Probably the best of the Levinson/Link made for TV movies. They take the audience by the hand, and lead them completely in the wrong direction. I would defy anyone seeing this for the first time, to pick the ending. This is great "edge of the seat" stuff, but don't miss a word of the dialogue, especially the last 20 minutes, as there are more twists than a corkscrew.
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rhoughton18 October 2000
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AlsExGal13 October 2019This film just tears all of your preconceived notions about all that is sacred into tiny confetti. Hal Holbrook is a mentalist with a bad heart who is rolling in dough currently. He admits - privately - that he doesn't truly read minds and that it is all a clever trick, but he says the people have a void where religion once was and his act helps fill that void, thus his recent success. He works with "tells" he sees in the subject's behavior or conversation along with information he gleans from investigators so that he appears to be psychic. Katherine Ross is the unfaithful wife of the mentalist who would like to be rid of him but keep all of the money. She is very greedy so divorce is out of the question. And greed often makes people stupid.
And so this is the background of the film in which Ross' character plans to murder her mentalist husband in such a way that she avoids all suspicion and thus jail. And from there the twists and turns never stop up to the questionable ending. To tell more would be to tell too much. I'll just say it is fantastic acting by a fabulous cast working with a terrific script in which no piece of dialogue should be ignored by the viewer. With an almost unrecognizable Barry Bostwick who seems to be going through a Loggins and Messina period lookswise as an underemployed actor. Highly recommended.
And for those who might not believe that a 1979 film could possibly be relevant today, I give you the opening scene where Holbrook's character is attaching himself to some computational apparatus and calls a number where a computer operator checks the status of his pacemaker. Immediately after she reassures the caller that the pacemaker is operational she asks for a charge number. American medicine is all about the bucks, then and now. -
coxtalan17 February 2009Thirty years ago on Feb.17th and on Hal Holbrook's birthday I might add, premiered the movie "Murder By Natural Causes". By the mystery team that brought us "Columbo",brings us a movie in the same style that has lust,greed,and of course....MURDER! Katharine Ross(The Graduate,Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,They Only Kill Their Masters,The Stepford Wives,to name a few)plays Allison Sinclair a woman who wants her lover Gil Weston(Barry Bostwick:Grandpa Clyde of Phineas and Ferb,and Mayor Randall M. Winston Jr. of Spin City)to kill her mentalist husband Arthur Sinclair(Hal Holbrook:Magnum Force,Creepshow,and etc.)who has a bad heart by natural causes,so that she can inherit all his wealth. The plan is set and let the game begin...but who will win? This movie will have your heart pounding at the edge of your seat til the end. A must for mystery fans! This movie also stars Richard Anderson(Oscar Goldman of "The Six Million Dollar Man"and "The Bionic Woman")as lawyer friend George Brubaker. Hal Holbrook at his best!
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Just reinforcing what everyone who has seen this will tell you: out and out brilliant from start to finish. Katherine Ross, Hal Holbrook, Barry Bostwick and Richard Anderson are all in top form but the fiendishly twist-laden Levinson / Link script is the real star. This is the duo's very best effort, topping even their finest COLUMBO offerings.
Besides a time capsule dollop of 1970s talk show topicality, I cannot imagine ANY fan of crime drama or whodunits being anything but thrilled with this continuously clever and original story. Probably among the very best TV mystery movies of its kind you'll ever see and smarter than 99% of features. Must see! -
896ad18 July 2005I am in absolute agreement with the other reviewer - you simply cannot top this plot. If there ever was a title for the cleverest script in TV movie history 'Murder By Natural Causes' would win hands down. Yes, there are very few (The Last of Sheila, Guilty Conscience) that are pretty close but this one is as close to perfection as any script of the genre will come.
It is no surprise, of course, that the same team that created Columbo is responsible for this movie.
Practically unknown, it will probably never be issued on a DVD. What a pity - a textbook script that nobody will remember only because people prefer to watch Dumb and Dumber instead. -
peppyphillips10 April 2003I ran across this movie, which I had seen before and got hooked again! I wasn't planning to watch it but it is such a good show and Hal Holbrook is masterful! This is a show that you will enjoy again and again (even though you know the ending).
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planktonrules31 October 2016"Murder By Natural Causes" is a film that mystery buffs will probably like. However, I thought it was only fair...mostly because the film was too talky and stagy. In fact, it really played like a play. A bit more action or location changes would have helped this one be better.
Arthur Sinclair (Hal Holbrook) is a mentalist...and a very famous and successful one. When the film begins, he's on a "Tonight Show" sort of program showing off his mental powers. However, you are never sure how much of this is because he has actual powers or because he is a magician and is really good at doing what's termed 'cold readings'...where he is able to get people to think he has powers because he uses their body cues to make very well educated guesses. Regardless, he's a very smart man and you can only assume his wife is reckless and awful because she's not only cheating on him but arranging for his death.
