What do you get when you cross SINGLE WHITE FEMALE with WORKING GIRL? Unfortunately, a movie like BODY LANGUAGE, a genre rip-off that incorporates elements from these more effective films, offering practically an open-and-shut case against the practice of cinematic inbreeding.
The film opens with the murder of a secretary working late at night. The next day, Betsey Frieze (Heather Locklear)--who's on the fast track up the corporate ladder--sets up shop in her new office after having been promoted. With all the buzz in the office about the murder, Betsey hardly has time
to notice her new secretary, Norma Suffield (Linda Purl). But Norma is eager to make herself noticed: seemingly efficient and responsible, Norma is apparently every boss's dream. Betsey finds herself leaning more and more on Norma's skills, especially as trouble brews on the home front with her
boyfriend Victor (James Acheson), who is tired of being second fiddle to Betsey's career.
If that's not enough trouble, Betsey begins making uncharacteristic "mistakes" at work and her smarmy boss (Edward Albert) starts putting the screws on her. Now Betsey must work harder than ever. As a result, Victor breaks up with her, and Norma, who has been showing up in outfits and haircuts
disturbingly similar to Betsey's, starts dating him on the sly. Eventually Betsey discovers Norma's relationship with Victor, as well as evidence that Norma has been sabotaging Betsey's work. Betsey tries to expose her psychotic secretary, but not before Norma has killed a detective who has also
guessed her secret. There is a final showdown in the corporate offices late at night where the evil boss gets his just desserts at the end of a crystal paperweight, Victor gets maimed (but not killed), and Betsey and Norma engage in a cat fight that results in Norma's death. As the police arrive
to clean up the mess, Betsey hands in her resignation and she and Victor become a happily-ever-after, one-career couple.
Directed by Arthur Allan Seidelman, BODY LANGUAGE is a 1992 made-for-cable movie which was released to home video in 1995. If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then BODY LANGUAGE is one of the most sincere films ever made. Perhaps this film's "appropriation" of other box office
successes wouldn't seem so offensive if it was a better made film. Unfortunately, it isn't, so we will never know. Judged on its own merits, BODY LANGUAGE stills comes up embarrassingly deficient--bad acting, bad cinematography, and a hackneyed plot make this one thriller to avoid at all costs.
Add to this the reactionary underlying message that corporate success makes Betsey an undesirable girlfriend, and the only rational response to BODY LANGUAGE is to stay far, far away from it.(Violence, adult situations, sexual situations, profanity.) leave a comment
