Film Overview"Rehearsal for Murder" is a 1982 American murder mystery film written by Richard Levinson and William Link. The story revolves around a prominent Broadway playwright called Alex Dennison, portrayed by Robert Preston, who thinks his fiancée and leading lady, Monica Welles, wasn't a suicide victim. Rather, he believes she was killed on opening night of his newest Broadway play, "Chamber Music".
Plot SummaryThe film begins one year after the expected suicide of Monica Welles, played by Lynn Redgrave. On the anniversary of Monica's death, Alex Dennison brings together the cast and crew of their last play under the guise of reading for his brand-new play at the empty Broadway theater. In the play, all 5 suspects are characters who mirror themselves, and Alex intends to expose Monica's killer with this plan.
As Alex unfolds his elaborate plan, the narrative switches in between the "play" and flashbacks, showcasing what occurred in the past that led to Monica's death. The series of play within a play approach is consistently used as we see the occasions of the fateful night from different point of views of the potential suspects. These consist of Lloyd Andrews, the director, Leo Gibbs, the leading guy, Karen Daniels, a starlet, Walter Lamb, the manufacturer, and Loretta, a novice in business.
Climax & ResolutionThe film builds up to a tense climax, through a series of smartly written and well considered occasions. Alex's strategy appears to lastly work as the ultimate "killer", Director Lloyd Andrews, admits to eliminating Monica due to fear of her leaving him for Alex, exposing this in front of the whole cast.
The twist comes, nevertheless, when Monica herself appears, alive on the phase. She had worked together with Alex to stage her death as part of this extreme method of learning the fact. The cops, who had actually been notified and accepted this uncommon technique, immediately detain Lloyd Andrews.
Performances & ReceptionRobert Preston gives an outstanding performance as Alex Dennison, the identified playwright trying to solve the mystery of his fan's death. His discussion delivery, especially throughout the pretend-play scenes, is highly admirable. Lynn Redgrave, in a somewhat minimal part compared to the lead, compares equally and plays her part with complete intensity and emotion.
Upon release, the film got an overwhelmingly positive action from the critics. They particularly appreciated the smart handling of the plot and the intense climax of the film. They likewise acknowledged the script and the efficiencies as being first-class that contributed to the movie's general excellence.
Concluding Thoughts"Rehearsal for Murder" is an excellent murder secret film that keeps the audience guessing until the very end. With its unique approach to storytelling via play within a play and the combination of suspense, drama and surprise twists, the movie intriguingly depicts the murder secret. It is a classic example of a well-crafted story that integrates remarkable performances with an appealing script.
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