U BE DEAD

UK, 2009, 90 minutes, Colour.
David Morrissey, Tara Fitzgerald, Lucy Griffiths, Monica Dolan.
Directed by Jamie Payne.

U Be Dead is an excellent film for television, written by Gwyneth Hughes (Miss Austen Regrets) and directed by television director Jamie Payne.

The film is based on a true story, the story of an arrogant doctor who is about to marry but is being stalked by an Argentine woman. She is vindictive, plagues the doctor with phone calls as well as his fiancée. She then spreads the phone calls and threats to those associated with the family.

Eventually, the police arrest her but have to drop the case for lack of evidence. Ultimately, she accuses the doctor of rape and he is brought to trial. Because the doctor had an affair during his engagement, his fiancée is unwilling to have anything to do with him but finally agrees to testify in court. In the meantime, the woman is sentenced, having wrought havoc for the doctor, his fiancée and threatened so many others. The judge was very severe in his condemnation of the woman.

David Morrissey gives a fine performance as the self-centred and arrogant doctor. Tara Fitzgerald is warm as his fiancée. Monica Dolan is very strong as the stalker.

1.A television drama, based on a true story? The location in Poole? The title, the mobile messages and language? The threats and persistency?

2.Doctor Falkowski? The boats, the race? His fiancée? The outing? Power boats? Debra and her skill with the boats? The phone calls? The police, their comments? Stalker? The doctor and his background in the army in Bosnia and his confidence? His ignoring the threats? Meeting the young woman, having the affair with her while still engaged? His garbage bin overturned? The threat to the boat? The decisions to go into action?

3.Debra, in herself, love for Jan, the wedding plan, her reactions to the persistent phone calls, trying to get support from Jan? The letter, looking out the door? The collage of phone calls, the bird sounds? The death sentence? In the train and her fears? Suspicious of the passengers? The wedding dress, the intrusion with knowing about the wedding? The guns, deciding on the fake wedding plans? Her losing everything?

4.The police, their advice, checking on the public phones, the CCTV, the maps, the briefings, going into action, looking at all the phone boxes and lists? Always missing the stalker? The empty beach?

5.Jan’s parents, the back-story of their life in Poland, heroism?

6.The atmosphere of threat? Audiences identifying with Debra? Her fears?

7.Bethan and her encounter with Jan? The drinks, the affair, the phones, Bethan being threatened? Her supporting Jan after the accusations of rape? The tension between them?

8.The wedding day, the set-up, the family? The tension with the police, tracking the phone calls, eventually arresting Maria?

9.Maria, the Argentinean background, being in England for many decades? The interviews? Her depression? The searching of the flat? Her concern about her friend and his hospitalisation, treatment by Doctor Falkowski? British citizen, getting bail? Seeing Jan as a hard man? The lack of evidence and the case dropped? Debra and her dismay? The continued threats to Jan, attacking his arrogance? The accusation of rape, the description? The DNA on the clothes?

10.Jan, the accusation of rape, being suspended in the hospital, the police believing that he was guilty? His being charged? The reporters and avoiding them? The theory about the bin, the condom and Maria’s search? The attack on Bethan, his resentment about pregnancy? His forgiving her – and his need to be forgiven?

11.The DNA, the anonymous trace? Leading to the trial, the preparation? Debra not wanting to be a victim, her initial refusal to testify, finally testifying, the jury being moved in court?

12.Maria, her testifying, her mental breakdown, her defence lawyer and his dismay? The judge and the severity of his comments on her?

13.The issue of stalking, on mobile phones, checking into directories, texting, menace and threats, the intrusion in the car, the innuendo? Betrayal?

14.An insight into the experience of stalking and its effect on the victims? The mentality of the stalker?