The Art of Murder


The Art of Murder is a 1999 American-Canadian thriller television film that first aired on network television on December 14, 1999. It stars Michael Moriarty, Joanna Pacula, Boyd Kestner and Peter Onorati.

Plot

Elizabeth Sheridan, a painter, is married to Cole, who runs a yacht-building company. When Cole becomes abusive, Elizabeth begins an affair with Tony Blanchard, the firm's top designer. When a blackmailer produces incriminating pictures of her and Tony, she and Tony agree to pay, but when murder gets added to the mix, she becomes the obvious suspect.

Cast

  • Michael Moriarty as Cole Sheridan
  • Joanna Pacula as Elizabeth Sheridan
  • Boyd Kestner as Tony Blanchard
  • Peter Onorati as Willie Kassel
  • Nathaniel Deveaux as Sheriff Powers Crawford
  • Kathryn Anderson as Tina
  • Betty Linde as Ora Mae Howell
  • Mark Brandon as Ken Lothrop
  • Thomas Miller as Tommy Lothrop
  • Jaclynn Grad as Casey McHugh
  • John Nelson as Trooper
  • John Tierney as Burton Hiasen
  • Kim Stern as Waitress

Reception

In a review for Radio Times, David Parkinson said in regards of Joanna Pacula's appearance in the film, "Ever since she hit Hollywood in 1983's Gorky Park, Polish-born Joanna Pacula has been slowly sliding down the rankings. This is a pity, as she's an incredibly physical actress in every sense of the word. She certainly deserves better than this tepid thriller." Parkinson summarized the film's plot as "There's a couple of twists that just about pass muster. But whether you'll consider them worth waiting for, after an interminably slow opening, is debatable."