I saw this movie last night for Lesley Anne Down and it's surprised me that it's very enjoyable. Lesley proofs that she can more than playing Madeline in North & South. It's also surprised me that this tv-movie had some suspense in it, I didn't know who the killer was until the end and that was very surprising
10 Reviews
Who dun it? with some clever twists
MartianOctocretr516 August 2006
It starts off kind of hokey; the old song "You Belong to Me" is playing, while you see a series of newspapers with headlines about somebody disappearing. This sequence seems like too short a short cut to introduce the mystery; some footage on the cruise ship would have been a far better opening. But the film soon picks up, and the significance of these things is explained.
Leslie Anne Down, as a radio talk show psychologist/self-styled detective is the main strength of the movie, as she inextricably gets tangled up in a series of murders that are apparently linked to the disappearance. The movie takes a standard murder mystery format here; as soon as a character is introduced, they are queued up in line to be the next victim. Down, along with her cop friend (Tony De Santis) try to sort out the mystery, and stop the carnage. There's no shortage of suspects, and it keeps you guessing.
A pretty good movie overall, but the clichéd stupidity of the killer in the closing sequence is almost laughable, and detracts from the story's effectiveness. Still, a good watch.
Leslie Anne Down, as a radio talk show psychologist/self-styled detective is the main strength of the movie, as she inextricably gets tangled up in a series of murders that are apparently linked to the disappearance. The movie takes a standard murder mystery format here; as soon as a character is introduced, they are queued up in line to be the next victim. Down, along with her cop friend (Tony De Santis) try to sort out the mystery, and stop the carnage. There's no shortage of suspects, and it keeps you guessing.
A pretty good movie overall, but the clichéd stupidity of the killer in the closing sequence is almost laughable, and detracts from the story's effectiveness. Still, a good watch.
Mary H. Clark strikes again.
ryangilmer00727 February 2002
I don't know the story behind PAX picking up the distribution TV rights (or at least now showing) to/a bunch of Mary Higgins Clark TV movies.
You Belong to Me is one of the better ones. There is one scene about 10 minutes in that sets up the main characters (2 sisters, and a possible rich lover the two will me interested in). The one problem I have with the scene and the film is that just previous we see a foldout and hear talk of a cruise. The scene also appears to be on a cruise and unless you listen very carefully, the setting kind of throws you off track (i.e. was that a flash back I just saw?)
Suffice it to say, the story is told strait forward and dispite thinking you know the killer all along, a neat red herring is thrown in.
The ending isn't a complete surprise (since there are really only say 7 possible murderers (i.e. only 7 men in the picture with any screen time and you can basically not count the 2 store owners)), but the story balances the line between giving you enough clues to follow the story and not enough clues to totally figure it out.
If you are a fan of Mary Higgins clark, you may be disappointed that the movie has a TV look and you may wish for a big screen treatment of some of her work, but in terms of mystery you won't be disappointed.
Rating: 7
You Belong to Me is one of the better ones. There is one scene about 10 minutes in that sets up the main characters (2 sisters, and a possible rich lover the two will me interested in). The one problem I have with the scene and the film is that just previous we see a foldout and hear talk of a cruise. The scene also appears to be on a cruise and unless you listen very carefully, the setting kind of throws you off track (i.e. was that a flash back I just saw?)
Suffice it to say, the story is told strait forward and dispite thinking you know the killer all along, a neat red herring is thrown in.
The ending isn't a complete surprise (since there are really only say 7 possible murderers (i.e. only 7 men in the picture with any screen time and you can basically not count the 2 store owners)), but the story balances the line between giving you enough clues to follow the story and not enough clues to totally figure it out.
If you are a fan of Mary Higgins clark, you may be disappointed that the movie has a TV look and you may wish for a big screen treatment of some of her work, but in terms of mystery you won't be disappointed.
Rating: 7
no novelty but not that dissapointing
nicholas123abc27 February 2002
lesley anne down plays a psychologist interested in the dissapearences of middled aged women at a crossroad in their life. Surprise! Surprise! A serial killer who preys on women suddenly is interested in down herself . "YBLTM" offers very little in the originality department but the actors are aways believable and some are quite entertaining . Watch only if nothing better is on.
A bit disjointed
Kingslaay2 January 2023
You Belong to Me has some good bones to it. It started off well with enough mystery and intrigue built up from the start. How did those 3 women disappear? However I felt the underlying motive and how the murderer got away with it was all rushed. Why did he do what he did, how did he do it and get away from it? If the murders happened on a cruise, then how did he not get recognised by others around. Also the dodgy lawyer and the motive for his actions was never fully explained. What was his angle and what was he up to?
After building all this suspense they rushed through the final moments so there was no great payoff and pulling it all together in this mystery.
After building all this suspense they rushed through the final moments so there was no great payoff and pulling it all together in this mystery.
Really cheesy adaptation of Mary Higgins -Clark book
ron-624-9076968 August 2022
My wife and I are suckers for a good true-crime, thriller
& or "who-done-it", so when she picked this from Amazon Prime for us to watch, I was game.
As much as we love a good crime drama, I quickly realized that this was nothing like a good crime drama.
The acting and directing was awkward and cheesy. It was like watching an 80s episode of Murder She Wrote.
As much as we love a good crime drama, I quickly realized that this was nothing like a good crime drama.
