Linda (1993 TV Movie) User Reviews

Highly underrated...

[buiger · 7/10 · 20 March 2012]

I found this movie to be believable, well scripted and entertaining, something that usually happens when films are based on a true story, and this one is. I would like to point out that Virginia Madsen's performance was excellent, she really shines in her role. I disagree with the notion some have advanced that Thomas was boring, I think he played the part exactly as it should be. If anybody, I found Ted McGinley not to be up to par with the others.

All in all a good movie, again goes to prove that nowadays, some movies made for TV can be much better that "real" films with much higher budgets.

A Scheming Adulteress of a movie

[mark24 · 6/10 · 9 December 2002]

***SPOILERS*** ***SPOILERS*** I watched this movie on TV last night and it wasn't really that bad. It stars Richard Thomas who played 'John Boy' Walton in 'The Waltons' TV Series (Way before I was born) but you can tell he is showing his age! The first 40 minutes of this film where boring but after that it started to get entertaining and had me gripped towards the end to find out what happened. I didn't know that it was based on a true story until the end. When I read the end credits it horrified me to see that both of the killers in the film had been executed. Only one person really did the killing while the other helped plan it. I personally don't believe in Capital Punishment. The scene when he escaped from the jail was a bit unrealistic but apart from that, this film will keep you entertained.

Badly written, poorly filmed retread of a much better 1973 TV movie.

[thomkat · 1/10 · 27 July 2001]

Years ago, I caught a fairly well made TV movie entitled "Linda". It was made in 1973, and starred Stella Stevens in the femme fatale title roll. Imagine my surprise when, over ten years later, I once again saw the same story unfold on late night TV. However, it was this 1993 version, starring Virginia Madsen. Don't get me wrong, I can handle remakes, even obscure ones. But this badly written and poorly filmed retread made me feel sorry for both Madsen and co-star Richard Thomas. Unlike the original, the dialogue here is cliched, making me wonder, "Why did they bother to re-write it?" Second, the camera work is very heavy-handed, and the the film stock is poor. At times I felt reminded of the student film competition at the beginning of Christopher Guest's "The Big Picture". Finally, the cast looks either bored (Madsen) or suffering (Thomas). In fact, the only one who seems like he's really enjoying the work is Ted McGinley. Of course, with his perfectly coifed hair and capped teeth, he's really stretching himself from his previous work on "The Love Boat". Bottom line, to borrow a critique from Opus the Penguin in Bloom County:

"This movie does for film what Jonestown did for Kool-Aid."

Thomkat

Very Stupid

[Theo Robertson · 4/10 · 3 May 2005]

This TVM seems to have polarised opinions amongst the commentators on this page so perhaps I can settle everything by saying this is a very stupid not very well made television movie . How bad is it ? It's a teleplay that can't even decide what its name is because while everyone in America calls it LINDA it's known in Britain as LUST FOR MURDER and it's usually a bad sign when a movie has to change its name . And can I also point out that it's not a tongue in cheek spoof as somebody else claimed

I will be honest and say the plot is rather sound . Linda and Paul Cowley meet another couple called the Jeffries who they get on very well with . They get on so well that they go on holiday together ( Make up your own mind if there's some wife swapping going on ) and Paul sees his wife kill the Jeffries . After that the plot takes a shock twist

Writing the above paragraph I have suddenly realised the large amount of potential the story had and I won't say anything to put you off the premise . It's just that when the story continues after the events I've described things become more and more unlikely and bizarre . Not only that but the production values are fairly unimpressive with the actor playing Paul Cowley doing a very wooden voice over that irritates while most of the scenes - Exterior and interior - look like they've been filmed on a foggy day

Routine Mystery

[rmax304823 · 4/10 · 2 August 2005]

What an uninteresting hodge-podge. It could have been something more but no imagination seems to have gone into the script or the direction. A man is framed for murder by his wife and her lover. The conspirators do a pretty thorough job of making him look guilty. But the man (Richard Thomas), whose psychiatric records reveal him as "stable" and "unimaginative", manages to escape from jail, beat it to the conspirator's beach house, and secretly record a conversation between them in which they reveal their guilt. Then he accidentally drops the tape recorder with all the evidence on it into the sea water but manages to retrieve it. He shows a heck of a lot of creativity and improvisational skill for an unimaginative guy, if you ask me.

The tape is now damaged goods but it's enough to break down the wife's lover and he sobs out his confession. Bad people are punished. Good people are saved.

The location shooting is impressive. The beach house is nothing more than a wooden exterior thrown up on the grounds of Fort Fisher Battlefield on the Cape Fear peninsula. The house was torn down immediately after the production wrapped.

It's a pretty place. Unfortunately it's a little hard to see because someone seems to have shot every scene through a pair of pantyhose stretched over the camera lens. It's all very fuzzy. And for all the natural splendor of the location the viewer never gets a real sense of place, of what the sand feels like, of the texture of the gray bark on the stunted evergreens.

The acting is okay but the performers have nothing much to work with. The best performance, as is often the case, is given by Dick Olsen as a sleazy but not unsympathetic defense lawyer. Virginia Madsen radiates infidelity with every beat of her eyelashes. Ted McGinley is within his range as an immoral weakling.

The musical score neatly blends the ominous with the mysterious and is effective. If you want to hear the original, from which this was ripped off, rent Hitchcock's "Vertigo" and listen to Bernard Hermann's suspenseful theme.

I can't think of any particular reason to catch this one except utter boredom.

I've watched this over 10 times and my heart still aches

[queenofthe9nile · 10/10 · 22 March 2002]

I have watched this movie at least ten times. I do not agree with the previous comments. This is a tongue in cheek movie and some of the acting is meant to be stilted. Men like Paul Cowley are few and far between, women like Linda, unfortunately, are a dime a dozen. The sad thing here is that although similiar relationships like this rarely lead to murder and frame ups, it is an all to familiar scenario. Boy worships girl, girl doesn't know he exists, they grow up, man sees woman he fantasized about down and out and rescues her. Bottom line, she never did love him-he came along at the right time and she used him. Thomas is excellent as the nerdy but adequate Paul. His portrayal is sensitive and touching. Madsen is perfect as the femme-fatale. What really moved me was the final scene. Paul says he eventually cried, but not for Linda, his wife, but for the unknown girl he had watched from a distance so many years ago..and longed for..and loved. And I loved the close-up of Thomas at the end.

A Gripping, Heart-Wrenching Tale of Marriage Gone BAD!

[Mincharbrooks · 10/10 · 3 August 2005]

I viewed Linda, and it is a Top-Rate Movie! The lives of Paul and his wife, Linda, who he adored as a young man and finally married. They meet another married couple, Jeff and Stella, and the foursome become very good friends. But, their friendship takes a Twisted Turn after vacationing together at Varona Beach....A Twist that never returns the married couples to their former status as friends.

Linda is A Must-See!!!! The acting by Virginia Madsen is acceptable; however, Richard Thomas steals the movie with his incredible acting...and the emotions that he displays.

A Wonderful Movie! "Lotta Honey"