DEAD BEFORE DAWN

US, 1993, 93 minutes, Colour.
Cheryl Ladd, Jameson Parker, G.W. Bailey, Keone Young, Kim Coates, Matt Clark, Hope Lange.
Directed by Charles Correll.

Dead Before Dawn is an interesting American telemovie, designed for a popular audience, showing a family which is subjected to violence by its outwardly respectable father and husband. He then hires a killer to murder his wife and the film becomes melodramatic. It also becomes complex because the killer that he hires by means of a mediator is actually an FBI agent. The film builds up some tension as regards the plan the FBI has to conceal the whereabouts of the wife and lead the husband to believe that she is dead and so entrap him.

Cheryl Ladd is rather glamorous as the wife and mother who suffers at the hands of her brutal husband, Jameson Parker, like many brutal husbands able to conceal his violence towards his family from the public and his friends. G.W. Bailey is the FBI agent and Kim Coates (always a strong villain in many telemovies) seems perfectly suitable as the would-be killer - and it is a surprise to find that he is FBI. Matt Clark and Hope Lange are Cheryl Ladd's parents.

The film raises the issues of violence in the family, the violence towards women and children, the even murderous intent of such brutal husbands.

1. Interesting telemovie? Violent families? The murder thriller? FBI investigation? How well did they combine for an entertaining film?

2. The affluent world of the family, the home? The grandparents' home? Offices? The contrast with the seediness of the mediator for hiring murderers? The dark meeting places? The musical score?

3. The title and its melodramatic tone for the film?

4. The introduction to the Edelman family, Linda and her friends, the preparation for party, the introduction to her husband, the genial host, the children and their being introduced to the guests? The contrast with his behaviour in the kitchen, attacking his children when they wanted to watch the party, sending them to bed, his physical brutality towards his wife? Covering up when somebody came into the kitchen? The setting of the tone for the film? Robert Edelman and his background, his in-laws not wanting him to be their daughter's husband, the years passing, his brutality, Linda, her bringing up the children, the perfect hostess, allowing herself to be brutalised, hoping that things would change?

5. Robert and his going to James Young, the recommendation for contact, the roundabout way of asking for an assassin? James Young, his background - later exposed as fake? His approaching Zac, setting up the situation? The discussions between Young and Robert, no money passing between them that was in any way identifiable? The irony that the FBI were aware of James Young, his approaching Zac, Zac being an agent? The discussions, the audience not in the know, Zac and his following Linda, the photographs? The surprise at his true identity?

6. Masterson and his approach to Linda, the revelation of what was happening, her reaction, their plan, the involvement of her parents, of the children? Her main concern about the children?

7. Robert, quickly getting a new girlfriend, the divorce, his custody of the children on their days off, talking about Linda and getting his children to bad-mouth her? The little boy and his anger with his mother, criticisms? The little girl and her support? Linda and her having to cope, move out of the house, go to her lawyer's, move back?

8. The legal background, Robert paying for Linda's lawyer and his not giving her any help? Her finding Ike, his help, the FBI connection?

9. The in-laws, genial, John and his deafness, Virginia and her helping with the daughter? Linda's sister and her comments? The plan for the children, the FBI taking the grandparents into their confidence? Linda going, Ike hiding her? The empty house, the neighbour and her friendliness, knowing that the bed wasn't slept in, her sister and their going to the police?

10. Robert's reaction, his glad that he was free of her? The irony of Young going to talk with Zac and being arrested? Robert not signing anything - but taped, going to his office, the humiliation of his arrest?

11. Linda, being reunited with her parents, with her children?

12. The film's dramatising violence within the seemingly respectable families? The effects on the wife, on the children? The role of the courts? The dangers of this kind of psychopathic husband and father?