Murder Elite (1985)

User Rating:

5.6/10   

Director:

Claude Whatham

Writers:

Edward Abraham (story) &
Valerie Abraham (story) ...

Genre:

Drama | Horror | Thriller

Plot:

An English woman (Ali MacGraw) returns to her homeland after losing her fortune in America, and is stalked by a serial killer. |

Plot Keywords:

Serial Killer | England | Maniac | Terror | Stalking

Cast

Ali MacGraw	...	Diane Baker
Billie Whitelaw	...	Margaret Baker
Hywel Bennett	...	Jimmy Fowler
Ray Lonnen	...	Ron Price
Garfield Morgan	...	Inspector Moss
Don Henderson	...	Sergeant Jessop
Dee Anderson	...	Sarah Lewis
Stephen Riddle	...	Police Constable
Julie Sullivan	...	Female Customer
Alan Rowe	...	Male Customer

Runtime:

Germany:102 min | Germany:96 min (video version) | USA:98 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

UK:15 | USA:Unrated | West Germany:18 (video rating)

Filming Locations:

London, England, UK

Company:

Tyburn Entertainment

This movie was screwed up by the directors

First of all being a Hywel Bennett fan from his "Shelley" days, I knew within the first 3 minutes that he played the bad guy. The director's first mistake was not understanding that Mr. Bennett wore leather jackets quite a lot in his hit comedy, "Shelley". A Change of costrums would have added to the mystery needed in the beginning.

Secondly, Garfield Morgan, (Inspector Moss) who also played in the later episodes of "Shelley", directly give the bad guy away within minutes of his first appearance. I felt this was a script sabotage. Unfortunately, two very hard working and famed deservant actor/actress career's suffered in due course. Hywel Bennett and Billie Whitelaw deserve much better co-actors and actresses to work along with them.

I was confused as to what kind of personality Jimmy Fower was suppose to have. Did he have the mind of a killer or a retarded person, or psychotic? I believe Jimmy Fower was suppose to be mentally handicapped in some way. But Mr. Bennetts insight of the mentally handicap was greatly misunderstood along with the direction of this film. Mr. Bennett acted more like a person with "lawjaw" then mentally handicapped.

Ali MacGraw (DianeBaker) and her English sister played by Billie Whitelaw didn't seem to make much sense. Even if a person was born in Great Britain and lived away in America wouldn't necessarily completely loose her native accent. Ali gave me the impression she was coached into remembering her speaking lines. Her attention was not focused naturally into the part. It seemed like she was looking away all the time, perhaps reading the script instead of memorizing it.

Although there were some serious flaws with the action and direction of this film. Hywel Bennett took his role very seriously in the end as the mad killer. It gave me the creeps as he held the dead german shepherd. The ending was superb for actor Hywel Bennett. Wow! What passion! But over all the movie was a screw-up.

No wonder Hollywood never gave this actor a chance. Sakhu.