. Emily makes an attempt on her life and becomes a patient of Dr. Thorne, who treats her for acute melancholy depression. But Dr. Thorne soon becomes obsessed with her patient, whom she sees a replacement for her own daughter named Emily, who currently lies in a comatose state.
The sensitive Emily catches on to Dr. Thorne's game, but the police and even her new beau Ian Brock do not find it credible that a therapist could be stalking a patient. Emily's new psychiatrist Dr. Rosen does begin to investigate Dr. Thorney, but he ends up dead in his office after a visit paid to him by Dr. Thorne.
Emily's bestie Gillian Stewart, a savvy attorney, goes undercover, becoming a new patient of Dr. Thorne. In one of the best scenes in the film, the quick-thinking Gillian tells Dr. Thorne a sob story about her dear, dead cat named Scooter. While in the doctor's office, Gillian learns about Dr. Thorne's daughter when she sees a photo of the mother and daughter, then discovers the daughter in a nursing home. Subsequently, Gillian is nearly killed when she is run off the road by the fiendish Dr. Thorne.
The filmmakers deserve kudos for imagination in the homestretch of the film. Dr. Thorne gives Emily an injection that places her in the temporary state of a vegetable. The doctor then takes Emily to her ranch with the pipe dream of living with her new daughter. "It's your mother, pumpkin!" A mad scramble ensues in which Detective Wallers meets his end and Ian arrives on cue.
Ironically, one of the topics the arose in Emily's therapy was the relationship with a mother she never had. Emily's mother abandoned her as a toddler. Then, at age sixteen, Emily received a birthday call from her mother in which she refused to speak to her. She regretted that decision ever since. But she had no desire for a surrogate mom the likes of the demented shrink, Dr. Rachel Thorne. In this case, the therapist needed the patient more than the patient needed the doctor.
Such is the drama of Emily Edmunds, a fashion designer whose fiancé was killed in a plan crash. Emily makes an attempt on her life and becomes a patient of Dr. Thorne, who treats her for acute melancholy depression. But Dr. Thorne soon becomes obsessed with her patient, whom she sees a replacement for her own daughter named Emily, who currently lies in a comatose state.
The sensitive Emily catches on to Dr. Thorne's game, but the police and even her new beau Ian Brock do not find it credible that a therapist could be stalking a patient. Emily's new psychiatrist Dr. Rosen does begin to investigate Dr. Thorney, but he ends up dead in his office after a visit paid to him by Dr. Thorne.
Emily's bestie Gillian Stewart, a savvy attorney, goes undercover, becoming a new patient of Dr. Thorne. In one of the best scenes in the film, the quick-thinking Gillian tells Dr. Thorne a sob story about her dear, dead cat named Scooter. While in the doctor's office, Gillian learns about Dr. Thorne's daughter when she sees a photo of the mother and daughter, then discovers the daughter in a nursing home. Subsequently, Gillian is nearly killed when she is run off the road by the fiendish Dr. Thorne.
The filmmakers deserve kudos for imagination in the homestretch of the film. Dr. Thorne gives Emily an injection that places her in the temporary state of a vegetable. The doctor then takes Emily to her ranch with the pipe dream of living with her new daughter. "It's your mother, pumpkin!" A mad scramble ensues in which Detective Wallers meets his end and Ian arrives on cue.
Ironically, one of the topics the arose in Emily's therapy was the relationship with a mother she never had. Emily's mother abandoned her as a toddler. Then, at age sixteen, Emily received a birthday call from her mother in which she refused to speak to her. She regretted that decision ever since. But she had no desire for a surrogate mom the likes of the demented shrink, Dr. Rachel Thorne. In this case, the therapist needed the patient more than the patient needed the doctor.