Her Deadly Rival (1995) Online

Her Deadly Rival (1995): Starring Harry Hamlin, Annie Potts, Lisa Zane, Tommy Hinkley, Susan Diol, Roma Maffia, Robert C. Treveiler, D. L. Anderson, William Blair, Sean Bridges, Robin Dallenbach, Wilbur Fitzgerald, Dale Frye, Stan Kelly, Deborah Hobart, David Lenthall, Lorri Lindberg, Chuck Kinlaw, Amy Parrish, Melissa Suzanne McBride, Ralph Wilcox, Al Wiggins, Jeff Sumerel, Daria Sanford....Director James Hayman, Screenplay Dan Vining.

Actor Harry Hamlin (of LA Law fame, Clash of The Titans and other films) seems perfectly cast in this "Lifetime" type film directed by James Hayman and released in 1995. He and his wife Lisa Rinna would later work on a film about sex addiction. "Her Deadly Rival" is, at first glance, similar to the better known Hollywood box-office hit "Fatal Attraction". In "Rival", happily married couple Jim and Kris Lanford move into a new home in the typically beautiful suburbs. They have the seemingly perfect marriage- they are deeply in love, despite a routine lifestyle. But then a mysterious admirer sets her eyes on Jim. Her identity is never revealed, despite an attempt by Jim and even investigators to discover who she is. She constantly harasses Jim through phone calls and letters. His marriage nearly flounders as his wife begins to think he's having an affair and trying to cover it up. While Harry Hamlin, Annie Potts and the rest of the cast - Lisa Zane, Tommy Hinkley, Susan Diol, Roma Maffia, Robert C. Treveiler, D. L. Anderson, William Blair- each seem to be straight out of a soap opera. But this is a very suspense-filled drama and has its good moments. There is a twist at the end. Spoiler Alert. All I have to say is "her deadly rival" was only herself. Based on a supposedly actual case, Jim's wife Kris suffered from multiple personality disorder and that was what ruined her marriage. Even if the story is not terribly impressive, even if the acting is only a step above soap opera acting, this film has its moments. Especially moving are the intimate scenes between Jim and his wife and the final scene in which, when Jim learns the truth, he can't believe what he has just heard. The movie is probably a little too long and boring in some parts but it's the kind of TV movie that usually does well, especially on Lifetime, which continues to produce films of this kind, of the "domestic thriller" type, or seduction stories. Trashy but everyone likes trash.

I liked this movie, Although halfway through it, I was able to tell who the secret admirer was.

I am also wondering if it was based on a true story since it told about the "real" people at the end of the movie. I guess I will have to research it and let ya know.

Does anyone remember what state this happened in? I believe they moved to North Carolina if I'm not mistaken.

Of course the states could have been changed to protect the innocent.

You would think that this man could have figured it out as easily as I did. Was he stupid or what?

***SPOILERS*** Rushing downstairs to the living-room after hearing a shouting match in progress Jim Landsford, Harry Hamlin, after breaking down the locked door hears a shot and find his wife Kris, Annie Potts, dead with a bullet to her left temple. With no evidence of anyone besides Jim at the murder scene he's arrested as the prime suspect in his wife's murder. Given the third degree at the Southport Police Station by lady detective Cardwell, Roma Maffia, Jim begins to open up on what lead to this tragedy that he's now facing a lifetime behind bars for a crime that he didn't commit.

This all started when Jim was transfered to North Carolina by his construction company and had him for the first time in his 12 year marriage to Kris be away from her for any long period of time. Being the outgoing and friendly type that he is Jim made many friends at his new place of work as well as the town he lived in. One of those friends turned out to be a secret admirer of his who constantly called him and sent Jim gifts and flowers to his motel room that he stayed at. It was when Jim's old lady, Kris, showed up unexpectedly in town that things really started to get out of hand with her not only finding out about his secret admirer but suspecting her husband of having a hot and heavy affair with that person behind her back.

It soon seemed like whoever this secret admirer of Jim is was out to wreck his marriage and was even willing to drive him to murder Kris in order to do it. As Jim's secret admirer started to tighten the screws on him and Kris it was Kris who cracked under the strain. That in the end lead to her murder but who was the person who murdered Kris? His secret admirer or someone who had it in for him and used this plan,in inciting Kris's jealousy, to destroy both Jim and his wife's lives?

