IMDb >
When Love Kills: The Seduction of John Hearn (1993) (TV)
Watch It
Buy it at Amazon
Rent it at Blockbuster.com
Discuss in Boards More at IMDb Pro Add to My Movies Update Data
BETA
Discuss in Boards More at IMDb Pro Add to My Movies Update Data
Quicklinks
Top Links
trailers and videosfull cast and crewtriviaofficial sitesmemorable quotesOverview
main detailscombined detailsfull cast and crewcompany creditstv scheduleAwards & Reviews
user commentsexternal reviewsnewsgroup reviewsawardsuser ratingsparents guiderecommendationsmessage boardPlot & Quotes
plot summarysynopsisplot keywordsAmazon.com summarymemorable quotesFun Stuff
triviagoofssoundtrack listingcrazy creditsalternate versionsmovie connectionsFAQOther Info
merchandising linksbox office/businessrelease datesfilming locationstechnical specslaserdisc detailsDVD detailsliterature listingsNewsDeskPromotional
taglines trailers and videos posters photo galleryExternal Links
showtimesofficial sitesmiscellaneousphotographssound clipsvideo clipsWhen Love Kills: The Seduction of John Hearn (1993) (TV) More at IMDbPro »
Overview
User Rating:
Director:
Writers (WGA):
Contact:
Release Date:
18 May 1993 (USA)
more
Plot Keywords:
User Comments:
Much Better Than You'd Think!
more (3 total)
Cast
(Cast overview, first billed only)| Gary Cole | ... | John Hearn | |
| Marg Helgenberger | ... | Debbie Banister | |
| Gregg Henry | ... | Joe Banister | |
| Michael Jeter | ... | Bob Black | |
| Shirley Knight | ... | Edna Larson | |
| Nick Searcy | ... | Votel | |
| Stan Shaw | ... | Gerst | |
| Kathleen Wilhoite | ... | Cheryl | |
| Julie Harris | ... | Alice Hearn | |
| Molly Orr | ... | Chloe | |
| Jameson Baltes | ... | Max | |
| Jon Paul Steuer | ... | Travis | |
| David Carpenter | ... | Harley Pearce | |
| Laura Innes | ... | Laurel Hearn | |
| Aaron Michael Metchik | ... | Sky |
Additional Details
Also Known As:
When Love Kills (Australia)
more
more
Parents Guide:
Runtime:
USA:192 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
1.33 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Certification:
Company:
FAQ
This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.more (3 total)
Message Boards
Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for When Love Kills: The Seduction of John Hearn (1993) (TV)Recommendations
If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
Show more recommendations
|
|
|
|
|
| Grave Secrets: The Legacy of Hilltop Drive | Guts and Glory: The Rise and Fall of Oliver North | JFK | In a Child's Name | Precious Victims |
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
Related Links
| Full cast and crew | Company credits | IMDb Thriller section |
| IMDb USA section | Add this title to MyMovies |

Leave it to Gary Cole to turn in yet another woefully underrated, quietly superb performance for which he'll probably never get anywhere near the credit he deserves. He gives just such a performance in "When Love Kills: The Seduction of John Hearn," a must-see for any Gary Cole fan, especially those who remember his stunning performance as Captain Jeffrey MacDonald in "Fatal Vision," a performance for which he was praised but was never praised enough.
Anyone who has followed Gary Cole's career in television and feature films knows that he has often found himself relegated to supporting roles in which he is forced to bury his talents, though he shines in each and every one of those roles nevertheless. In his leading role in "When Love Kills," Cole utterly nails the fatal character flaw that exists in any man -- in Everyman -- who's ever fallen for a crooked dame so hard he can't see straight and gets sucked so deeply and swiftly into the bottomless pit of her sexuality and greed that he loses himself entirely.
Don't be misled by the "TV-lookingness" of this film; it's classic Film Noir in plot, in message, and in execution. Marg Helgenberger's crooked dame is deliciously campy, bossy, icky-sweet perky, and spot-on deadly, her chirpy malevolence a perfect balance for Cole's Man in Search of a Fatal Obsession. These two are so good together in the sex scenes in "When Love Kills" that you'll be tempted to wonder if they weren't doing a number with each other off the screen as well; now, that is good acting!
I've just seen this movie (made in 1993) for the first time on the Lifetime Channel in 2004 and fell for it hook, line, and sinker. Sure, you could hack away at it for various reasons -- maybe it's a tad too long, maybe a few scenes could have been slightly better, and maybe the man in the moon is a lady -- but do yourself a favor and give it a chance. Especially give Gary Cole a chance to do what he does so well and always does when he sinks his teeth into a role like John Hearn: He plays it to the hilt, grabs you by the throat, and doesn't let go even after the end credits are rolling.
"When Love Kills" is surprisingly intense despite its made-for-TV patina and limp title. It manages to do a better job than many other films I've seen in describing, believably and chillingly, the Descent into Darkness any man takes when he lets his Little Head do his "thinking" for him. There are several scenes in "When Love Kills" that are real nail-biters, but nowhere is Gary Cole more riveting than in the scene where, having realized that he's been played for a sucker by Helgenberger's maniacal femme fatale, he faces his own demons in a motel room shower.
I continue to be amazed that Gary Cole isn't routinely whispered about as a "great" actor along the lines of Al Pacino and Robert De Niro because he thoroughly deserves the same whispers. I also continue to be amazed at the number of people who blow off a made-for-TV movie just because it was made for TV.
If you blow this one off, you'll be missing a film that's much better than you'd think.