Vanishing Act (1986)
In the Rocky Mountains, Harry Kenyon seeks out his missing wife Chris in the Winter Parade. Harry meets Lieutenant Rudameyer and tells that him he is from San Francisco and has just married Chris, from Philadelphia, in Las Vegas. They traveled to the Rockies on honeymoon and they had an argument the previous day, and Chris left their isolated cabin in her car. Harry also says that he is worried about her disappearance since she is not a good driver. Harry returns to his cabin and receives a phone call from the local priest, Father Macklin, who summons him to go to the church. Father Macklin tells says Chris is in the church waiting for him. When Harry sees Chris, he tells that she is not his wife; but the woman knows details of their lives and Harry is discredited by the evidences. Is a stranger impersonating Chris or is Harry delusional?
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I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.
It’s an especially fun movie from a director and cast who are clearly having a good time allowing themselves to let loose.
At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.
The acting in this movie is really good.
Completely forgotten and overlooked, this is a murder-mystery par excellence.Not generally a favourite genre of mine, I stumbled across this movie on TV late one night years ago and never forgot it. I then managed to track it down on an ancient VHS quite recently and watched it again. It was every bit as good as I remembered.No special effects, no overblown budgets. Just a cracking script, superb performances, tight and efficient direction and one of the best twists ever.An absolute masterclass in small budget movie-making.
I'm shocked by all of the positive comments about this movie. Yes, it does have one surprise that was kinda interesting. But, the plot does not hold together. It relies on a large set of completely unbelievable coincidences and mystery story cliches. Only a script writer could get these characters to do exactly what they needed to when they needed to do it and ignore routine things that normal people would do because they would end the story right away. Why did the detective never simply have the wife's drivers license picture wired to him, or, should you think you are sure of the answer to that one, why didn't the husband insist on the same? Were there any deviation, they plot would have all fallen apart. I won't get into any spoilers, but after you get the big surprise, you'll find yourself beginning to ask "what about...?" and "But...". There's a big "but, what if" there that I love to think of the consequences of.
This is a great movie for those Who love old fashion mysteries. Harry reports to Lt.Rudameyer that his wife Chris is missing.Chris shows up with Father Macklin, and this is when the fun begins. Elliot Gould, Margot Kidder And Mike Farrell are great...But Fred Gwynne is wonderful as Father Macklin. Check it out!!!!!
This is about as good as a TV-movie can get. I saw it when it first appeared on TV in 1986, and looked for it for the next 12 years, as it couldn't be found on video, then without warning, this excellent film hit video and cable on The Mystery Channel. The plot is not original, but it is a clever idea to borrow, and it has a helluva twist at the end, and it leaves you hanging all the way until that last minute. Fred "Herman Munster" Gwynne does a wonderful job, as well as Mike "MASH's B.J. Honeycutt" Farrell.