SCORNED AND SWINDLED

US, 1984, 97 minutes, Colour.
Tuesday Weld, Keith Carradine, Peter Coyote, Sheree North, Fionnula Flanagan.
Directed by Paul Wendkos.

Scorned and Swindled is an interesting telemovie, allegedly based on fact. Its general story of the vulnerable woman, attracted by the conman, trusting him with everything she owns, only to find herself abandoned, is of strong dramatic interest. Tuesday Weld gives a fine performance as Sharon, the antiques collector, unlucky in marriage, who is swept off her feet by Peter Coyote, very effective as the conman. Halfway through the film, Keith Carradine appears as someone who has been swindled by the conman - and they team up to pursue him. During their tracking him down, there is a particularly poignant sequence in a Mississippi town where a middle-aged antiques dealer thinks she is the conman's fiancee, only to discover the truth abruptly. She keeps it quiet - $10,000 is a reasonable price to pay for privacy. The supporting cast includes Pat Corley as an obnoxious entrepreneur of country and western singers. The film was directed by veteran Paul Wendkos, who made such feature films as Angel Baby and a great number of telemovies.

1. Interesting and entertaining telemovie? Human drama? Emotions, victims?

2. The Tennessee and Texas locations, Mississippi and Florida? The atmosphere of the South? The small towns, the motels, the country roads, the antique shops and fairs? Authentic atmosphere? Musical score?

3. The title and the focus? Sharon as victim? The other victims - and Anthony's 82 wives?

4. The focus on Sharon, her return home, her friend in the shop and their sharing? Her going to Ty Jenkins, the contract with Willie Nelson and the other singers, his anti-women stances, his humiliation of her, tearing up the contract, her resigning and his abuse as he let her go? Her return to the shop, lack of prospects? Going out with friends? The encounter with Anthony, his knowing her, charm, dancing? Her response to his smooth talk? The engagement, believing him about the antiques? Packing them all up, severing her bonds? The payoff to her associate? Going off with him in the night? Going to see her mother, their discussion, her mother's visions and suspicions? Her mother being persuaded by Anthony's charm, talk, the meal? Her possessions and jewellery? Their all being taken away? Going to the town, the hopes? The wedding ceremony on the side of the hill - and his suggestion that it be consummated on the hill? His going to see his business partner, explanations for Sharon? Her going to the motel, no information, her waiting in the truck (and the unwelcome approaches of the attendant)? Her decision to ring the associate - and her brutal disillusionment and discovery of the truth?

5. Anthony and his suave charm, his talk about being rich, his ambitions for Sharon? The dancing, persuading her, her emotional dependence on him? Packing up the antiques - and the prospects? Taking her to the hotel - though the ominous keeping her waiting? Going to see her mother, his charm, promising the house? His taking her to see the business associate - putting her in the wrecked four-wheel drive car? Disappearance? Their tracking him down? His tracks - selling the antiques, bargains? Covering his presence? The photo in the paper? His relationship with the antiques dealer in Mississippi, taking her $10,000, the gift of the earrings? At the fair, his walking past Sharon and not even recognising her? The pursuit and the arrest? His inability to look Sharon in the face? Her catching him, handing him over to the police? The credibility of this kind of man, his loneliness and isolation, the charm of his relationships - and their shallowness? Amoral and conscienceless?

6. Sharon, the return home, her friend and support? Ty Jenkins refusing to help her with money, humiliating her? The work associates and their turning on her? The encounter with John, his anger, her telling the truth about Anthony? The truce, the decision to go together? Their antagonism on the road, sleeping arrangements, arguments? His going off with the girl - and her stance? Her falling in love with John, sharing the goals? His wariness - thinking she was still in love with Anthony? The various sightings, the newspapers, the buying of the goods at the market for $20? The woman in Mississippi and Sharon telling her the truth, getting the earrings back? John leaving her - and her being attacked by people in the street? John's defence of her? Her dependence on him, the quality of the relationship? Going to Florida, seeing Anthony's truck, her getting the gun, being persuaded to ring the police - and their taking a long time on the phone, the difficulty with the computer printout? Anthony walking past her and not recognising her? Her anger with him? The confrontation and his arrest? Her staying with John - and the bond between them? Hopes for the future? Her relationship with her mother, persuading her about the marriage, her mother losing everything? Her going back to visit her mother and trying to do the right thing? Her gratitude for John giving the money?

7. Ty Jenkins, Sharon working for him, his style, manner, dress? Abusive to her? His refusal to help her with the money? The women who worked for Jenkins, their turning on Sharon?

8. John, his sudden arrival, his anger, confronting Sharon? The motivation for chasing Anthony, the taking of the bike? His decision to go with Sharon? Their antagonism? On the road, in the van? Discovering the bike, fixing it, going for the ride? His attraction to Sharon, anger that she was still in love with Anthony? At the market, at the shops? The encounter with the woman in Mississippi? The rescue of Sharon when she was attacked in the street? Going to Florida, finding the van, letting down the tyre, persuading Sharon not to be violent? The final pursuit of Anthony? The reconciliation with Sharon - a future?

9. The glimpse of Maxine, her relationship with her daughter, her visions, wariness about the marriage? The charm of Anthony, her being persuaded to give up everything? The return visit, having lost everything, the gift from John?

10. The Mississippi antique dealer, her ladylike reaction to Sharon's claims, her defence, her realisation of the truth, the return of the earrings, her deep hurt and humiliation? Paying the price of privacy?

11. A portrait of ordinary people, their ordinary routines of life? Emotions? Needs? The victims - and the motivation? The humiliation? The need for taking a stand, tracking down the conman, working within the law - and the satisfaction of completing the search - and starting again?