The ultimate source for "The Killing Secret" is Theodore Dreiser's novel of 1925 called "An American Tragedy." Dreiser's story is virtually epic in scope as it chronicles the domestic problems of young Clyde Griffiths, who murders a young woman whom he impregnated before he fell for a woman of the higher social pecking order in the Eastern establishment.
"The Killing Secret" focuses on young Greg, who has carried on a secret liaison with Emily DiCaprio, who lives on the poor side of town. Emily gets pregnant and when she threatens to expose him, Greg kills her, preferring his high school sweetheart Nicole, who lives in a more well-to-do part of the Tarrington community.
The narrative is rather predictable with the standard elements of a potboiler. The cops in this movie reach a new level of incompetence even for a Lifetime film. But what sets this film apart is the excellent cast. Tess Harper is outstanding as the traumatized mother of Emily, a single mom who struggles as waitress. The chap who plays Greg is also very convincing as the Clyde Griffiths character. But the finest performance is that of the young actress playing Nicole. The strength of character of Nicole was admirable, and her bonding with the waitress mother was extremely moving. It was interesting the Mrs. DiCaprio seemed to Nicole like the kind of mother she always craved.
Truly, nothing can compare to reading Dreiser's unforgettable "An American Tragedy" for the psychological insights into this kind of case study. The film "A Place in the Sun" made a good stab at adapting Dreiser's story. But the ensemble of "The Killing Secret" is also highly commendable and worthy of praise.
"The Killing Secret" focuses on young Greg, who has carried on a secret liaison with Emily DiCaprio, who lives on the poor side of town. Emily gets pregnant and when she threatens to expose him, Greg kills her, preferring his high school sweetheart Nicole, who lives in a more well-to-do part of the Tarrington community.
The narrative is rather predictable with the standard elements of a potboiler. The cops in this movie reach a new level of incompetence even for a Lifetime film. But what sets this film apart is the excellent cast. Tess Harper is outstanding as the traumatized mother of Emily, a single mom who struggles as waitress. The chap who plays Greg is also very convincing as the Clyde Griffiths character. But the finest performance is that of the young actress playing Nicole. The strength of character of Nicole was admirable, and her bonding with the waitress mother was extremely moving. It was interesting the Mrs. DiCaprio seemed to Nicole like the kind of mother she always craved.
Truly, nothing can compare to reading Dreiser's unforgettable "An American Tragedy" for the psychological insights into this kind of case study. The film "A Place in the Sun" made a good stab at adapting Dreiser's story. But the ensemble of "The Killing Secret" is also highly commendable and worthy of praise.