Jack Gold – Praying Mantis (1983)
Synopsis:
‘Public television’s “Mystery!” series has acquired a three-part romp through amorality that, right up to its overly pat ending, is bound to fascinate devoted viewers. “Praying Mantis,” which begins tonight at 9 on WNET/Channel 13, has been adapted quite skillfully by Philip Mackie from a novel by the French writer Hubert Monteilhet. So despite the preponderance of British accents, the flavor of the nasty machinations is strictly Gallic.
This is the kind of entertainment that should be approached with as little information as possible about the plot. It does involve four major characters: two rather ineffectual men and two awesomely formidable women. The youngish Vera (Carmen Du Satoy) is married to the oldish Paul (Pinkas Braun), a university professor. Paul’s first wife and their son have died under odd circumstances, and we quickly learn that an insurance company is suspicious about Vera’s possible roles in the deaths. Nevertheless, Paul seems content with his second marriage and has drawn up a new will with Vera as beneficiary to his considerable fortune.
Meanwhile, just off stage center for a while, there lurks Christian (Jonathan Pryce), Paul’s young assistant, who seems to be leading a remarkably quiet life dedicated wholly to his work. He does meet, however, Beatrice (Cherie Lunghi), a perky young woman with considerable secretarial skills. Beatrice, a bit of a free spirit, is pregnant, courtesy of a friend who is not interested in marrying her. Christian offers to help get her a job as secretary to the professor. Their individual roles now firmly fixed, the members of the quartet begin to play out a scenario that will set in motion a whirligig of deception, blackmail and, needless to say, murder, supposedly of the very French “crime of passion” variety.’
– John J. O’Connor
2.20GB | 2h 32m | 688×568 | mkv
https://nitro.download/view/F1113D11EA61BBE/Praying.Mantis.1983.Part.1.DVDRip.x264.AC3.mkv
https://nitro.download/view/D87F56DC4566214/Praying.Mantis.1983.Part.2.DVDRip.x264.AC3.mkv
Language:English
Subtitles:None