As for his death, that's just one problem with the film. The way they thought to kill Arthur was just WAY too elaborate and there were many possibilities for failure. Sure, there was a backup plan with the wife's OTHER lover...but even this was fraught with possible problems. Things had to work PERFECTLY and Arthur had to be uncharacteristically dumb for the plan to work.
But this isn't the only problem. So much of the movie consists of folks talking and talking as well as twist after twist after twist. It all came off like anything but real life...and as I mentioned above it seemed like a play...an old fashioned one. Not a terrible movie...and it was enjoyable...but it could have been more.
By the way, the movie makes a slight mistake when they talk about Houdini. They said that he promised to return after his death and his wife had seances year after year to try to bring him back. Well, this is a partial truth. Houdini was a HUGE skeptic and did NOT believe in the supernatural. His request that they hold the seances was NOT to really try to bring him back but to prove you really could NOT bring anyone back. The yearly seance was intended to prove, or at least demonstrate, that seances were crap. -
eric-38631 March 2003Here it is, 24 years later and I still remember it from only one viewing. It had the most amazing storyline and writing with some pretty impressive twists and turns in the last half hour. I would LOVE to see it again. Hal Holbrook is truly one of the amazing and underappreciated actors of our time.
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gridoon22 August 2005To appreciate "Murder by Natural Causes", first you have to accept its TV-movie limitations: few sets, few characters, pauses for commercial breaks, direction with no cinematic interest. The emphasis here is on the writing and the acting. The script has many clever (but not phenomenal) twists. The main plot device reminded me somewhat of Ira Levin's "Deathtrap" (which was filmed three years later). The acting is top-of-the-line: the term "bad Hal Holbrook performance" hasn't been invented yet, as for Katharine Ross, judging from the three films I've seen her in ("The Stepford Wives", "The Swarm", and this one), she must be one of the most underrated (in beauty as well as talent) actresses of the seventies. (**1/2)
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dennisg-63 February 2010A "professional" mind reader post-heart attack: He has recovered enough, but . . .
This man is worth Millions. His dutiful wife would love to divorce him for her boyfriend. But she had signed a pesky pre-nuptual agreement, only giving her a portion of his Millions. Unfortunately, for him, she wants it ALL.
With the scene set, she devises a plot so that her young actor boyfriend can use his acting skills to ramp-up the stress on hubby, so he has another heart attack, this time not bothering to call for medical help (just the coroner, later).
As others have made perfectly clear this movie ends in a torrent of plot twists. This can (and will) cause you dizziness.
A lot of the movie shows (quite interestingly), the behind-the-scenes life of a mentalist, preparing for each performance. Then it shows his performances (seamlessly incorporating his prep work).
I have looked for this movie to re-run for about 20 years (so far). I cannot believe that this hasn't been released onto video. It is a killer. -
gridoon202416 September 2020"Murder By Natural Causes" pulls the rug out from under your feet so often that it may send your head spinning (and give you a dizzy smile). The dialogue, of which there is plenty, is well-written & delivered, and Katharine Ross, who looks splendid, makes a perfect femme fatale. *** out of 4.
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Lechuguilla9 July 2015Writers Richard Levinson and William Link wrote some great scripts in the sixties and seventies, including some for Hitchcock. A psychological thriller that first aired in 1979, "Murder By Natural Causes", is arguably Levinson and Link's best work. With twist upon twist upon twist, and subtle dialogue clues scattered throughout the plot, it's a film that fans of suspense thrillers need to see, as an example of superior script writing.
Forty-something and wealthy entertainer Arthur Sinclair (Hal Holbrook) wows audiences with his mental telepathy skills as he seemingly reads peoples minds. Allison (Katharine Ross) is his attractive thirty-something wife, a person with a roving eye and a desire for riches. What kind of story do you think this setup suggests? Can you guess how the film ends? Don't bet on it.
The film could easily be transformed into a stage play since most scenes take place indoors on sets. Production design is adequate. Intermittent background music is at times spooky, and there are a couple of scenes wherein the music is reminiscent of the shower scene in Hitchcock's "Psycho", shrieking and shrill. Good editing keeps the plot flowing nicely for the most part, though the middle Act trends a bit talky in a couple of scenes. Color cinematography is adequate. Casting and acting cannot be improved upon.
All film elements come together perfectly in that final sequence when a character walks in the front door of Aruthur's big house. The dialogue here is entrancing. Camera movement is faultless. And that final scene where the camera moves in close to a character's eyes is breathtakingly dramatic. It's one of the great final sequences in film history.
