When Secrets Kill (1997) (TV)

Director:

Colin Bucksey

Writers (WGA):

Patricia MacDonald (book)
Ara Watson (teleplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

6 April 1997 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Plot:

A young girl's adoptive parents become suspects when her biological mother is murdered.

Plot Keywords:

Stepmother | Father Daughter Relationship | Serial Killer | Murder | Hanging

Cast

Gregory Harrison	...	Greg Newhall
Roxanne Hart	...	Karen Newhall
Lacey Chabert	...	Jenny Newhall
Larissa Laskin	...	Linda Emery (as Larissa Lapchinski)
Maurice Godin	...	Lt. Larry
Timothy Busfield	...	Det. Walter Ferrence
Victoria Snow	...	Phyllis Hodges
Patricia Hamilton	...	Eliza Emery
Jody Racicot	...	Eddie Hughes
Arlene Mazerolle	...	Emily Ferrence
Matthew Bennett	...	Bill Emery
Sally Willis	...	Glenda Emery
Patric Masurkevitch	...	Sam Martin
Kate Hennig	...	Mary Martin
John Bourgeois	...	Chief Matthews
Tim Post	...	Officer
Sophie Bennett	...	Crystal Hughes
Brandon Bone	...	Boy #1
Tom Redman	...	Boy #2
Thomas Hauff	...	Frank Emery
Caroly Larson	...	Bartender
Ray Doucette	...	Mr. Matson
Taylore Ashlie	...	Mrs. Matson
Bruce Beaton	...	Jake
Kaya McGregor	...	Woman
Jane Luk	...	Nurse
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
David Schaefer	...	Extra

Directed by
Colin Bucksey

Writing credits (WGA)
Patricia MacDonald		(book "Mother's Day")
Ara Watson		(teleplay) &
Sam Blackwell		(teleplay)

Produced by
Sam Blackwell	....	co-producer
Richard Brams	....	executive producer
Richard Brams	....	producer
Michele Brustin	....	executive producer
Billy Higgins	....	producer
Kimberly Rubin	....	co-executive producer
Ara Watson	....	co-producer
Andi Wooten	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Richard Hartley

Cinematography by
Robert M. Stevens		(as Robert Stevens)

Film Editing by
John A. Martinelli

Production Design by
Lindsey Hermer-Bell

Set Decoration by
Megan Less

Costume Design by
Margaret Mohr

Makeup Department
Anne-Marie Desroches	....	makeup artist
Susan Exton-Stranks	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Bernard Bourret	....	unit production manager
Andrea Lapins	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Pazz Neglia	....	assistant director
Marek Posival	....	second assistant director
Bruce Speyer	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Adrian Hardy	....	property master

Sound Department
Peter Austin	....	supervising sound editor
Dan Daniels	....	sound
Don Digirolamo	....	sound re-recording mixer
David E. Fluhr	....	sound re-recording mixer
Adam Jenkins	....	sound re-recording mixer

Camera and Electrical Department
Billy Buttery	....	gaffer
Richard Emerson	....	key grip
Brian Gedge	....	camera operator

Casting Department
Ross Clydesdale	....	casting: Canada
Donna Dupere	....	extras casting
Shana Landsburg	....	casting: Los Angeles
Juli-Ann Kay	....	casting assistant: Canada (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Timothy Joyce	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Marty Wereski	....	music editor

Transportation Department
Orest W. Muz	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Sherry Bondy	....	production coordinator
Jill Carter	....	script supervisor
Allan Chalfin	....	production executive
Ronald Gilbert	....	production accountant
Byron A. Martin	....	location manager

Production Companies

• Michele Brustin Productions
• Rysher Entertainment
• Scripps Howard Entertainment

Distributors

• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1997) (USA) (TV) (original airing)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Iceland:16

Filming Locations:

Cobourg, Ontario, Canada

Company:

Michele Brustin Productions

If Agatha Christie were American, she would have written it

This movie was more than a pleasant surprise when I took an old VC that I'd recorded years ago and put on a shelf for later (when nothing else would be available). A TV movie with Roxanne Hart isn't something one would run to buy or hire, and as there are gallons of "true" or "could be true" stories on different channels it can be easily missed. And what a pity it would be! My instinct didn't mislead me this time, this one is a hidden star in the mud of similar movies.

If Agatha Christie were American this would be her story. The story-writer must have read all her novels and carefully transposed it's mood and plot-developing to USA, not neglecting American society (small American town looks probably more like Martian than like English small town), characters, and construction of American movies: the only real difference is made in last five minutes, the movie doesn't end with meeting of all possible suspects and Poirot or Miss Marple points the villain, but in typical American way - a few shots and the bad one's dead (I won't reveal if it is he or she).

The story introduces us to a typical peaceful lethargic (rather) small town where you don't expect crime bigger than broken window or stolen garden dwarf (like Picket Fences, or Edward Scissorhands). Then we meet a family with a teenage girl and for a short while it is a typical ordinary sitcom-type family with all the problems a teenager-containing family is expected to have (8 Rules, Family Ties). A bell on the door shows that the family isn't so ordinary, and a drama replaces first light tones (Fly Away Home, The Horse Whisperer, Man in the Moon). We meet more and more characters, the slow start is speeding, and when a first (not so unexpected) corpse is found, we are prepared to start guessing who did it - all in typical A. Christie way, including a total of three murders (without the final shooting) as usual in her novels.

If you prefer calm who-did-it movies with a lot of possible suspects, all of them well played interesting characters, and a surprising but not illogical end, give this one a chance even if TV movies are on your ignore list.