Jonathan Stone: Threat of Innocence (TV Movie 1994) Poster

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4/10
Just your standard convoluted thriller with some unique details worth noting.
mark.waltz6 May 2023
Warning: Spoilers
There is a scene in this about half way throughout where accused killer Richard Crenna looks on at the funeral of the wealthy man he was wrongfully accused of murdering. Like "Reversal of Fortune's" aerial shot over the Long Island mansions at the beginning, the camera work reveals a chilly element to those at the funeral making it appear to be a social event with photo op's rather than a tribute to a man they probably all hated. Beverly D'Angelo, who had befriended Crenna in his time of need, tells him the sordid stories of all of them, indicating a group of self centered but deeply unhappy people whose wealth doesn't do anything to soothe their misery.

This film however suffers from the flaw of poor execution, with its talented leads suffering at the hands of a poor script that brings in too many supporting characters and never fully gains the audience's interest. Jennifer O'Neil has a small role as Crenna's dying wife, and Stephen McHattie and Robert Desiderio try their best in supporting roles as detectives on the case. I stuck with this mainly because of D'Angelo (I would watch her in anything) who commands every scene and is only topped by Crenna when he tells her, "It's a stakeout. We're supposed to eat crap" over her disgust by what he brings her to eat when they do their own investigating. The whole film suffers from thinking it's smarter than it is, and bores the audience in the process.
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1/10
Don't Waste Your Time
once_again14 October 2007
What a huge disappointment. In spite of having Richard Crenna and Beverly D'Angelo in this movie, the only reasons I gave it a shot in spite of the ratings, it was a total flop. Other than Richard Crennas character, I kept wondering "who are these people"? Totally under-developed and left you not knowing or caring who or what they were about. There was a feeling of watching bit parts from a few different movies, all thrown together. The only reason I watched through to the obvious ending is to see if just maybe it would get better. It didn't. Even if you're a fan of Richard Crennas or Beverly D'Angelos, don't waste your time on this mess.
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2/10
Stone cold detective work
Prismark1012 September 2014
Retired cop Jonathan Stone (Richard Crenna) moves to Seattle after his wife dies and gets implicated in a murder case where he is a chief suspect.

The local cop wants to pin it all on Stone, only a local socialite Annie Hayes (Beverly D'Angelo) is willing to help him out.

From the outset Crenna looks too old to be in this film. It was a surprise to see Jennifer O'Neill almost unrecognisable as the dying wife, D'Angelo looked gorgeous but why would she waste her time on Crenna who is as interesting as dishwater. There are several interesting character actors who are also wasted here.

As for the story, poor, plodding nonsense. The shock on Crenna's face is nothing compared what you will feel at the reveal. You never get to know the characters or care about them so the mystery will just make you shrug your shoulders.

The standards of cop television movies in the 1990s had really hit rock bottom.
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