The Staircase Murders

THE STAIRCASE MURDERS is based on the actual Michael Peterson case and is one that I watched as it unfolded on Court TV several years ago. I was intrigued by the case since it involved a very nondescript looking man suspected of a heinous crime, who happened to be a respected writer who had a good reputation in his neighborhood.

Here the man is played by TREAT WILLIAMS, who does a very effective job of playing the rather snobbish author who looked down on the justice system in his community, alienating the police force by his critical newspaper columns about their ineptness in solving cases.

Watching the case with all of its twists and turns as it actually unfolded in a courtroom was much more interesting than this reenactment, even though the made-for-TV movie has a number of good points. The script barely has enough time to touch on all the incidents (including financial and sexual problems) and has changed things around for dramatic purposes to make things more concise.

None of the subordinate characters are really fleshed out, so the film depends heavily on the central performance of Treat Williams and that of his step-daughter, Caitlin (SAMAIRE ARMSTRONG) who begins to doubt his innocence after viewing the autopsy photos of his dead wife, Kathleen Peterson. She has presumably been killed in an accidental fall down a staircase.

Wisely, the script mentions several times that there was "far too much blood splatter" to account for a mere fall down the stairs. It also shows him staging the scene after her death. And when it turns out that his previous wife had a met a similar fate overseas, the doubts about his innocence become more evident by the time he goes to trial.

He's now serving life in prison without parole. Frankly, I never had any doubts about his guilt in the crime, but I note from the other comments that several viewers are left wondering whether he was innocent or not--which means that the screenwriters did not present the incriminating evidence against him strongly enough and made his character appear too sympathetic.

Let me tell you, Michael Peterson was a far less charming person in real life than he is in this film--although Treat Williams does a creditable job of depicting the man's flawed character. But the man was so complex that the actor is unable to fully suggest the evil intent required to commit the crime.

The documentary has a more up-to-date, DIFFERENT ending.

There's more crime here than just one alleged murder.

This version does highlight the strains within the family, which are huge. (I think Kathleen's sisters would have had Peterson summarily shot immediately after Kathleen was discovered at the bottom of the staircase.)

I read another theory awhile back, without making the all-important connection to this case. Basically, an owl did it. Seemingly absurd on the face of it, but awfully plausible as you look deeper. Kathleen's head injuries are consistent with an owl attack. Maybe an unindicted co-conspirator?

Treat Williams gives another excellent performance in this true story about a supposedly successful writer on trial for the murder of his second wife. Did he or didn't he kill her by the staircase and make it look like an accidental drunken fall?

Williams does best when he is the victim of accusations. His sinister performance is remarkably done.

Did anyone ever bother to question why the other woman who met her death on a staircase 18 years before looked so good when her body was dug up?

This is also a story of strong family relationships. It depicts how part of that relationship begins to break up as the evidence begins to pile up.

A footnote to all this is that one should never start rejoicing with their attorney until the verdict is announced.

This true-crime drama is a perfectly reasonable if not absolutely outstanding film. Starting with the good things, it is ably directed by Tom McLoughlin, Treat Williams is excellent as Michael Peterson being very enigmatic, and Kevin Pollack is just as good as his unprincipled defence lawyer. The other performances are variable, some are good others are so-so. The music is also very nice and the film is wonderful to watch visually, and the script is reasonable. While there are some good plot twists, the film can get episodic in places, and the pacing is pedestrian in parts. The characters also could have been developed more, that way I would have felt empathy for them, while the ending is just nice if not exactly one that makes you think wow that is clever and ingenious, why didn't I think of that? Overall, a nice crime drama to watch, but not outstanding. 6/10 Bethany Cox

This is not the same movie as the award winning Sundance film "The Staircase." Both movies are about the Peterson case, however this one is a heavy handed reenactment and the Sundance version is an actual documentary. "The Staircase Murders" reeks of those one-sided made for TV movies that came out in the 90's to profit off sensationalized criminal cases. The movie is set up like a a regular dramatization of events intermittent with fake documentary scenes. Basically referencing/ripping off the Sundance film which had unprecedented access to the case and persons involved. Don't be fooled, this TV movie doesn't let the audience decide their opinion based on all the facts. It doesn't even let the story unfold or have any gray areas. It's very condescending and pushes its agenda with supposed reenactments of interviews. If you haven't heard the story you should skip this and rent the Sundance film that is interesting, suspenseful, and objective. Don't watch this Hollywood knockoff that wishes it had got to the story first.