Guilty Conscience (TV 1985)

While an unfaithful criminal lawyer considers killing his wife, his spouse develops some schemes of her own.

Director:

David Greene

Writers:

Richard Levinson, William Link

Stars:

Anthony Hopkins, Blythe Danner, Swoosie Kurtz

1 win.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Anthony Hopkins	...	Arthur Jamison
Blythe Danner	...	Louise Jamison
Swoosie Kurtz	...	Jackie Willis
Donegan Smith	...	Arthur Jamison's Double
Wiley Harker	...	Older Man
Ruth Manning	...	Older Woman

Storyline

Criminal defense attorney Arthur Jamison wants to get a divorce from his wife Louise Jamison. He knows that the downside would be the hefty alimony payments his wife would receive from him. Instead of facing this monetary dilemma, he comes up with an imaginary alter ego to help him plan the perfect murder of his wife.

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Plot Keywords:

alter ego | scheme | murder | alimony | lawyer | 

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Taglines:

When passion, power and wealth threatens all...

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Also Known As:

Cas de conscience

Filming Locations:

San Francisco, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Richard Levinson / William Link Productions, Robert Papazian Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

104 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Quotes

Arthur Jamison's Double: Isn't it a fact that you are one of the prominent criminal attorneys in the state if not the country?
Arthur Jamison: Guilty!
Arthur Jamison's Double: Beg pardon?
Arthur Jamison: You make it difficult to be modest, counselor. Since I am under oath I'm simply agreeing with you.

User Reviews

Weirdly entertaining made-for-TV movie with excellent performances...

ANTHONY HOPKINS is the mentally agile lawyer who is continually thinking up ways to get rid of his wife, the fashionable and elegant BLYTHE DANNER. Evidently, their stormy marriage is at a breaking point and he decides he must plot her demise rather than go through with a messy divorce.

But what follows has enough plot turns to hold your interest, although the device of having Hopkins weigh all considerations against a trial lawyer (Hopkins in a dual role) gets a little tiresome after awhile. Not that he isn't a compelling actor whether playing the lawyer or the prosecutor, and he does create sympathy for a very detestable man.

The plot takes quite a surprising turn when SWOOSIE KURTZ shows up as his mistress, another very calculating character who has some surprises of her own to throw into the mix.

It all has the feel of a poor man's DIAL M FOR MURDER, showing its TV origins within some narrow settings. But you have to give credit to the writers who keep the tale spinning right until the sudden finish.

The cat-and-mouse byplay between husband and wife is reminiscent of the sort of banter between Laurence Olivier and Michael Caine in SLEUTH, but the overall result is not quite as clever.