Vincent Donofrio as quirky Major Case Squad detective Robert Goren has his share of loyal fans me included. Donofrio in Goren has created a character we all love to see him go through almost Monk like shtick every week in solving crimes. It's a great part, that allows Donofrio to do all kinds of overacting and stay completely within character.
But in this particular episode of Criminal Intent, Donofrio was given a run for his money in the overacting department by Claire Bloom. She has a part that if Criminal Intent were on the big screen some fifty years ago, Bette Davis or Tallulah Bankhead would have killed to have gotten this role.
This episode, almost but not quite, descends into black comedy. She's a stagestruck society matron who has her husband done in so she can use his millions to finance a comeback. Seems as though she was a budding child performer back in the day who never got her big break.
Her ally in this scheme is this nebbish of a former limousine driver and minor Broadway fixer played by Casey Siemaszko. He's also neck deep in debt to a loan sharks headed by his former boss Sal Richards. Siemaszko's role also calls for a whole lot of shtick and he has to use it all to keep up with Bloom.
When you're giving Vincent Donofrio a lesson in histrionics you know you have to be enjoying it. I'll bet Claire Bloom LOVED this part and it shows in her performance.
But I really do think that with a little rewriting and elaboration this story would work great as black comedy on the big screen.
But in this particular episode of Criminal Intent, Donofrio was given a run for his money in the overacting department by Claire Bloom. She has a part that if Criminal Intent were on the big screen some fifty years ago, Bette Davis or Tallulah Bankhead would have killed to have gotten this role.
This episode, almost but not quite, descends into black comedy. She's a stagestruck society matron who has her husband done in so she can use his millions to finance a comeback. Seems as though she was a budding child performer back in the day who never got her big break.
Her ally in this scheme is this nebbish of a former limousine driver and minor Broadway fixer played by Casey Siemaszko. He's also neck deep in debt to a loan sharks headed by his former boss Sal Richards. Siemaszko's role also calls for a whole lot of shtick and he has to use it all to keep up with Bloom.
When you're giving Vincent Donofrio a lesson in histrionics you know you have to be enjoying it. I'll bet Claire Bloom LOVED this part and it shows in her performance.
But I really do think that with a little rewriting and elaboration this story would work great as black comedy on the big screen.