On a dark and stormy night on a remote island, Jessica finds herself in the middle of a wealthy family squabbling over the inheritance of a millionaire.On a dark and stormy night on a remote island, Jessica finds herself in the middle of a wealthy family squabbling over the inheritance of a millionaire.On a dark and stormy night on a remote island, Jessica finds herself in the middle of a wealthy family squabbling over the inheritance of a millionaire.
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Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe helicopter delivering Jessica to the island (N57497) is a Bell 206L-1 LongRanger II c/n: 45510. These are distinguished from the standard JetRanger by the larger cabin and the single rectangular shaped exhaust aimed straight back from the engine cowling rather than the two round exhausts angled out each side of the back of the cowling.
- GoofsAs Henry and Jessica walk toward the house after she arrives, the landing skid of the helicopter can been seen on the grass behind them despite the helicopter lifting off and flying away in the previous shot.
- Quotes
Henry Reynard: Oh, the check.
Jessica Fletcher: Oh, no, thank you.
Henry Reynard: No, no, you earned it. Please.
Jessica Fletcher: You know, Henry, nothing would give me greater pleasure than to tear this up into tiny pieces, and toast you with the confetti... But a million dollars will mean a great deal to the children's hospital. Thank you, on *their* behalf.
- SoundtracksMurder She Wrote Theme
Written by John Addison
His party consists of Henry's fastidious daughter, Alice Reynard Carson (Marj Dusay); Henry's carefree son, Jason Reynard (Keir Dullea); Jason's selfish wife, Valerie Renard (Cassie Yates); Alice's childish young adult daughter, Kimberly Carson (Jill Carroll); Kimberly's social-climbing fiancé, Preston Howard (John Callahan); Henry's attentive physician, Doctor Hubbard Dabney (Philip Abbott); and Henry's domestic assistants, Mr. Forest (Curt Lowens) and Mrs. Forest (Victoria Boothby).
Reynard Island remains undefined of any specific location. Because Henry had made his fortune in lumber, and because he travels to Chicago, one possibility may situate this parcel of land somewhere around Lake Michigan. Anyway, its distance from the mainland is minimal and may be reached by motorboat or helicopter.
When a helicopter Pilot (H. Ray Huff) transports one final guest to the isolated Reynard Island, festivities may commence, for Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury) now enters the mysterious estate (after the Pilot returns to the mainland, leaving the ten to fend for themselves.
When Henry had met Jessica at a book publisher's board meeting in Chicago, they had conducted charity benefit fund-raising. And now, he discloses his purpose for the invitation: for a one million dollar reward for the charity of her choice, Henry asks Jessica to investigate his family to determine who has been trying to kill him.
Jessica, naturally, refuses the challenge, as "This is a matter for the authorities," thus returning the check bearing her name, which he returns into the drawer of his desk, alongside a report from a detective, as well as a copy of his revised will.
But that evening, when the group gathers in the upstairs library, a thunderstorm erupts, the electricity goes off, the motorboat is disabled, and a gunshot is heard from the downstairs foyer. Doctor Hubbard Dabney pronounces the victim deceased, and now everyone else must await authorities from the mainland.
Sheriff Brademus (Morgan Woodward) and Sergeant Stokley (Jeremy Roberts) arrive from the mainland the next morning, with Jessica volunteering to investigate, when they hear three screams from the boat house.... For Mrs. Forest stumbles across another body.
And now Reynard family members polarize at odds, as the plot thickens yet once again, with a surprise appearance to compound the matter of grading reactions to discover who passes this "Test of Wills."
- WeatherViolet
- Sep 24, 2009