Let me say that the late writer Dominick Dunne was definitely a creative writer who wrote tasteful and ground breaking projects. Whether they landed on network television, movie screens or print .. he had the magic stroke. I always admired his works and his life was one of many up's and down's . His daughter Dominique was a budding actress who was murdered by her ex boyfriend back in the 1980's. His son Griffin Dunne is an actor and director in Hollywood. He wrote many books about the "Old WASP" or white money from yester-year. Many of his novels became "Made for Television" movies. I have seen three of his movies that were based upon novels .. There are people who were born after 1985 or even 1990 who will not like these movies. They represent a time that they aren't familiar with .. such as the 1980's when very , very rich white person's ... Lived a lavish life style that included diamond rings, fur coats and bouffant hair styles, etc . Those people inherited their wealth and the only time you ever heard of them . Was when you went to a University, a Hospital or building at a museum that had their last names on them. They didn't mix with the Kim Kardashian's , Beyonce or even the Billionaire Oprah Winfrey types. Many generation's of older white Multi-millionaires wouldn't socialize with Amazon founder-Jeff B).. because his wealth came from technology. He didn't inherit it dating back to the late 1880's. Yes I love the way the "Old Money Barron's" lived back in the day. They had a stable of servant's and they gathered in the ranks . Just like the character's in this movie did to protect their own. I am happy that AIDS was discussed in this movie for which this aired in 1990 .. because the AIDS virus affected million's back in the 1980's-1990's. The society matron was played by legendary actress Eva Marie Saint . She is still alive at 96 years old .... in her prime she co-starred with such luminary actors as Cary Grant, Marlon Brando,Warren Beatty,Elizabeth Taylor and James Garner so to speak. The beautiful actress Connie Sellecca played Ruby .. Ben Gazzara,Dennis Farina ,Jean Simmons who are now deceased had colorful roles. Lets be honest it wasn't a great movie .. but it kept me interested . Brenda Strong you all know her from "Desperate House wives".. Actress Holland Taylor played a reporter ...was later cast as the mom on the t.v. show . That starred actors Charlie Sheen and Jon Cryer .. "Two and a half Men".. The movie does also address "Domestic Violence" .. and many who are aware of how Mr.Dunne's daughter died .. May want to believe that he was sending an after thought, of how he, wanted his brand of justice in his daughter's homicide. ( The killer got off so lightly., similar to the Lefty character ) I love the wardrobe ..but what I thought was funny..? The butterflies ( The ball room scene) that were released into a closed living room .. and very little space to fly but up into a crystal chandelier ( Fire hazard) ..? I miss those days of glamour ... young gals could learn a thing or too about how a woman should carry herself? Nope..! Women today only wear jeans, tattoo's and multiple earrings in their lobes. So sad ..!

Cliche Movie with Great Actors and Actresses with a Horrible Screenplay, Directing, and Meandering Story Line that ends up into Dry River Bed of jumping ahead just see the ending and suddenly you realize it was bad as it began. This Movie needs to be Burned just to get it out of one's mind.

J. Janos (among other Amazon critics here cited), says it all, I can only echo: what a waste! There I was, waiting to see Ben Gazzara wreak some deserved havoc, and there are all these other talents--Eva Marie Saint, Jean Simpson, et alii--, and what do we get? a soap opera that summons every imaginable topos to the scene, all rendered as trite as can be. I kept skipping ahead to see Ben do his thing, but at this point, I am not sure I can make it to the ending (esp. because someone here says even the ending doesn't justify sitting through all the rest). They should re-title this, maybe "Movies Like This".

I was looking for some schlock, but this wasn't even good schlock. Boring would be a step-up. Probably the worst movie I've ever tried to watch; gave up after 45 minutes. Only gave one star to be able to post this.

This is a great mini-series that touched on a lot of different topics in life. In the time it was filmed those issues were hot spots; and still are today in out time. This is a gem of a movie.

This has heavy influence of the real murder of Dominique Dunne an actress who didn't have to use makeup to play an abuse victim on a Hill Street Blues episode. Shortly after the episode she was killed by her ex who admitted strangling her and he only got a sentence of three and a half years. Her father wrote a good book about it and other cases called Justice by Dominick Dunne.