''Broken Vows'' is a 1987 television film directed by

Jud Taylor Judson Taylor (February 25, 1932August 6, 2008) was an American actor, television director, and television producer. Early years Born in New York City, Taylor graduated from the University of California, Berkeley. Career Taylor is perhaps best ...

. It stars

Tommy Lee Jones Tommy Lee Jones (born September 15, 1946) is an American actor and film director. He has received four Academy Award nominations, winning Best Supporting Actor for his performance as U.S. Marshal Samuel Gerard in the 1993 thriller film '' The ...

and Annette O'Toole.

Plot

Peter McMahon is priest is summoned to a deprived neighborhood to give a stabbing victim their

last rites The last rites, also known as the Commendation of the Dying, are the last prayers and ministrations given to an individual of Christian faith, when possible, shortly before death. They may be administered to those awaiting execution, mortall ...

as he dies in his arms, He doesn't "die in his arms". Jones' character doesn't touch him until he closes the dead man's eyes. but soon gets entangled in friendship with the dead man's girlfriend Nim, as they collectively attempt to solve the murder. McMahon faces a battle in his commitment to the church and whether his involvement still represents his commitment to his faith.

Cast

Production

The script is based on the novel ''Where the Dark Streets Go'' by

Dorothy Salisbury Davis Dorothy Margaret Salisbury Davis (April 25, 1916 − August 3, 2014) was an American crime fiction writer. Life and career Davis, an adopted child, was born in Chicago in 1916 and raised in Illinois by Margaret (Greer) and Alfred J. Salisbury ...

Reception

Mike Duffy from the ''

Detroit Free Press The ''Detroit Free Press'' is the largest daily newspaper in Detroit, Michigan, US. The Sunday edition is titled the ''Sunday Free Press''. It is sometimes referred to as the Freep (reflected in the paper's web address, www.freep.com). It primari ...

'' praised the movie as "an impressive cut above the average TV movie", describing it as an "arresting drama" and giving it 3 stars, believing that it was a lot better than how it was portrayed in commercials. Faye B. Zuckerman, writing for ''

The Manhattan Mercury The Manhattan Mercury is the local newspaper for Manhattan, Kansas. The ''Mercury'' is a daily newspaper published in the afternoon five days a week, and in the morning on Sunday. No Saturday edition is issued. The newspaper is physically printe ...

'' considered the movie "noteworthy", praising O'Toole's "sensitive portrayal" of the victim's girlfriend but reserved the most recognition for the "notable performance" of Walsh, who she described as "multitalented". Michael Hill from '' The Evening Sun'' had a mixed view on the movie, describing it "as interesting as it is confusing", while praising the "excellent" O'Toole in her portrayal as a free-spirit artist and giving the film 3 stars after describing the conclusion as "oblique".

References

External links

* Films directed by Jud Taylor American thriller television films American romantic thriller films 1987 films 1980s American films {{US-tv-thriller-film-stub