THE RED SPIDER
US, 1988, 90 minutes, Colour.
James Farentino, Jennifer O'Neill.
Directed by Jerry Jameson.
The Red Spider is an interesting murder mystery telemovie, with fine New York settings. James Farentino is Daniel Malone, a detective asked to investigate the murder of several prominent people. A New York prostitute Is suspected.
There is good support from Jennifer O'Neill as a counsellor at law. There are sufficient twists :~-,and the dramatic final revelation of the murderer. There are connections with Vietnam, the fall of Saigon and the repatriation of troops as well as morale in the American forces.
Direction is by Jerry Jameson, director of many telemovies. Satisfying murder mystery.
1. Enjoyable thriller? Police detection work? New York?
2. The use of New York City, night and day, the streets, the military, the police precincts? 42nd. Street and the sleazy element of the city? Bars and apartments? Musical score?
3. The title, the murderer, the method of slashing the victims' throats, the sign of the red spider? Vietnam connections? North Vietnam? The connection with the murderer?
4. Did the author play fair with the audience, the crime, the investigation, the clue, the unmasking of the murderer? Sufficient indication?
5. Daniel Malone as detective, his work in New York, motivation, skills, contacts? With the counsellor, the clash, seeing her at work with the children, collaboration, his reliance on her for evidence at the end? To his superiors? The range of his investigations, Vietnam, the Chinese gangster,
the military? Discussions with psychologists? The final confrontation with Shaughnessy, the truth, the fight?
6. The counsellor, her experience, her husband in Vietnam, his death, clash with Malone, seeing him at work, giving -information, verifying his story of Shaughnessy's suicide?
7. Kate and her going undercover, her partner, her courage, investigations, being stabbed, recovery? Per partner and his concern?
8. The Chinese gangster, the attack, his anger, Malone putting out the rumour that he was giving information, the violence against him, his collaboration about North Vietnam?
9. The psychologists and their comments on the nature of the murders, on the murderer, schizophrenia?
10. Police work, the personalities of the detectives, Shaughnessy and his work, his wife, his connection, the revelation that he was the murderer, disguised as a woman, his motivation, the Chinese gangster and Kate? His story about Vietnam, the members of his unit, their leaving him behind, the torture, sexual abuse, his revenge?
11. How satisfying a murder mystery? New York? America and Vietnam? Violence?