It's too bad this film never received a theatrical release. It is far better and more entertaining than most major Hollywood thrillers of the last fifty years that I have seen. The film won an Edgar Allan Poe Award for best television film of 1980. One might even assert that "Murder By Natural Causes" is the best TV movie ever made. I probably would not argue with that assessment. -
As others have said, this is one of the best television movies of all time...and it's hardly ever rerun on late night cable. Hal Holbrook and Barry Bostwick play off each other in a vivid game of cat and mouse as the husband and suitor of Holbrook's wife, the beautiful Katherine Ross. Richard Anderson plays the family retainer with a few secrets up his sleeve, too.
The writing, from the "Columbo" creative team of Levinson and Link, is Emmy-worthy, as are the performance from the three principals.
When Holbrook delivers the last line, the viewer shouts, "I know he didn't say that!" The final words truly deliver a thought-provoking punch! -
markwood27228 October 2017Possibly the most convoluted plot in TV movie history. After all the twists – more than a barrel of pretzels, no, more than a mile of DNA – still watchable throughout. Success due to well crafted production, precise casting, and direction that never forgets what the movie is about. The puzzle is so well crafted that awareness of the artifice is superseded by a fascination with all the moving parts. A movie meant to be "followed" in much the same way you "follow" an M.C. Escher lithograph or Ralph Steiner's "Mechanical Principles" (1930). The people are real enough through it all (who could be more real than Richard Anderson?) to keep the plot-heavy story from becoming just a game. Interesting to see Anderson, Barry Bostwick, and Katharine Ross playing bad people. Hal Holbrook outstanding in the role of Arthur Sinclair, a Joseph Dunninger-esque mentalist. Those who found Holbrook's character interesting might enjoy seeing his fellow mentalists do their thing in "Hanussen" (1988), "Nightmare Alley" (1947), and even "8½" (1963).
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chazzmatt22 January 2007I saw this movie when it first aired on TV and I was spellbound. Excellent acting, highly intelligent script, very satisfying movie. For a few years after that it started to be replayed at least once a year on TBS and late night weekend movies on local TV in my area.
It was one of the best made-for-TV movies made for that era. But, I haven't seen it in a few years, so now I would probably notice the out-of-date fashions, old cars, lack of cell phones (or even cordless phones), etc. :) However, the premise and script was so good that someone should really do a re-make. BUT, the key would be to get worthy actors who can pull it off and a director with a good eye. -
I was watching the movie on YouTube and for some reason because it was listed just under a Columbo movie I thought it was going to be a Columbo movie too and I was expecting to see Columbo after 20 minutes. By that time I also thought that it was one of the best Columbos until I realized i was wrong. Bottom line it's a super clever plot and I highly recommed it.
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Chase_Witherspoon28 January 2017Very crafty thriller has adulterous wife Ross plotting celebrity clairvoyant husband's murder to ostensibly inherit his fortune and live happily ever after with her obeying younger suitor Bostwick. But there's more to the plot than meets the eye.
Holbrook gives an energetic performance to match the wit and wile of his scheming vixen wife, a rare quality role for Ross as her career began to decline in the late 70's. Dependable second lead Richard Anderson is very good in the important supporting role as Holbrook's loyal friend and attorney, whilst former Hollywood almost-a-star Jeff Donnell has a curious role for someone of her status, as Anderson's faithful housekeeper. The ensemble cast are all terrific and their appreciation of the timing and delivery needed to keep the plot tight and the audience guessing is pitch perfect.
This is one of those TV movies they used to make in the halcyon era of the 70's/80's that you'd want to seek out and find on DVD to keep for posterity; not only a great whodunnit- style mystery, but a reminder of the quality of TV movies before networks apparently abandoned the concept for sitcoms and never-ending procedural dramas. Vale TV movies, especially when they're made like this one, an absolute pearler. -
Rainey-Dawn23 January 2017I have to this one gets very suspenseful and has a couple of unexpected turns but the ending came a no big surprise but played a little differently than I guessed.
Hal Holbrook was the real star of the show (and such an underrated actor), but are also awesome performances by both Katharine Ross and Barry Bostwick. The three of them took center stage for a while but Richard Anderson showed up to give another super performance. Everyone in this film is very convincing.
If you are married to a mentalist who has a good detective on his side then I don't recommend cheating on them, you might be left with three alternatives.
8/10 -
I must admit that before editing this movie I was dreading having to watch this movie just because the year was 1979 when it was made. As I began watching this movie I totally forgot about the year and got caught up in the mind reader. I also was curious to where I had seen the wife's secret lover before. And then I realized it was the Mayor from Spin City. It was pretty funny watching this movie because of the way this character was acting.
I like the whole plot though. It kept me in suspense throughout the whole movie. This is a good movie to rent. DON'T BE FOOLED BY THE YEAR 1979!!!
2 THUMBS UP! -
Sleepin_Dragon22 March 2024Arthur Sinclair is a famous mind reader and personality, life is seemingly good, unfortunately he had a heart problem, and an adulterous wife named Allison.
