Murder C.O.D. (1990) (TV)

Director:

Alan Metzger

Writers (WGA):

Barbara Paul (novel)
Andrew Peter Marin (teleplay)

Release Date:

21 September 1990 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Thriller

Plot:

Someone is killing people in Portland, Oregon, and later blackmails the relatives, who profit most from the death...

Plot Keywords:

Portland Oregon | Psychopath | Based On Novel

Cast

Patrick Duffy	...	Steve Murtaugh
Chelsea Field	...	Ellie
Alex Hyde-White	...	Corbin
Harris Laskaway	...	Jerry Walsh
Janet Margolin	...	Maye Walsh
Allan Miller	...	Leon Walsh
Charles Robinson	...	Lt. Silk
Mariette Hartley	...	Sally Kramer
William Devane	...	Alex Brandt
Bert Kramer
David Cascadden	...	Technician
Marise Counsell	...	Dr. Vinocur
Walter Hoppert	...	Arthur Kramer
Herb Hyde	...	Turnbull
Rick Jones	...	Sgt. Decker

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:12

Company:

Perry Lafferty Productions

Trivia:

Janet Margolin's final appearance before her death.

Payment for Services Rendered

**SPOILERS** William Devane is perfectly creepy as the shadowy and somewhat crazed killer Alex Brandt. A man who makes his living whacking people involved in family disputes and demands $100,000.00 per contract, of the victims relative or lover,or else.

Following Chicago PD Captain Steve Murtaugh, Prtrick Duffy, to Portland Oragon Alex is very angry with Steve for running out on him in Chicago. This after he knocked off his former girlfriend who threatened to expose his affair with her to his wife Ellie, Chelse Field.Sending Steve a note demanding $100,00.00 in cash for his services, which Steve didn't ask for, in the murder of his annoying and blackmailing former girlfriend. Steve gets himself transfered to Portland to get away from this crazy and murderous lunatic who threatened to murder his wife instead of telling her about his secret love affair. Alex then followed Steve and his unsuspecting wife Ellie to the Pacific coast city to shake him down for, what he thinks, is his well deserved fee.

Being an electronics expert Alex uses hidden microphones, in places like fountain pens, to zero in and pick up conversations of people having material or family troubles. He then takes it upon himself to settle those differences for a hefty price, $100,00.00 in cash with no question's asked.

While in Portland stalking and terrorizing the Murtaughs Alex takes time to make an extra $200,000,00 by murdering Arthur Kramer, Walter Hoppert, who he spied on abusing his wife Sally,Mariette Hartley,who threatened to kill him. Sending Mariette a note for payment for her husbands murder Alex has her blackmailed in the fact that she's the only suspect in his death. And if Mariette doesn't pay up he'll see to it that she ends up behind bars if she doesn't or goes to the police with his threats to her; Mariette pay's Alex the money and keep her mouth shut thus having Alex leave her alone.

Murdering Leo Walsh, Alan Miller, by shoving him down an empty elevator shaft Alex demands $100,000.00 from his brother Jerry, Harris Laskaway, who's business Leon was going to buy out and get's it. But Jerry opens his mouth to the police breaking the bond between them, as Alex angrily puts it, causing Jerry to join his brother Leon in the city morgue.

Determined to get his money from Steve Alex overreaches himself by playing his deadly cat and mouse game with Steve a little too close to the vest. This leaves him open to be caught by the Portland Police who, together with Steve, set a number of traps on him. Alex almost gets caught in his secret hideout when the Portland Police track down where he's staying by him joining a local gun club, of all places, from where Alex ordered the unique paper that he wrote his blackmail notes on.

Still obsessed with collecting his $100,000.00 from Steve who later admits to Ellie of his illicit affair back in Chicago, which almost breaks up their marriage, Alex keeps up the pressure but he also starts to get careless by unnecessary, in his arrogant hubris, exposing himself.

There's one major fault in the movie "Murder COD" when Alex beaks into the hotel room where Ellie is being kept in hiding by the police. After murdering the policemen guarding her Alex lets her, for some strange and unexplained reason, live where she can later identify him. That lead to him being shot and killed by her husband Steve which brought the film down a few notches; otherwise the movie is a better then average made-for-TV suspense/thriller.