In "Determination of Death," there was a tongue-in-cheek approach to a potentially serious and tragic family drama. The repellent character Reese Williams had romantic relationships with the two Halloran sisters, Ginny and Kate. He sired a child with Ginny, prior to being discharged from the army for criminal misconduct. He then oozed his charm to win over Kate, who is now trapped in a marriage that is a living hell.
With the complicity of both sisters, Reese hatches a plan to fake his death, then collect on a $5 million-dollar life insurance policy. His plan is disrupted when he is wounded by an unknown assailant. It turns out that there are unlimited suspects who loathe Reese to the degree that he/she may have shot him.
The heart and soul of film revolves around the two insurance investigators who suspect nearly everyone of being involved in the scam. Mac is the wily lead investigator and John is the novice, who becomes emotionally involved with Kate.
The only disappointing section of the film was the brief trial scene in which the judge, a close friend of the Halloran family, should have recused himself. Inexplicably, he allowed the $5 million in insurance monies to be released without the body of Reese having been discovered.
The film became a guessing game as to who shot Reese, and how he would be thwarted when he returned with only a shoulder wound. There was excellent character development with Ginny and Charlie Halloran, Granny, Kate, and Kenny, the hired hand at the Halloran ranch, whose behavior was suspicious.
At one point in the film, John referred to the film noir classic "Double Indemnity." "Determination of Death" did not have lively banter and mystery of the former film. But it nonetheless delivered a solid punch of neo-noir entertainment.
With the complicity of both sisters, Reese hatches a plan to fake his death, then collect on a $5 million-dollar life insurance policy. His plan is disrupted when he is wounded by an unknown assailant. It turns out that there are unlimited suspects who loathe Reese to the degree that he/she may have shot him.
The heart and soul of film revolves around the two insurance investigators who suspect nearly everyone of being involved in the scam. Mac is the wily lead investigator and John is the novice, who becomes emotionally involved with Kate.
The only disappointing section of the film was the brief trial scene in which the judge, a close friend of the Halloran family, should have recused himself. Inexplicably, he allowed the $5 million in insurance monies to be released without the body of Reese having been discovered.
The film became a guessing game as to who shot Reese, and how he would be thwarted when he returned with only a shoulder wound. There was excellent character development with Ginny and Charlie Halloran, Granny, Kate, and Kenny, the hired hand at the Halloran ranch, whose behavior was suspicious.
At one point in the film, John referred to the film noir classic "Double Indemnity." "Determination of Death" did not have lively banter and mystery of the former film. But it nonetheless delivered a solid punch of neo-noir entertainment.