Although I really do appreciate Helen Hunt as an actress in other films, I feel that she was a wrong choice for playing the part of Pamela Smart in this picture. Hunt is too soft for this role which one can see by watching Pamela Smart on the television show 'American Justice'. Also, the movie didn't go by all the facts, even though these things were small in nature - for example, Billy Flynn was not a blond guy, he has brown hair and certain things in the film were altered from the true facts that were reported on national television when Pamela Smart was on trial for the murder of her husband, Greg Smart. I think a lot of trouble with the picture had to do with the script - there just wasn't enough passion (not in the love sense, necessarily) in any of the scenes like when Smart (Hunt) is talking to Flynn (Chad Allen) about killing her husband, etc. They might as well have been talking about going and getting a cup of coffee or planning on going on a picnic together. I was thoroughly disappointed in this film and therefore rated it a 1 out of 10 because it didn't have any suspense about it at all and the acting was terrible as well.
... View Moreshe does quite well in this made for TV film. She certainly provides the audience with the personality of a hate-worthy narcissist, who, once she cannot get her way, and rise to stardom on TV news, decides the way to solve her career problem is to have her husband executed.Pamela Smart apparently was able to manipulate a student, Billy (well portrayed by a young Chad Allen). She worked as media director at a high school, but that was not good enough for her lofty aspirations, so she manipulated Billy and his friend to murder Greg Smart, promising them insurance money as pay-off. (There was no money). There is actually an amusing scene after her husband has been murdered, and Pamela Smart is worried about how she will look on the 6PM news.Hank Stratton as Gregory Smart is a bit too innocent, but we do feel sorry for his fate. Seems an odd question, but did Pam Smart ever hear of divorce?.Howard Hesseman is not in the film long enough, but offers a good performance, and the courtroom scenes are thankfully left to a minimum. Michael Learned and Ken as Greg's well-meaning parents.Overall a decent docudrama which has probably been elevated to cult status by now, as Pamela Smart in real life is now petitioning for yet another appeal. 7/10.
... View MoreThis was an excellent re-enactment of the Pamela Smart story. I have been wanting to see it again for years and up until a few minutes ago I was unaware that it could be purchased. I can't wait to add it to my video library. I think everyone in the movie did an excellent job. I think that a lot of people misunderstood the movie. If u followed the story at the time the movie was pretty much factual to what went on. In fact i just watched American justice last night and it was a documentary about the greg smart murder it got me thinking about that movie again and thats why i looked it up on the internet and i saw someone elses comment about how horrible the movie was and i felt i had to make a comment because i totally disagree. To anyone out there who hasn't seen it I definitely recommend it.
... View More98 I was a freshman in college when the Pamela Smart trial was all the rage on television, radio, newspapers, etc. I followed the proceedings with great interest, and when the TV film "Murder In New Hampshire" premiered on CBS, I watched with anticipation. I wanted to know what drove this young woman to be so treacherous. For those of you not familiar with this true story, 23 year-old Pamela (Wojas) Smart married her college sweetheart, Greg Smart. They resided in Derry, New Hampshire. Pam's and Greg's parents lived nearby. Exactly one year after Pam and Greg were married, Greg was found dead in the couple's home. He was sprawled out on the carpet, having been brutally shot to death. Pam gets her just desserts as this bizarre (but true)story ends.What followed was a sad saga. Pamela Smart, who came from a wealthy family and was always popular, arranged the murder of her husband Greg by hiring four teenage boys to proceed with the murder plot. Billy Flynn was 15 years old and was a student at Winnacunnet High School, where Pam was employed as "media director." Pam encouraged Billy, along with teens Raymond Fowler, JR Lattime, and Patrick "Pete" Randall, to murder Greg. Another student, Cecelia Pierce, 15, worked at Pam's office for school credit and knew all about the murder plot but was skeptical because Pam would just matter-of-factly fill her in on the details as if it was one big joke.
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