Lightning Strikes Twice

While staying at a deserted dude ranch, a woman (Roman) gets involved with a man (Todd) suspected of murder

Apparently, the movie was intended to showcase rising stars Roman, Todd, and Mc Cambridge. Trouble is they're undone by a screenplay that can't make up its mind. Is it a whodunit, a noir, a "woman in danger", or a soap opera. Actually, it's a little of all four that turns out more like an overloaded dish of stew than a tasty soufflé. Too bad because it's a waste of some fine performers like Conroy, Givney, and especially Scott.

There is one ridiculous scene almost worth the overlong 90-minutes. That's where Todd and Roman decide to have a romantic interlude perched atop a narrow cliff. Now, why a woman would choose a drop-off as a trysting spot with a suspected wife killer remains the movie's biggest mystery. In fact, the scene is almost a parody of every poorly staged soap opera on film. As an old movie fan, I wondered why I'd never heard of this film. Now I know.