The Worst Film Ever

It isn't all that great, actually. Really cheesy and very predicable of how certain scenes are gonna turn play out. However, I guess that's the charm of it all, because I would consider this one of my guilty pleasures.

Blistering performances.

It is both painfully honest and laugh-out-loud funny at the same time.

The names were changed but it's based on a true story of the events in Skidmore, Missouri and the real villain was Ken McElroy who was very much like John Gotti without the class, style, and grace of his demeanor. He had fathered children with two women who lived together. No, not because he's a polygamist. In this movie, the McElroy character is played chillingly by Brian Dennehy who is one of America's finest actors on stage, film or television. Oscar Winner Marcia Gay Harden plays one of his wives with a depth that is easily overlooked. Oscar Winner Cloris Leachman plays one of the man's many victims. No matter what this character did, the law and justice system failed to protect this small Missouri town so they took justice into their own hands. As Leachman's character states at the end "If you live by the sword, you die the sword." The book entitled In Broad Daylight is equally riveting but adds another level of understanding of how a man like this can exist in the first place.

Brian Dennehy paints a portrait of a truly sociopathic personality in this film. Plot twists are minimal simply because this is a true story. His characterization is all he has to work with, and Brian makes the most of it. He is by turns charming, threatening, homicidal and, all in all, just plain evil, a spoiled redneck who just can't imagine ever being called down for his activities.Worse, he has intelligence to go with his warped mind.We live in this character's part of the country and, believe me, people like this exist.Not a great film, but the characterization will not only engross you, it'll probably scare the hell out of you.

I have to watch this movie once in a while just to send chills down my spine. Naturally, the names were changed to protect the innocent. This movie is based on a true story and the movie closely represents the actual events. I knew the man who wrote the original story. We watched original TV showing together and I was able to get his take on the whole thing. This story was presented almost exactly the way it happened. We both thought that Mr. Dennehy's portrayal of Len was excellent. The killing at the end of the movie was extremely accurate and was witnessed by the fellow sitting next to me. I read the original manuscript. This movie may not have all the typical Hollywood bells and whistles, but it correctly represents what really happened. (Great work Chris and congratulations again!) We rarely get to see movies that tell the original story so well...

I saw this movie on the TV a few years ago and can't imagine why it has never been on video or DVD. Its worthier than many other movies that are on either video and DVD. Brian Dennehy is one of my favorite movie stars and doesn't get enough credit for being the good actor he is. I thought "In Broad Daylight was one of his very best performances. He was so convincing as the bullying, intimidating and totally unsavory Len Rowan. When an actor can make you feel that he is really mean, then he is a good actor. Cloris Leachman was also very good in this movie as a store owner, threatened by Len Brian Dennehy. I wish it was on DVD, or even VHS would be fine. What a loss this is to video or DVD collectors.