Natasha Henstridge is a widow accused of murdering her husband (James Brolin) in The Widow on the Hill, a 2005 film that has the stamp of Lifetime all over it.This is the true story of the Donna Sommerville case, here called Linda Cavanaugh. The device of the film is that Linda is being interviewed for an in-depth news story before her trial, so we see in flashbacks that she originally came to Mt. Iris, the home of Hank Cavanaugh (in real life Hamilton Sommerville), to care for his dying wife. Shortly after his wife's death, Linda and Hank marry.According to the film, Linda considered herself hot stuff and seduced two of the stable boys, and everybody knew but Hank himself. He intended to divorce her, but he became ill. He recovered but then died. Linda wanted him cremated immediately, but one of the daughters was convinced that Linda had killed her father.The coroner finally called for an autopsy after one of the stable hands admitted that he had seen Linda reading the will the night of her husband's death, and before bringing him food, she had made a stop in the kitchen. Morphine was later discovered there, and the autopsy showed Hank had died from a combination of drugs. In the film, he evidently made a new will to benefit only his wife and disinherited his daughters, which was felt to be Linda's influence. There is a scene in the film when Hank learns she cheated on him and he says he is divorcing her and redoing his will.The film stops at a point before the trial. In real life, Donna was acquitted of the crime and continued to live on the family estate, eventually studying for the ministry. Somerville's daughters filed a multimillion dollar suit against her as in civil court, the burden of evidence of murder is less. This is all stated on the chiron at the end of the movie.Five years later, Somerville lost in civil court and the daughters were able to reclaim the family estate.This isn't particularly well acted. Henstridge, despite comments here from one poster, is a gorgeous woman who has had a career as a model. I find the comments about her rear end ridiculous. You'd think no one had ever seen a woman before. Was she too young for James Brolin? Yes, but I believe there was an age difference between the real-life characters. This isn't the first time we've seen an old guy with a young woman.Let's face it, even when they're based on a true story, Lifetime movies are not Grade A productions. They're light entertainment that you watch when you want to relax and shut the world off for a while. Obviously this real-life story could have been more compelling, but you can't expect that from Lifetime. It's like expecting McDonald's to be a five-star restaurant.

This is a very well made, well cast and well acted TV movie based on real life events. Very captivating as only a true story can be.Natasha Henstridge is very good if a little too beautiful. Brolin is very good as the silly whipped widow. The daughters were good too.The story is tragic yet happens over and over again. Quite heartbreaking for the family. Lonely widower remarries even before wife is cold in her grave. The central temptress Linda is so terribly wicked you just gasp throughout.Better than the usual lifetime movie. Top quality cast,You can check the subsequent outcome of the real life characters by googling it.

I honestly thought this was one of the better lifetime movies and I am a big lifetime fan. I wish I could remember the ending but I know its a good movie. Nastashia (spelling???) does a great job as the nurse who became the widow. I saw this movie on the TV schedule the other night. I'd seen it before but couldn't remember the whole story. I looked to my right where my boyfriend was comfortably sleeping on the couch, ah hah, now's my lifetime movie chance. I settled in to watch the movie I'd remembered to be pretty good, wish I could remember the whole story but that's OK, I knew I was in for a good treat. One hour later, movie is going strong but its a work night, I got up early that day and its 10pm and I'm getting sleepy. So I drag my boyfriend to bed without seeing the last hour of the movie so once again I'm left with the memory of a good movie but still don't remember how it ended. I still wonder but.... am now searching the listings for a replay and/or trying to find this movie on DVD/VHS..Some people make fun of lifetime movies and yes some of them warrant that criticism but there are a few really good ones and this is one of them.

In Widow on the Hill, Natasha Henstridge plays a former nurse, Linda Dupree, who captures the affections of a recent widower (James Brolin as Hank Cavanaugh) and quickly becomes his new wife. Both parts are well acted, although often upstaged by Hank's grown daughter, Jenny (Jewel Staite). Jenny appears at first glance to be a troubled girl trying to overcome her mother's death while trying to stay sober. The audience quickly realizes that Jenny is much stronger and smarter than most of her family and friends give her credit for. Jewel Staite creates a 3-dimensional character out of what could have been a cardboard cliché. The story tends to fall flat at points, but overall this movie boasts a quality cast that make it worth seeing at least once.