I Want to Live

I was a kid when this came out. Lindsay Wagner had her public relations people working overtime telling the magazines what an excellent actress she was and how she had been wasted in The Bionic Woman. We, the public actually bought it

Fast forward forty plus years. We became adults. We actually saw some GOOD acting and performances. We realized the Bionic Woman was unwatchable as adults. When revisiting Lindsay Wagner's dozens of TV movies we realize how bad they were and her acting worse.

This film is an insult to the 1958 original with Susan Hayward. There was no point in this remake other than to give a vanity project to a TV star and to fill commercial time.

In a smart move, the teleplay of this remake is vastly different from the 1958 classic. Instead of mostly focusing on her life during and after the murder trial, half of the film is dedicated to her earlier years and arrests. It was a good call because not only would audiences always be comparing the film to the better version, but Lindsay Wagner didn't have one-tenth the acting chops of Susan Hayward; had it been a scene-for-scene remake she just couldn't have handled it. As it was, she still couldn't handle it. Her delivery, mannerisms, and expressions were straight out of high school drama class. I was almost embarrassed for her.

Martin Balsam plays Lindsay's defense attorney, and since we all know the story, it's a perfect casting choice. I've seen him play a lawyer in so many movies, and he always loses his case! Perhaps it's because he's so honor bound, he stands up in front of the jury, points to his client and shouts, "He did it! He did it!" Oh, wait, wrong movie. I love him so much in Murder on the Orient Express, I forget that he doesn't always act that way in every role.

I really can't recommend this tv movie unless you really love Lindsay Wagner and want to see her try to act in a drama. For anyone who loves Susan Hayward or enjoyed the original story, this is just embarrassing. Why remake it with such an inept actress, or if the story is going to be so altered, why remake it at all? And why leave out one of the most famous details of the story: the blindfold?

This is a dreadful remake but it has its moments. I doubt Lindsay Wagner ever looked better even though she can't act to save her life. Harry Dean Stanton does an odd Emmett Perkins and Seymour Cassel is fine as the evil John Santo. But Pam Reed as the gratuitous bitchy feminist reporter is ridiculous. Robert Ginty is also good as Bab's junkie husband, Henry.

Just like the original, this bland made-for-TV flick tries to paint Barbara Graham as a well trod-upon girl-who-never-got-a-break. It also tries to make her out as innocent of the Mabel Monohan murder. That is all bull hockey. Babs was a mean as hell and guilty to boot. Throw in the obvious feminist slant and it's enough to put you off your TV dinner.

I seen this TV movie back in 1989 it was so great so sad I would love to see this movie again .. I know what she done was bad but what they put her though is worse ,, my children where very young when this movie was played on tv back in 1989 I have talk to my children about this movie many times over the years and I keep a eye on my tv guide list hoping that someday they will add this movie back on tv once again for all the young hearts to see .. this movie is a A++ to me .