I'm a big fan of mysteries, and a big fan of seventies shows in particular, so on paper it ticks the boxes, and happily in reality it does as well.
It impresses on so many levels, the plot is excellent, it's got so much going on, you truly must expect the unexpected. It even goes so far as to satisfy my rather niche adoration for those sixties thrillers, where the twists and turns come thick and fast.
So it does have a made for television feel about it, so don't expect it to look sharp or dazzling, I'd love to see this get a commercial release, and be sharpened up a little.
I'd argue that this story was the inspiration for episode of Hammer House of Mystery and Suspense, Last Testament and Videotape, a similar plot, albeit one with a rather zany ending.
Hal Holbrook, Richard Anderson and Katharine Ross are all excellent in their respective roles.
9/10. -
Coventry21 February 2024It happens occasionally that I stumble upon the IMDb pages of made-for-television movies, usually from the 1970s, with incredibly high ratings and almost exclusively praising user-comments. I'm intrigued by those titles and promptly seek them out to watch next. Not necessarily because I'm convinced they truly will be great, but to try and capture the experience & emotions of all my fellow reviewers. For you see, most of the hyper-positive ratings and reviews are based on fond memories. Fans who watched the films on television, often just once and at a very young age. The films haven't been shown anywhere since and never got released on DVD, but they made an everlasting impression.
Please, do believe me when I state that I DO NOT consider those ratings and reviews invaluable or overly subjective. Quite the contrary, I'm often jealous that I was born in the wrong decade and truly wish to have been able to experience the glorious era of genuinely intelligent and qualitative movies for free on cable television! And - just to be clear - many of these TV-movies are REALLY good, like my most recent discoveries "One of my Wives is Missing" and this "Murder by Natural Causes".
The sadly forgotten gem "Murder by Natural Causes" is a tour-de-force collaboration of excellent writing (courtesy of the team behind "Columbo") and even better acting. What starts as a simple story about adultery and a banal conspiracy to murder an unsuspecting husband unfolds into a convoluted thriller with surprising twists and sardonic characters. Revealing anything about the plot would be a shame, but I guarantee you'll be glued to the screen and guessing. The unearthly beautiful Katharine Ross plays a role that is quite out of her comfort zone, but I've never seen her so sexy. Hal Holbrook, who's always been underrated in my opinion, is fantastic as the charismatic showman with a niftily constructed mind-reading act. -
adrianovasconcelos12 November 2021MURDER BY NATURAL CAUSES comes across more as a TV play than a TV movie. Thankfully, a strong script full of clever twists keeps it ticking... and how!
Robert Day does a splendid job of directing, Jack Swain's cinematography rates competent - nothing to write home about, but good nevertheless - and Levinson and Link can take pride in their unusually powerful TV script.
Hal Holbrook pulls an excellent performance as the cuckolded mentalist, beautiful Katharine Ross performs credibly as the ruthless cheating wife (far more shocking in 1979 than today), and Barry Bostwick certainly enjoys his finest hour on film.
Worth noting the highly advanced gimmicks in this flick, announcing items that are now very much in use, like medical tests and results over the phone, and what looks like a plasma TV set, when even VHS cassettes had only been around since late 1977.
Recommended viewing. -
micmarcmac19 January 2021Fantastic movie. I discovered it by total chance on Youtube one day and it immediately struck me for certainly for its complex, unpredictable and intriguing story, but above all for the characters and their dialogues. it deserves to be watched and re-watched several times to really appreciate the fine details of each spoken part. Cynical, hilarious and funny. As said by somebody else, it leads you by hand all the way until you reach an end that you would never suspect and right when you think you got it and it is over, there it shakes you again leaving you with an inconclusive last scene which is the true pinnacle of it all! Truly a milestone movie. A pity it is so forgotten!
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brettster8 August 2011Contrary to what another reviewer wrote about this title, it HAS been released on video and can be readily obtained via Amazon; I believe a DVD version is still pending, although those too may be easily found online. Either way, it is definitely worth seeking out. Fans of TV's "Columbo" series will be especially delighted, as it was written and devised by the same team (Richard Levinson and William Link) who created the cigar-chomping detective, and has the same ingenious flavor and excellent plotting. As a TV "mentalist" like Kreskin who finds himself the target of a murder plot, Hal Holbrook is simply smashing. Possible Spoiler Ahead: There's a British film that predates this one by nearly 15 years, "Man in the Dark" (aka "Blind Corner") that would appear to have directly inspired the murder plot, particularly the third-act twist; although the earlier movie has nothing to do with mentalism, the rest of the plot of "Murder by Natural Causes" would appear to have been lifted wholesale from "Man in the Dark." Interestingly, rather than having purported the "second sight" that Hal Holbrook has, the intended murder victim in "Man in the Dark" has no sight at all.