The Pilot's Wife (2002) (TV)

User Rating:

5.7/10   

Director:

Robert Markowitz

Writers (WGA):

Anita Shreve (novel)
Anita Shreve (teleplay) ...

Release Date:

14 April 2002 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

What would you do if you learned your husband had a secret life?

Plot:

Kathryn is distraught at the news of her husband's death delivered by a stranger from the airline for whom he was a pilot...

Plot Keywords:

Based On Novel

Cast

Christine Lahti	...	Kathryn Lyons
Campbell Scott	...	Robert Hart
Alison Pill	...	Mattie Lyons
Kirsty Mitchell	...	Muire Boland
John Heard	...	Jack Lyons
Nigel Bennett	...	Dick Somers
Rick Burchill	...	Tierney
David Christoffel	...	Sullivan
Christopher Shore	...	Martin (as Chris Shore)
Richard Donat	...	Father Paul
Bruce McAllister	...	News anchor
Joseph Rutten	...	Old fisherman
Mike Clattenburg	...	Television reporter
Gary Levert	...	Pilot
Daniel Lillford	...	Dermot Baldwin

Also Known As:

La femme du pilote (Canada: French title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for thematic elements and some sensuality.

Runtime:

89 min

Country:

Canada | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Australia:PG | Germany:12 | USA:PG-13

Filming Locations:

Nova Scotia, Canada

Company:

Lions Gate Films

Goofs:

Miscellaneous: When the pilot's wife goes to London, there are only three or four really old cars driving around in every scene. Since the 1960s, no-one drives those big old cars. Also the second wife lives in a house with a number into four digits i.e. 1064. London streets do not number so high.

Movie Connections:

Edited from Airport 1975 (1974)

Hackneyed theme, but still absorbing

Stop me if you've seen this one before: hubby-missing-believed-dead,wifey-then-finds-out- doubtful-things-about-him...ah, but this movie goes beyond the usual formula, throwing in some political, and criminal factors...one is never sure how things are going to turn out.

Most of the characters are entertainingly devious, playing various parts to achieve each different end.., can one even count on the "heroine" wife, and her daughter ?

The dialogue is brief, and to the point, the characters ring true (even the false ones!), and I was absorbed for almost two hours...I didn't understand the ending, which is perhaps a failing of my intelligence, rather than the film's intent, whatever, that cost the film a point, I deducted another, because it was, after all, a formula film, and a third because it wasn't "Love With The Proper Stranger" - my benchmark for romantic/suspense films.

As (nearly)always, the actors are good, but I must make especial mention of Christine Lahti...when she first appears, she's just awakened, she looks drab, and her age...but, to me, she was still an attractive woman...that's charisma!