Widow's Kiss

As soon as I was subjected to the incredibly irritating music over the opening credits I should have stopped watching this film. Instead I persevered and wasted 103 minutes of my life, hoping in vain that the situation would improve - it never did. In fact thinking back, the opening music was the film's highpoint.

I'm usually a fan of these semi-erotic Made-for-TV thrillers despite all their cheesiness, but 'Widow's Kiss' has absolutely nothing going for it. For what it's worth the story has a lawyer, played by Bruce Davison ( remember him in the title role of 'Willard' back in 1971 ), falling for a recently widowed dyed-blonde.

Before you can blink and say 'Somebody shoot the script-writer', they have had a whirlwind affair and are married in Las Vegas. She moves in to the family home, where the lawyers son is suspicious of his new step-mom and her wardrobe of see-thru nighties .

Anyway, blah-blah-blah-blah - everything is Grade-Z, but what really grates is that no-one in the whole sorry affair seems to even make any effort. The people responsible for this turkey should suffer career freefall - Beverly D'Angelo next starred in 'Pterodactyl Woman from Beverly Hills'(1994), so maybe there is some justice in the world.

While not the most original movie ever written, it is sharp fun if you pay attention. Some very funny clever lines. What most people don't seem to realize is that this is a dark comedy, sly and witty. D'Angelo is good, not great, and delivers some terrific "Joan Collins" style vamp lines that are very funny...if you understand you are watching a dark comedy, not "Medea" of some TV cop show. Very enjoyable, start to finish, mostly because of the sneaky clever writing, All the acting is solid, and Barbara Rush makes a welcome appearance, still beautiful. The directing is pedestrian, admittedly, (like in most movies) but the script is very funny. My wife and I laughed out loud at many of D'Angelo's snappy lines: she has her tongue firmly in cheek, and seems to be having a great good time. Recommended for a fun evening. Drink some wine and have a giggle.

The NY Times called this movie "dryly witty" and it is. The performances are good but the dialogue is great. Most of the jokes are inside and sly, but if you're smart, you'll get it. My girlfriend and I loved it. Our favorite line: When Dennis Haysberg, a burned out cop, is asked why he's such a prick he says: "I woke up one day and I wasn't 25 anymore. It p***ed me off." The movie is full of great lines like that and the story works.

I happen to catch this flick on HBO one night, and gotta that it really wasn't too bad and actually had a pretty decent story(also kept enough interest for me to watch the whole thing), and though Beverly D'Angelo was beautiful she unfortunately was unconvincing as the evil seductress... then again alot of the actors were perhaps with the exception of MacKenzie Astin. The story was better than your average mystery/suspense and covered up the mediocre acting jobs, so not eveyone will be disappointed but then again not everyone will be satisfied. My suggestion is to catch it while it's on tv one quiet night.

"Widow's Kiss" is a well-crafted film-noir thriller with a steamy performance from Beverly D'Angelo as a woman who lives off the avails of rich, lonely men. The film is well directed by Peter Foldy and delivers some strong production values.

Mackenzie Astin (brother of Sean and son of Patty Duke) is great as the boy who suddenly inherits D'Angelo as his seductive stepmom. Bruce Davison is solid as Astin's dad and Dennis Haysbert gives a grounded performance as a down on his luck detective hired to solve a murder. At the end of the day, it is Ms. D'Angelo who carries the film as the cold-hearted Vivian. She bares all here and was at the top of her game when she made this film.

Though some of the dialogue may sound a bit on the money, "Widow's Kiss" is a great little film that should have gotten much more attention. It was an HBO World Premier back in the mid-90s and it's still a fun, sexy ride 20 years later. Would be nice to see this re-released on Blue Ray or DVD with a director's commentary.