Welcome to One to Watch – an ongoing guide to film. In each edition, I’ll be recommending one movie which deserves a place on your watchlist.
From overlooked gems to modern classics, One to Watch is all about discovering your next great watch, which today is the mystery crime thriller… Above Suspicion (1996).
In Above Suspicion, former Superman actor, Christopher Reeve plays a police officer who is injured in the line of duty. Paralysed from the waist down and now using a wheelchair, the previously active officer, Dempsey Cain, finds it difficult to accept his new way of living.
Spiralling into depression, Dempsey decides his family would be better off if he wasn’t around, and suggests to his wife and brother they should orchestrate a fake home break in which would result in his death. This way, wife Gail – played by Kim Cattrall – will be able to claim his life insurance without any question, and everyone can move on with their lives.
Thing is, Gail isn’t as faithful as she claims and is secretly having an affair with Dempsey’s brother. So, when Dempsey suggests the plot to have him bumped off in a botched robbery, she is fairly quick to jump at the opportunity.
Directed by Steven Schachter, and featuring a support cast which includes Joe Mantegna, Edward Kerr, Finola Hughes, Clark Gregg, and William H. Macy, Above Suspicion is ‘One to Watch’ because it is a solid crime thriller which has sadly fallen through the cracks of time. Originally produced for HBO, Above Suspicion was previously released on VHS in the ‘90s and Region 1 DVD in the ‘00s, but hasn’t really been seen since.
As such, you may not have watched it, and you may not have even heard of it. Which is a real shame, especially as Christopher Reeve gives a superb performance as Dempsey.
Incidentally, Above Suspicion was the last film Reeve acted in prior to the real-world horse riding accident which resulted in his highly publicised spinal cord injury. The accident took place just six days after Above Suspicion’s debut.
Reeve’s accident became a significant focus from that point onward, and his time playing Superman remains highly celebrated, but he was a marvellous actor with some great parts. Should you wish to see him in action in an underrated gem, 1995’s Above Suspicion is the movie to seek out.
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Thank you for stopping by It’s A Stampede! to read this post about the One to Watch. For more posts be sure to check out the recommended reads below.
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