Defenseless
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| Defenseless | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Martin Campbell |
| Written by | James Hicks |
| Produced by | Renée Missel and David Bombek |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Phil Meheux |
| Edited by | Chris Wimble Lou Lombardo (supervising editor) |
| Music by | Curt Sobel |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Seven Arts (through New Line Cinema) |
Release date |
|
Running time | 104 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $6,413,375 (USA) |
Defenseless is a 1991 American legal thriller film directed by Martin Campbell and produced by Renée Missel and David Bombek. The film stars Barbara Hershey and Sam Shepard in lead roles, with Mary Beth Hurt and J. T. Walsh in supporting roles. The story follows a defense attorney (Hershey) who, after becoming romantically involved with her client, (Walsh), is drawn into a murder investigation when he is found dead. As her personal and professional lives collide, she uncovers a web of lies and betrayal, forcing her to confront unsettling truths about both the case and her lover.
Defenseless was released on August 23, 1991, to mixed reviews from critics, with praise for Hershey’s performance, but criticism for the film’s plot and pacing. The film emerged as a moderate commercial success at the box-office, grossing over $5 million worldwide against a budget of approximately $1.5 million.
Plot
[edit]The film begins with a scene of a pornographic movie featuring underage star Cindy Bodeck. Cindy’s father storms onto the set and punches the film's producer, Jack Hammer of Blue Screen Productions. Defense attorney Theodora “T.K.” Katwuller is representing Steven Seldes, her client and lover, who is implicated in illegal activities. Though married, Steven claims his marriage is merely a formality.
While investigating the case, T.K. encounters Lt. Frank Beutel, a detective involved in the inquiry. She also interviews Cindy’s mother, Mrs. Bodeck, who alleges Steven is more involved in the production of illegal pornographic films than he lets on. Another witness, actor Bull Dozer, admits to appearing in a film with 14-year-old Cindy but denies knowing Steven.
T.K. unexpectedly meets Steven's wife, Ellie, at a restaurant. Ellie invites T.K. to dinner, where T.K. meets their young daughter, Janna. The family’s pristine white home contrasts with T.K.'s growing discomfort over her affair with Steven. After dinner, T.K. decides to end the relationship.
T.K. later visits Steven’s office to return Ellie’s sweater and confront him. During a heated argument, she stabs him in the arm with a letter opener before fleeing. When she returns after realizing she left her car keys behind, she finds Steven dead in a bathroom stall. Panicking, she calls the police and is questioned by Lt. Beutel.
Steven’s widow, Ellie, is arrested for the murder, but T.K. believes she is being framed. T.K. discovers further evidence tying Steven to Blue Screen Productions and learns of his exploitation of underage girls, including Cindy. During a tense visit, Cindy reveals that she knew Steven and asks T.K. to help her return to work in the industry.
As the case unfolds, T.K. grapples with her role in the scandal and her growing suspicions about Ellie. T.K. finds Jack Hammer who hints at Steven's preference for "jailbait" and to ask his daughter. T.K. pressures Janna into revealing that she was manipulated by her father into an incestuous affair and that Hammer produced private sex tapes of the two. T.K. interrogates Ellie again and Ellie reveals she knew about her husband abusing their daughter, and T.K. convinces her to publicly reveal Janna's abuse so she could be proclaimed innocent. At trial, Ellie is acquitted by the jury.
Beutel confronts T.K. with the bloody letter opener discovered in T.K.’s car trunk. Ellie visits her in jail to offer help, but she exhibits a different demeanor than usual and shares that she knew of Steven's affair with her, furthering T.K.'s suspicions.
After being released by Beutel, he and T.K. confront Ellie at her home. Ellie breaks down, admitting to killing Steven in a moment of despair and anger. Janna overhears the confession, leading to an emotional resolution as Ellie is taken away. Beutel reveals he orchestrated events to draw out Ellie’s confession, and T.K. reluctantly accepts his help despite being shaken by what has happened.
Cast
[edit]- Barbara Hershey as Thelma "T.K." Katwuller
- Sam Shepard as Detective Beutel
- J.T. Walsh as Steven Seldes
- Mary Beth Hurt as Ellie Seldes
- Sheree North as Mrs. Bodeck
- George P. Wilbur as Sherman Bodeck
- Jay O. Sanders as "Bull Dozer"
- John Kapelos as Jack Hammer, producer
Home media
[edit]Defenseless was initially released on VHS by Live Home Video in the United States and around the same time in Canada by Cineplex Odeon. A television edit of the film was later released on DVD in 2002 by Platinum Disc. In 2007, a widescreen, unedited DVD edition was released exclusively in Japan by Universal Studios Home Entertainment, under license from StudioCanal.