***SPOILERS*** It was in fact Jim's transfer to North Carolina that set of a chain of events that lead to all this suffering but it was Kris not Jim who initiated it. Being the jealous wife that she is Kris imposed herself on Jim that it in the end, it her accusing Jim of everything under the sun, almost drove him nuts. The women,Jim's secret admirer, who was the cause of all this had the edge on Jim in knowing every move he made and when he was alone in order to keep Kris out of the picture. It was Jim himself together with Officer Cardwell who finally cracked the case but it took bartender Matt Mosher to fit in the final piece of this very puzzling puzzle into place. In the end when the truth finally came out in who murdered Kris it really was no surprise at all to Jim Officer Cardwell as well as us watching in that Kris's killer was always there, both in Southport and North Carolina, but waited just for the right reason to murder her. And it was her husband Jim in him innocently playing along with her killer that gave him or her the reason to do Kris in.

Hey get this , a FATAL ATTRACTION clone ! How original . No doubt if us men watch enough of these films we`ll empathise with women who`ve been stalked in real life . I don`t think so .

This is how HER DEADLY RIVAL plays for the most part . Hunky married man keeps getting horny phone calls from a secret admirer then when he rejects her suggestions she gets angry . But there`s a final twist at the end as to the identity of the stalker which is very hard to swallow . It`s even harder to swallow when we`re told that this is based on a true story because I don`t recall reading about this case in the newspapers , and make no mistake if the events in HER DEADLY RIVAL did happen it would have made front page headlines all over the world

It's one of those movies that you watch once on network TV or Lifetime. That's because all it has going with it is the ending(everything meaningful "decompresses" once you know) and, once you KNOW, you won't feel the same way about it! If you're a first time viewer of this movie, then don't look at the spoilers. I'll rate as far as different viewers. First time viewing: It rates a 9. After that, a 5! Some movies you can watch over and over again and have an enjoyable experience, but not this one, though. To give you some idea, Enemy of the State, Along Came a Spider, and Bitter Blood(Lifetime movie: Dr Leary; Suzy Q; Fritz{Jim in this movie}; etc.) are some realistic thrillers that either you can watch over and over again or watch again periodically and still enjoy it almost as much as the first time. This movie is a one watch or rental at best.

Jim leaves his wife Kris to take a job that's too good to pass up. After going to a local bar there that his fellow coworkers frequent, he gets a secret admirer caller. He never seeks to do anything with her nor does he, despite her unbelievable yearnings for and wooing of him. Kris was either seriously in love with Jim and/or extremely doting! She shows up--as the secret admirer is weaving her "web" to try and win Jim's affections. The admirer leaves evidence everywhere for Kris to find and even poisons her. The editors of the supposedly true movie have creative ways of throwing you off and also throwing a little hint in of who she might be until the end happens. They reveal who the high ranking officer believes the person is at the end; even then, you'll have a TINY bit of doubt as to whose theory to believe--the high ranking officer's or Jim's. The end is explosive and unpredictable, but it only works once! The strange thing about all this is that it is really an occurrence that could happen to anyone. Great the first time!

A great film made for TV movie,done perfectly In my opinion. harry hamlin was so cute,back then,older but he was hot in this movie as others,and L.A.Law i heard of did not watch it,my older siblings did at times. this move is so good.just coming on again tonight on LMN.

INCREDIBLY Sad story.Poor Chris.she was suffering so much

in her own mind.should have got some help.Just sad.A true to life story yes; Found the real man,who was married to chris lansford,and he is still not re-married. . he was so IN love with chris,and never cheat,lie stray etc.nothing. Never to dishonor her,but she just literally was not able to live without this guy,and did all of this stuff to see if he will cheat. the guy even pass her"test"to see if he will give in!

The guy push women"or so he assume was another woman"push her away,said i am happily,key word,that he was"happily married but she was still all messed up flagrantly in her head.sad.but a great movie.

i will watch again for years to come on LIFETIME Movie Network.

I was watching this movie on Friday,Apr 7th. I didn't see the last scene ( cos I was talking with my bro n Mom in law at the same time ). Anyone can tell me what happened to her?I watched slightly that her husband was hearing someone was talking to his wife in the bedroom and then he opened the door,she's dead already.

What happened to her? Did she kill herself? How could she arrange everything like the phone calls,meanwhile she's at home when her husband was talking to this strange admirer?Anyone can explain to me,please. I am so so curious!! ( in the end,I read that she suffered from Multiply Disorder Personality ).

Thnks before.

Always enjoy the great acting talents of Harry Hamlin,(Jim Lansford),"Strange Hearts",'01, who plays a straight as an arrow husband, who seems to get all kinds of attention from very charming young women, namely, Lisa Zane,(Lynne),"Monkeybone",'01, who is a co-worker with Jim Lansford and you wonder why he doesn't try to hit on her for some fun. Annie Potts,(Kris Lansford),"Breaking the Rules",'92,is a very warm and sweet loving wife to Jim and has complete trust in her husband. Kris wants to always keep her husband happy and even buys him a home with out him even seeing it for himself. This film will keep you guessing right to the very END!