1969's Honeymoon with a Stranger is the first USA filmed adaption of the mystery play "Trap for a Single/Lonely Man" by. Robert Thomas. The film premiered during the Christmas season on December 23 of that year on the ABC TV network. The film stars Janet Leigh, Rossano Brazzi, Caesare Danova, Eric Braeden, and Barbara Steele.
This adaption of the aforementioned Robert Thomas play does a gender reversal here.
The film begins when a.lady named Sandra (Leigh) wakes up and finds a man in her bed that isn't her missing husband. Though she repeatedly says that he isn't, nobody believes her. The whole story becomes a twisted mystery as Sandra pressures those around her to help her find her missing husband, but as the story continues moving, many of those around her think that she is hiding something. Is this lady's husband really missing?, or, Is she hiding some secret that she doesn't want revealed?
This was the very first USA adaption of the aforementioned play, although there is a British film that had a similar plot and story called."Chase a Crooked Shadow", which is believed to be the inspiration for the play and two other made for TV films that were shown in 1976 (One of My Wives is Missing) and 1986 (Vanishing Act).
This made for TV film happens to be decent. The film is well acted and well made. John Peyser keeps things moving smoothly as director. The film features a terrific cast of actors that perform in their roles very convincingly. The film does keep the viewer wondering what will happen next as the mystery is starting to be pieced together. The film entertains without it ever getting dull or boring.
I first saw this on the late show on one of my local syndicated channels in the wake of me seeing "One of My Wives is Missing" during the mid 1980's. I actually thought it was a pretty good and decent TV film. I then was given a DVD of this by a friend who burned it to DVD for me. It was great revisiting this film again. I'm glad to have it in my DVD library.
I highly recommend this film. If it ever comes on TV again, I highly encourage all of you to watch it. It is a very good and decent made for TV film.