The acting and directing was awkward and cheesy. It was like watching an 80s episode of Murder She Wrote.
This one stars Lesley-Anne Down
blanche-23 December 2010
I'm not a particular fan of the way these Mary Higgins Clark adaptations are handled by Grosso-Jacobson, but I love a mystery and I love Lesley-Anne Down, so I checked out this one. She's gorgeous as usual, no surprise there. The lovely Lori Haller, who has done so much television in Canada, was on hand too.
Down plays a radio psychiatrist who becomes involved with trying to find out what happened to a young woman some years earlier, in trying to help the mother comes to terms with it. In reaching out to her viewers, a pattern emerges, and soon, it's realized that a serial killer was meeting women on cruises and killing them.
I did figure out the killer - for some reason, though these TV movies give you plenty of suspects, they have a way of telegraphing the killer to the viewer.
Okay movie.
Down plays a radio psychiatrist who becomes involved with trying to find out what happened to a young woman some years earlier, in trying to help the mother comes to terms with it. In reaching out to her viewers, a pattern emerges, and soon, it's realized that a serial killer was meeting women on cruises and killing them.
I did figure out the killer - for some reason, though these TV movies give you plenty of suspects, they have a way of telegraphing the killer to the viewer.
Okay movie.
Strong adaptation of a wonderful Clark novel; Down is enchanting
inkblot1115 September 2021
Dr Susan (Lesley Anne Down) is a practicing psychologist who also hosts a radio program. Naturally, the talk show tries to help listeners with personal problems. One day, Dr Susie hosts an author who has written a book on women who disappear. Also a doctor, this man talks of lonely women who are vulnerable to preying gentlemen. As a part of the show, a lady calls in and relates a story from a cruise she took. Separated from her husband at the time, "Karen" says a handsome man romanced her at various departure stops along the cruise and gave her a ring inscribed with the words YOU BELONG TO ME. In secret, she was supposed to leave the cruise and meet him in Algiers. However, her husband called and begged her to return. So Karen never went to Algiers. BUT, Dr Susan is also counseling a mother whose daughter disappeared from a cruise and who received the same ring, found with her luggage. Wow! Could Karen meet the Dr and bring the ring? She tries, but is pushed into traffic, envelope snatched from her hands, and is in a coma. More witnesses bring more death. Dr Susan works hard with Detective Tom to find the killer. Among the suspects are the author, the grieving mother's lawyer and the husband of Karen. Meanwhile, a rich philanthropist takes an interest in beautiful Susan. Will they find the evil man? This strong film version of Clark's great novel has great suspense, fine performances and lovely scenery. Best of all is Down who is enchanting as the leading lady. You belong in front of the screen so arrange to view this fine mystery flick fans!
Good for a TV series, but ...
Dr_Coulardeau16 July 2007
Warning: Spoilers
Strange movie indeed. A radio show that turns deadly because it brings up a case of international serial killing that had escaped the attention of the police, of many polices. It is this sloppiness that is surprising. The film is based on this sloppiness as a normal syndrome with police forces. They jump to the easiest explanation, always, as if the profiling technique did not exist or was too hard to use for simple-minded crime collectors, or is it human trash collectors? But this film, the third of a series, seems to carry a pattern: the criminal is some kind of rather inactive and idle person, rich by heritage and thus able to do nothing, except to run after his neurotic paranoia about rich women who are not interested in him, though he is rich. But here Clark uses again the psychologist that is writing a book, this time on a particular type of women who disappear in cruises. But this time, and this is a change with the case in the second film of the series (Loves music, Loves to dance), he is not the criminal. But we seem to be turning around the same evil in society, as if idleness bred and nurtured crime. Decent entertainment but too simple to be fascinating or outstanding. Unluckily, because serial killers are a lot more complex than that. In fact they are not simply psychotic or neurotic, at least not in that paranoid plain way. They need a very complex and rich mental and virtual construction that turns their criminal acts into acts of justice. Is a song enough for that kind of crime? I don't believe it. It has to be deeper and more sophisticated because serial killers are super brains, or they would not even succeed in their first attempt at killing someone. And they are repetitively successful. So.
Dr Jacques COULARDEAU, University Paris Dauphine & University Paris 1 Pantheon Sorbonne
Dr Jacques COULARDEAU, University Paris Dauphine & University Paris 1 Pantheon Sorbonne
Lesley Anne Down is an amazing leading Lady
jameswallwork5 December 2023
This was a great mystery and crime film to watch. I definitely recommend anyone who's a fan of this genre or, if you just fancy watching something different to your usual material you won't be disappointed.
The choice of Lesley Anne Down as the leading lady was an exceptional choice. The acting by herself and the rest of the cast was fantastic and created a more believable atmosphere for the movie which, lacks in other movies/films I've seen recently.
The main plot of the film was interesting as well. The combination of an engaging plot and well acted scenes certainly kept me engaged and, wanting to finished the film to see who the killer really is.
The choice of Lesley Anne Down as the leading lady was an exceptional choice. The acting by herself and the rest of the cast was fantastic and created a more believable atmosphere for the movie which, lacks in other movies/films I've seen recently.
The main plot of the film was interesting as well. The combination of an engaging plot and well acted scenes certainly kept me engaged and, wanting to finished the film to see who the killer really is.
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