DEADLY LOVE
Jorge Montesi, Director

"Deadly Love" is an outstanding piece of reverse casting. Susan Dey, whose middle name is Nice, plays the vampire, and Stephen McHattie, Mr. Menace, is the cop trying to stop a series of murders. Because neither of these actors is playing to type, we don't know until the end which of the captivated lovers is the bigger threat to the other.

The award-winning McHattie (Life With Billy [Best Actor], Beauty And the Beast) shows his electric screen presence at its best. Whether he is playing tentative lover or dogged detective, steamy seducer or invisible shadow, when McHattie is on the screen, he is the one you look at. Susan Dey (L.A. Law, The Partridge Family) had to give a strong performance to live up to him, and succeeded.

The plot is well constructed, the suspense builds at a good pace, as we learn to understand the characters' emotions, and the sets compliment the story well. Parts of the sound track linger in the memory. Special praise to the cameraman who showed what a vast range McHattie's unique face can give us, from conventionally handsome to rag doll.

This movie is owned by the Lifetime Channel and plays rarely on that channel only, so don't miss it if you get the chance to see it. It stands up well to rewatching.

Apr 2001 Review Originally Published on IMDb.com

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