Seduced by Madness: The Diane Borchardt Story (1996) (TV)

Director:

John Patterson

Writer (WGA):

Carmen Culver (written by)

Release Date:

25 February 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Thriller | Drama | Crime

Plot:

True crime story of a Wisconsin teacher's aide who hired teenaged students to murder her estranged husband.

Plot Keywords:

Teenage Boy | Extramarital Affair | Hitman | Psychopath | Adultery

Cast

Ann-Margret	...	Diane Kay Borchardt
Peter Coyote	...	Ruben Borchardt
Leslie Hope	...	Claire Brown
Christian Campbell	...	Doug Vest
Hedy Burress	...	Brook Borchardt
Tobey Maguire	...	Chuck Borchardt
Freddy Rodríguez	...	Michael Maldonado
Cliff De Young	...	Det. Burstyn
Dean Norris
Jonah Blechman	...	Josh Yanke
Tomas Arana
Kurt Fuller
Alanna Ubach	...	Shannon Johnson
Veronica Lauren	...	Regan Borchardt
Johnny Strong	...	Tim

Also Known As:

Seduced by Madness (USA) (short title)

MPAA:

Rated R for a scene of violence.

Runtime:

200 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Finland:K-16 (video premiere) | USA:R | Australia:M

Company:

Brian Pike Productions

Movie Connections:

References To Die For (1995)

Ann-Margret in a stand out performance....

As Diana Borchardt, a sociopath and schoolteacher who tires of her husband and wants out; this is a very interesting study of what some people are capable of.

Peter Coyote is sympathetic as the victim, Ruben Borchardt; as she calls him "Rube the boob"; she is an emasculating, narcissistic woman, (not schizophrenic as a previous review intimates).

The fact that this was based on a true story makes this all the more relevant, here was a well-liked teacher, popular with the students, capable of unbelievable manipulation, malice and murder.

The murder of Ruben is carried out by several students, who believe Borchardt is being physically abused by her husband (She was not, but concocted this story to acquire life insurance benefits). Tobey McGuire in particular is rather sympathetic as Ruben Borchardt's young son.

Borchardt apparently even visited her in-laws for Easter, knowing that their son was just brutally murdered, to cover up her role in the homicide. The students were pawns, part of her intent to control.

Indeed, no one even benefited from Ruben's death. The house was tied up in debt, and Diana Borchardt never paid the students what she had promised. She thereby perpetuated the psychological theory that there are some sociopaths who subconsciously want to be apprehended for their crimes. 8/10.