The Secret She Carried (1996) (TV)

User Rating:

4.4/10   

Director:

Dan Lerner

Writers:

Frank Moore (story)
Michael Angeli (teleplay)

Release Date:

27 October 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Thriller | Drama

Plot:

Ellen, a happily married young teacher is brutaly raped and beaten in her home by a man who threatens her and her husband if she goes to the police...

Plot Keywords:

Hospital | Restraining Order | Burglar Alarm | Elevator | Intimidation

Cast

Peri Gilpin	...	Ellen Hayward
Jere Burns	...	Lewis Snow
D.W. Moffett	...	Mitch Hayward
Ron Perkins	...	Detective Roy Cicero
Alyson Reed	...	Donna Snow
Susan Gibney	...	Judy
Jennifer Aspen	...	Toni
Sonja Parks	...	Det. Phelan
Dell Aldrich	...	Anne, Ellen's Mom
Randall Brady	...	Pete
Michael Crabtree	...	E.R. Doctor
Richard Dillard	...	Walter, Ellen's Dad
Wayne Dong	...	Paramedic
Cynthia Dorn	...	Loretta
Jeremy Fox	...	Rafa

Runtime:

88 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Filming Locations:

Austin, Texas, USA

Company:

NBC Studios

The Kind of Movie That Makes You Scream!

This is the type of movie that causes you to scream out loud at how stupid people can be. You are familiar with the type of story where a woman is being chased by a man and she ALWAYS falls and gets caught?

Where the police knows who the killer is, but they can't arrest him, "for lack of evidence?" Why is it that the killer or rapist is always smarter than the cops? Why is it that in these stories, the rape victims continue to put themselves in harm's way? It looks as if they are TRYING to have the crime repeated.

Peri Gilpin as Ellen Hayward, the rape victim who finds out that she is pregnant and that the rapist might be the father gives an adequate performance, but as written, she's very unwise. D. W. Moffett, as Mitch, her husband, is the same as all husbands are in this type of movie, understanding, but doubtful. Jere Burns is excellent as the rapist/psycho Lewis Snow, who is a lot smarter than the police.

Mr. Burns, I have seen for years in various roles, even in TV series as a regular ("Dear John"). I'd like to see him play more normal, challenging roles for a change. Mr. Moffett has movie star good looks and I'm very surprised that his career hasn't been more prominent. He's certainly as good an actor as many of those who are making big bucks today.

Even when movies are based on real-life characters, we realize how our laws shield the guilty and the innocent is left without protection. In this film, Ellen has poor support from the police and continually places herself in vulnerable positions which gives the rapist easy access. After the initial rape, she has two additional in-person encounters with him! This is what makes the viewer want to pick up a hammer and attack the TV screen.