MARY HIGGINS CLARK’S HAVEN’T WE MET BEFORE

Canada, 2002, 90 minutes, Colour.
Nicollette Sheridan, Page Fletcher, Anthony Lemke, Daniela Amavia, Diego Matamoros.
Directed by Rene Bonniere

Mary Higgins Clark’s Haven’t We Met Before is one of many of the television films made from the celebrated crime fiction writer’s novels. They tend to be in the PG vein, not emphasising sex or violence – although this particular one tends more to a mature audience’s rating.

The film was directed by Rene Bonniere who had direct Mary Higgins Clark’s Pretend You Don’t See Her in the same year, 2002.

Nicollette Sheridan made her mark with Desperate Housewives. She is not a particularly convincing screen presence – and has to take on a variety of roles, a 21st century role as a law student who is also working as a librarian and in a diner as well as characters in flashbacks. Page Fletcher is quite sinister as the man who is suspected of being a serial killer. Anthony Lemke is a pleasant if routine detective inspector. There are strong supporting characters, psychiatrists, played by Daniela Amavia and Diego Matamoros.

While the film is set in the present, there are a number of flashbacks, especially to a crime and an execution a hundred years earlier. There is also a period romance from 1918.

The film is complex as it takes on issues of psychiatry, hypnosis, memories, repressed memories – and implanted memories by manipulative psychologists. There are sufficient clues during the film, especially towards the end and the final murder, that will quickly indicate whodunit.

Audiences enjoy Mary Higgins Clark’s easygoing murder mysteries – and it is the same for the various television versions.

1. The popularity of Mary Higgins Clark’s writing, the film versions?

2. Characters, plots, crimes, mysteries, clues? How well communicated in this film?

3. The settings, the city? The diner, apartments, the police precincts, psychiatric centres? The flashbacks and the creation of period, costumes and décor? The musical score? The opening and the focus on Stephen Koenig, as Simon? His being hanged, his attack on Kate? Her watching and knowing look? The flashbacks to the relationship, the flirting, the bedroom, the arrival of her husband, his drunkenness, her killing him after Simon left? Stephen and his vowing to get vengeance on Kate?

4. Emily, her work, the diner? Her boss? Koenig and his arrival, in the apartment, threatening Emily, the noose, the hesitation, her attacking him and his escape?

5. Koenig in prison? His personality? His sense of justice? His interaction with the sympathetic guard? The antagonism towards the hostile guard? His going to psychiatric sessions with Doctor Stein? Handcuffed? The sessions, Doctor Stein and her skills, sympathy? The flashbacks to Kate? The interrogations about his attack on Emily? His experiences of hypnosis, going back into the past? The various stories, repressed memories, suggested memories – and his being tortured and killed, by the Russian woman? On the road in Ireland and his being robbed and stabbed?

6. Doctor Stein, her skills, her work with Koenig? A possibility for further research? Jack Cobel and his visits? Discussions? Her collaboration with Cobel, trying to find out the truth without making suggestions? Doctor Garner and his visit, the session, watching it on the screen? Her reading Doctor Garner’s book?

7. Emily, her studies, work in the library? Her discussions with Cobel, at the diner, his meal? Their getting to know each other, falling in love? The meetings, her help with the case, the historical documents, the photocopies? Her riding her bicycle, in the square? The final confrontation with Koenig, in the diner, her playing to his fantasies? The irony of her pet name being Eliza? Koenig and his infatuation with Eliza Jackson? Emily giving him the memento? Cobel arriving on time, the escape to the roof? Her reaction to Koenig’s killing himself? Her future with Cobel?

8. Cobel, efficient detective, the arrest of Koenig? The paperwork, the discussions with the other police? The range of murders in the city, the Koenig connection? The factory worker being killed while Koenig was in jail? The going to the experts, handwriting? Cobel and his going to see Doctor Garner, Doctor Garner’s explanations, his documentation about Koenig’s visits and his psychological state?

9. The prison guard, Koenig and the documents? Koenig and his getting out, killing the hostile guard?

10. Koenig going to Doctor Garner? The issue of his memory and the death of the baby? Garner and the revelation of the truth? In his wheelchair? His angers, using Koenig as a subject, implanting the memories? Executing the people that he was hostile to? His actually killing the worker at the bus stop – and the issue of the knife, the thrust from below – from the wheelchair?

11. The plausibility of the plot? The psychiatrist and his madness? Using Koenig as his victim, the implanting of memories, his vanity and expertise, his book? The contrast with Doctor Stein and her work?

12. The sufficient clues to work out whodunit? A satisfying mystery – with the touch of the flashbacks and the historical background?