John Ritter is the Villain in this clever murder drama, based on a true story.
I was intrigued on what was changed in the movie from the actual events, so I did a bit of research. Of course, the names were changed, but there were also other changes to make the movie more dramatic.
In the movie, the ex-wife suffered unexplainable symptoms and was still friendly with her ex, even after a divorce that she thought was a result of her illness. After befriending his new wife, she found out that they had more than John Ritter in common; they had similar symptoms of this unknown disease. Well, the new wife gets treatment in Mexico and is miraculously cured, but then dies of what is later known as cyanide poisoning. After being suspicious of her ex because of not mentioning the selenium and hastily cremating his wife's body, The ex-wife has flashbacks of her ex tainting her shampoo with selenium. Her investigation leads her to the conclusion that it was her ex-husband who was behind their illness by the selenium poisoning. We never find out why he poisoned the ex-wife, but we do find out that he killed his current wife because he thought she was cheating on him, which the story said she was not. Well, the story continues, and the ex-wife appears to be instrumental in bringing her ex-husband to justice. Now the real story...
David Farris is actually Richard Overton, who poisoned his ex-wife, Dorothy Boyer. Boyer angered Overton by suing for divorce, so he tried to poison her by putting selenium in her beverages, shampoo and make-up. She didn't press charges, and Overton was admitted to a mental institution. This was in the 1970's. In the 80's, his new wife, Janet, angered him by having an affair. At the trial, a man did describe himself as Janet Overton's lover, and said they had an affair in 1984. Richard slowly poisoned his wife with selenium, similar to his ex-wife, Boyer. He finished the job by allegedly putting cyanide in her coffee the day she died in 1988. The police, in their investigation, used documents in the Boyer case to help convict Overton. There is no mention that Boyer and Janet Overton ever knew each other. There was also no mention that Boyer kept in contact with her ex-husband. Boyer did eventually die of cancer because of the poisoning.
It's interesting on how movie writers change things around to make a true story more interesting. I guess that's why they say, "Based on a true story". If you want to know more about this story, read "Final Affair" by Frank McAdams.
I was intrigued on what was changed in the movie from the actual events, so I did a bit of research. Of course, the names were changed, but there were also other changes to make the movie more dramatic.
In the movie, the ex-wife suffered unexplainable symptoms and was still friendly with her ex, even after a divorce that she thought was a result of her illness. After befriending his new wife, she found out that they had more than John Ritter in common; they had similar symptoms of this unknown disease. Well, the new wife gets treatment in Mexico and is miraculously cured, but then dies of what is later known as cyanide poisoning. After being suspicious of her ex because of not mentioning the selenium and hastily cremating his wife's body, The ex-wife has flashbacks of her ex tainting her shampoo with selenium. Her investigation leads her to the conclusion that it was her ex-husband who was behind their illness by the selenium poisoning. We never find out why he poisoned the ex-wife, but we do find out that he killed his current wife because he thought she was cheating on him, which the story said she was not. Well, the story continues, and the ex-wife appears to be instrumental in bringing her ex-husband to justice. Now the real story...
David Farris is actually Richard Overton, who poisoned his ex-wife, Dorothy Boyer. Boyer angered Overton by suing for divorce, so he tried to poison her by putting selenium in her beverages, shampoo and make-up. She didn't press charges, and Overton was admitted to a mental institution. This was in the 1970's. In the 80's, his new wife, Janet, angered him by having an affair. At the trial, a man did describe himself as Janet Overton's lover, and said they had an affair in 1984. Richard slowly poisoned his wife with selenium, similar to his ex-wife, Boyer. He finished the job by allegedly putting cyanide in her coffee the day she died in 1988. The police, in their investigation, used documents in the Boyer case to help convict Overton. There is no mention that Boyer and Janet Overton ever knew each other. There was also no mention that Boyer kept in contact with her ex-husband. Boyer did eventually die of cancer because of the poisoning.
It's interesting on how movie writers change things around to make a true story more interesting. I guess that's why they say, "Based on a true story". If you want to know more about this story, read "Final Affair" by Frank McAdams.