Customer Reviews

Blind Faith [VHS]

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This movie faithfully followed the best seller by Joe McGinnis (Fatal Vision, Cruel Doubt, etc.) and chronicles a desperate man motivated by the twin devils of lust and greed, who arranged for the murder of his wife to collect $1.5 million in insurance. The focus of the film is less on the actual crime than the terrible fallout it produced in his three sons, two in college and one in junior high school, two of whom ultimately come to a realization no child should have to make: The father they believed in and supported did, indeed, arrange their mother's murder. Well acted (Joanna Kerns is particularly good) and directed. Highly recommended.

In 1986, a New Jersey state court sent Robert O. Marshall, a fomer insurance executive, to Death Row after a jury found him guilty in the murder-for-hire two years earlier of his wife, Maria. Earlier this year - 2006 - an appeallate court vacated the death sentence and reduced Marshall's sentence to life. That development rekindles this 1990 NBC-TV pic based on the true-crime novel by Joe McGinnis (of controversial "Fatal Vision" fame). "Blind Faith" is a compelling and faithful telling of the dynamics that trigger Maria Marshall's arranged killing in September 1984 and is so titled in reference to the painful acceptance by the couple's three sons that their father may have hired the gun that killed their mother. The late Robert Urich has the enormous burden of portraying the cowardly sociopath and self-indulgent, self-absorbed Marshall. As a hard-driven insurance salesman with a drop-dead beautiful wife and three privileged children in an upper middle class Norman Rockwell neighborhood in Toms River, N.J., Marshall was - according to prosecution evidence - drowning in debt to the tune of more than $300,000. Motivated by a $1.5 million life insurance policy on his wife, along with his carrying on an extramarital fling with a local vixen, Marshall conconcts the murder-for-hire scheme to get his wife out of the picture and thereby living happily ever after with his debt wiped out (with about $1.2 million left for pocket change) and frolicking openly with his new squeeze. Urich is magnificent in the role and plays Marshall with no redeeming qualities. As Marshall's doomed spouse, Joanna Kerns is her husband's antithesis that, also by most published sources, defined the real lady. Though Maria knows nothing of her fate, she's painfully aware of her husband's philandering but discards a planned divorce to salvage her marriage (why to man like her husband is a mystery). Along with Maria as a victim, though, are the couple's three sons, played wrenchingly by Jay Underwood, David Barry Gray and Johnny Galecki. And an A-list of other supporting players makes "Blind Faith" an overall well-acted piece, including Doris Roberts ("Everyone Loves Raymond") as a well-intentioned but totally blind family friend whose support of Rob Marshall never waivers; superlative character actor Dennis Farina as the prosecutor who sets his sights on justice; William Forsythe and David Andrews as the two hired guns; and daytime soap femme fatal Robin Strasser as Marshall's on-the-side squeeze. But it is Urich's showcase in this one, and so convincing is he that our final word about the real Marshall is good riddance.

To the person who wrote the first review...this was in no way a sleazy movie. It was a true depiction of a diabolical self-centered sociopath who killed his wife for greed, and the horrific fall-out.

By the way, this movie also was made with the main character's oldest son on the set as an advisor. Learn your facts.

If you don't like true crime stories, don't waste your money the next time!

As previously mentioned, Rob Marshall's eldest son was on the set every day... I played the Court Bailiff in this miniseries, and had a great opportunity to chat with all the stars, including the late Robert Urich(who was a last-minute replacement for Donald Sutherland). I find this mini-series totally engrossing, with top notch performances by the cast. It will definately hold your interest!!!

I liked this television mini-series. Joanna Kerns is wonderful as the beloved Maria Marshall, the mother and wife, who is beloved by all around her including her three sons, friends, and relatives. Robert Urich plays her husband, Robert Marshall, who arranges to kill her off in order to collect insurance money to pay off his gambling debts. Dennis Farina is wonderful as the tough talking prosecutor. Robin Strasser is great as Robert's mistress who testifies against him in court. We see a great performance by Doris Roberts as well. We have a wonderful cast but they didn't film in New Jersey which would have better explained what happened and why it happened. Here was a family brought together by Maria's love and devotion, torn apart by Robert's lies, infidelity, and selfishness towards his own children. Farina's character states "Give me this guy over Marshall anyway. You know what you get." He is referring to Urich's character who leads a double life. His sons slowly begin to doubt his innocence but they desperately want to believe him. All of a sudden, they have lost not only a mother but a father as well. When one of the son's is asked about whose side he is on, he is clear that he is on his mother's side and the truth no matter how painful the truth can be. This mini-series was one of the better true crime movies off of television in recent years.

This movie is top notch. True to life, with one exception, the mistress that Marshall had was a real bow wow!!!!!!!!!!!! Her father, Lester Glenn, in which this trial killed due to a broken heart, was the owner of a car dealership. Maria was beautiful, and Sarann was ugly, lets say howled at the moon!!!!!! The oldest son was on set as an advisor to the movie and made sure his mother story was told honestly, not like his low life father's attorney tried to protray her. I watched it then and would watch it again and again

I love this movie. Why is back out on VHS? I wish they would bring it out on DVD as I no longer have a VHS player.

This video portrays the devastation of family life to the 10th degree. I don't understand how a husband could be so cold hearted to his children, let alone contract someone to take the life of his wife. It only begins to touch on the pain and heart ache Maria Marshall's 3 boys were left to contend with. Rob Marshall is as bad as they come.

The cast is superb in this court case based on a true story...My
heart broke for the children in this case, I think your heart will
break also...You will enjoy this movie...

This is a great movie. I really wish I could get a copy of the piano solo which plays throughout the movie!!