sol1218 (Some Spoilers) Lies deceit blackmail and finally murder it's all here in this made for TV film noir suspense/drama with Ben Gazzara as the wealthy and very secretive publishing magnet Grant Sanders a man,despite his may faults, with a consciences.Grant at a weak moment at his sons, from a previous marriage, Ross', Greg Evigan, birthday party met and had a one night stand with party crasher Adrianne Arness, Lisa Rinna. A few months later at his daughters from his now marriage to Elaine,Jaclyn Smith, Sarah's,Sara Rose Johnson, 10th birthday party this same Adrianne called Grant trying to reignite her affair with him. It just happened that Elaine happened to pick up the extension phone when Adrianne called and heard the whole sordid conversation!Begging Elaine not to leave him Grant admits to his affair with Adrianne but promises her that it's over and done with. This has both Grant and Elaine put the whole thing behind them. That's until a few days later when Elaine gets these photos with Garnt and the kids Sarah & Abby,Laua Dobbin,in the streets of L.A together with Adrianne! There's also a number of photos of Adrianne with her face worked over that's attributed, by whoever took the photos, to Grant beating her up!Trying to keep the story of himself and Adrianne, whom he swears he never laid a hand on, from going public Grant agrees to meet Adrianne at her hotel room and pay her off with $50,000.00 to both keep her mouth shut and get her out of his and Elaine's lives. Everythnig goes like clockwork with Adrianne getting the blackmail money and now Grant feeling this whole nightmare is over except for one small insignificant event: Adrianne ended up being murdered and the money to keep her quiet gone!The film "Lies and Kisses" does have its surprises but the ending, that should have been the movies knockout punch, is about the only thing that doesn't hold together. Up until then your really engrossed to what's going on in who are the ones who are getting both the shaft and doing the shafting.Elaine in a desperate effort to save her husband from being convicted in Adrianne's murder gets family friend and investigative reporter Sonny Vincent, Nick Mancuso, to track down the person who killed her. Sonny gets sidetracked when he falls madly in love, get a load of the move he make for her at the Gorky Restaurant, with Elaine! Confused in getting his friend Grant off, by finding evidence exonerating him in Adrianne's murder, and at the same time having an hot and steamy affair with his wife greatly complicates matters for Sonny.Meanwhile the person, or persons, who set up Grant try to improve their already air-tight frame-up of him by planting new evidence, the missing blackmail money, at his estate! This action on their part alerts Sonny to just who's behind both Adrianne's murder and Grant's frame up! This all leads to the final showdown at the end of the film where we, and Sonny, get the lowdown in what exactly happened, in this murder/blackmail conspiracy, and who was behind it! But most of all who's the weak link in this murderous and back-stabbing scheme and by cracking under the pressure cracked the whole thing wide open!

ccthemovieman-1 This is a made-for-TV soap opera-crime story that I found much better than I thought I would. Despite all talk and no action, this wasn't boring and it kept my interest throughout.Part of that was seeing two older television stars that I fondly remembered from past times: Ben Gazzara and Jaclyn Smith. Gazzara was best known, probably, for his role in "Anatomy Of A Murder" but I remember him in a lot of TV shows in the '60s and '70s. Meanwhile, although not a regular watcher of Charlie's Angels, I couldn't help but admire Smith's extraordinary beauty, which she still possessed in this 1992 film. So, it was interesting to see both of them later in life.The story had two big twists in it, both involving Smith. The first one was a big surprise; the second, you could see coming. In all, okay but nothing special.

Nicholas Rhodes Apart from a flat and uninspired ending, this film is a little masterpiece of suspense almost worthy of Alfred Hitchcock. Without revealing the plot, I must admit I was completely duped by this one. You'd never guess the reality behind the appearances. Also there is one passage where you see people in court speaking to each other but there is no sound, instead there is a theme music I would swear was pinched from a Hithcock film. Eighty five percent of the film is very good and each new revelation has you saying " My God, I'd never have guessed it was that..........etc ). The only negative point is the ending which is rather flat and tepid and just does not do justice to the eighty five preceding minutes' suspense. In fact when you come to think of it the ending isn't really plausible at all, and I think something a little more dramatic and unexpected could have been thought up by the scriptwriter. So if one admits that the end is not up to expectations, the rest of the film certainly is beyond expectations for a film of this sort - Also there is very good acting all round and the physical beauty of Jaclyn Smith. So - definitely worth a watch!

fkonidaris I saw this movie it was good suspenseful and mysterious. A very promenant well known publisher is caught up in deception and murder, his troubles rise above the ladder he is blackmailed and framed fro the murder of a call girl he spent one night with months earlier. almost everyone in the family has motive who actually commited the deed? you will haif to see for yourself enjoy!