I don't know how so many people got the storyline wrong.
Elaine killed her father, and delivered herself from a manipulative and abusive father.
Years ago Elaine's mother was killed and her father crippled by an intruder. They never catch the intruder. Fast forward several years/decades. A local woman church woman puts Elaine in touch with a convict to engage in penpal writing, as an act of community service. They get to know each other, and the convict, Charles Skyler becomes paroled.
Here are the major spoilers: Charles tells Elaine thath his mother was a patient of her Father's (Lloyd Bridges) and that Bridges used her and she became pregnant (with Charles). Bridges just tossed her away. so you see, they are half siblings. It was Charle's mother who killed Bridges wife and crippled Bridges. Also, it was NOT Charles who killed Addison/Bridges, but Elaine. Charles told Elaine that the key Charles gave his mother was to the little guest house where his "office" was. Next, we see Elaine in her car, spilling the contents of her purse out on the seat and picking up said key. When Elaine returns home she confronts her dad, insisting he tell her the truth about Charles' mother - and he does - very crudely. Elaine then tells her dad that she is pregnant (it is from a married man) and her dad first starts to say "who in the hell would want a child with.." What a horrible man! so Bridges/Addison then tells Elaine it's ok, he hasn't performed many abortions but they aren't complicated and he can perform an abortion on her and no one has to know. she is so hurt and angry and finally sees her dad for the awful man that he is. The next day her dad is going to his "office" to see a patient. Elaine had taken the call and set up the appointment. we see a figure with a coat and gloves hit Bridges in the head. Later we see Elaine in her car crying and pulls over and takes off some gloves - looks like the same winter coat and gloves the killer was wearing. Also, why is she crying? The police haven't alerted her yet to the death of her scum bag father yet.
Finally one of the reviewers mentioned how Elaine seemed "loving" toward Charles, well she had just found out that he was her half brother...
Anyhow Elaine killed her dad. Pretty obvious. And Charles actually was willing to have the police arrest him for the murder. When the police chief, the man Elaine loves and was having an affair with, finds the murder weapon, he throws it into the ocean. Then makes up a story that the medicine cabinet in the doctor's office had been broken into so the murder was probably drug related. He is doing this to cover for Elaine. He also tells her she should move on. At the end we see that Elaine and Charles, her half brother, have kept in touch and are both doing well. Elaine mentions that she hopes God will not judge her too harshly or something like that.
How anyone see this movie and think that Charles killed bridges/addison is beyond me.
Good movie, great acting. I really enjoyed it.
Finally one of the reviewers mentioned how Elaine seemed "loving" toward Charles, well she had just found out that he was her half brother...
Anyhow Elaine killed her dad. Pretty obvious. And Charles actually was willing to have the police arrest him for the murder. When the police chief, the man Elaine loves and was having an affair with, finds the murder weapon, he throws it into the ocean. Then makes up a story that the medicine cabinet in the doctor's office had been broken into so the murder was probably drug related. He is doing this to cover for Elaine. He also tells her she should move on. At the end we see that Elaine and Charles, her half brother, have kept in touch and are both doing well. Elaine mentions that she hopes God will not judge her too harshly or something like that.
How anyone see this movie and think that Charles killed bridges/addison is beyond me.
Good movie, great acting. I really enjoyed it.