Customer Reviews

White Angel [VHS]

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4 star:		(1)
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Initially released as WHITE ANGEL, this 1993 British film is a disturbing, well-thought out thriller featuring a killer performance from Peter Firth (Equus, Pearl Harbor) as serial killer Leslie Steckler. Steckler is a dentist who eliminates blonde women wearing white; we learn later why he chooses these victims. We first meet true crime novelist Ellen Carter, who has plastered her husband's body all over their garage wall. We then see her dragging his body through the house. Three years later, Ellen's husband has been assumed a runaway, and she's gotten away with his murder. Steckler meanwhile enters the scene as a boarder at Carter's house, and he ultimately discovers the husband's body behind the wall in the guest room. He then decides to blackmail Carter by insisting that she write a novel about him, so the world can understand why The White Angel is a killer.
From this point, the movie becomes a game of cat and mouse, with emotional feelings starting to blossom between the two killers. Several distracting clues include the police's suspicion that the White Angel is a woman (Steckler dresses up like a woman), and the fact that one murder weapon is actually Carter's hammer. The movie climaxes in an unexpected fashion and Mrs. Carter finds herself in deep doodoo.
Too bad that Helena Robinson's performance as the crimewriting killer doesn't match Firth's. A stronger actress could have brought this film to an even higher level of excellence. As it is, it's quite different and Firth is marvelous.

Peter Firth does this movie greatly. He plays the serial killer well and the story is very interesting.