DEADLY ILLUSION
US, 1987, 89 minutes, Colour.
Billy Dee Williams, Vanity, Morgan Fairchild, John Beck.
Directed by William Tannen, Larry Cohen.
Deadly Illusion is a routine, interesting murder mystery in the New York affluent drug world. It was written by Larry Cohen (the It's Alive series, Demon, Private Files of J. Edgar Hoover, Q the Winged Monster). He also co-directed the film with William Tannen. It is a star vehicle for Billy Dee Williams who gives a lot of verve to his characterisation. Singer Vanity is in support, as is Morgan Fairchild as the proprietor of a modelling agency.
The Williams character is an ambiguous one, a freelancer, quick with a gun, with police connections. He is invited to commit a murder - but follows it through to uncover a tangle in a brutal drug world. The film is offering familiar material, does it with touches of brutality and crudeness. However, it is a kind of entertainment that was popular in the late '80s.
1. Murder mystery? Drug world? Heroics?
2. New York settings, the streets, buildings, TV and model agencies? The Shay stadium? Special effects and stunts? The score?
3. The title, the proposition of the murder, the deceit, untangling the web?
4. The prologue, Hamburger in the agency, the man pulling the gun and shooting, Hamburger's quick-wittedness, quick with the gun? heroics? Setting the tone for the film?
5. Billy Dee Williams as Hamburger, personal style, verve and charm? His relationship with Rina? Working together? Emotional bonds? The arrival of Burton and the proposal of the murder? His following through, the encounter with Mrs Burton, sexual liaison? The Irony of this being Jane Mallory? His following the clues, interviews with drug pushers? The truth about Burton? Going to Jane Mallory's office, the interview, the dinner date and the helicopter shooting? His discovering more of the truth? Finding Gloria, the explanation of her scar, sending her into safe protection? Interaction with the police? The chase in the building, the dead artist, his disrupting the fashion show, the death of the model? The police and his deal? The confrontation of Jane Mallory, her shooting Burton, with the gun at each other, his shooting her? The chase in Shay stadium with its drapes, the death of his friend? The resolution of the mystery, ringing up Rina?
6. Rina, relationship with Hamburger, helping him on the case, the chases, questionings?
7. Burton, the deceit, the proposition, drugs, the murder of Mrs Burton, the TV management, Hamburger interrupting the meeting with the gun, his going back to Jane, his death?
8. Jane Mallory, the model from childhood, her agency, staff, fashion show? Contacts for drugs, the models as couriers? Her disguise, the attempt to kill Hamburger, her suave manner, admitting the truth, the final showdown, her death?
9. Gloria, the truth about the models and the drugs, the accident, under safe protection, the drama in Shay stadium, the confrontation with the killer, the police?
10. The sketch of police work, investigations? Drug-runners and organisations in New York? A mirror of the crime world of the American city of the late '8OS?
