'' Defenseless'' is a 1991

legal thriller The legal thriller genre is a type of crime fiction genre that focuses on the proceedings of the investigation, with particular reference to the impacts on courtroom proceedings and the lives of characters. The courtroom proceedings and legal a ...

film directed by

Martin Campbell Martin Campbell (born 24 October 1943) is a New Zealand film and television director based in the United Kingdom. He is known for having directed '' The Mask of Zorro'' as well as the James Bond films '' GoldenEye'' and '' Casino Royale''. He ...

and produced by Renée Missel and David Bombek.

Plot

Lawyer Thelma 'T.K.' Knudsen Katwuller represents Steven Seldes - who is accused of involvement in making underage porn movies, though he claims innocence - and he is also her lover. When T.K. meets Steven's wife Ellie things turn awkward, as the two women had been college roommates. When T.K. subsequently confronts Steven at his office, a fight ensues in which she injures him with a letter opener. When T.K. returns later on, she finds Steven dead with multiple stab wounds. Upon finding Ellie's sweater at the crime scene, the police arrest her for the murder and T.K. agrees to defend her.

Cast

Barbara Hershey Barbara Lynn Herzstein, better known as Barbara Hershey (born February 5, 1948), is an American actress. In a career spanning more than 50 years, she has played a variety of roles on television and in cinema in several genres, including weste ...

as Thelma "T.K." Katwuller *

Sam Shepard Samuel Shepard Rogers III (November 5, 1943 – July 27, 2017) was an American actor, playwright, author, screenwriter, and director whose career spanned half a century. He won 10 Obie Awards for writing and directing, the most by any writ ...

as Detective Beutel *

J.T. Walsh James Thomas Patrick Walsh (September 28, 1943 – February 27, 1998) was an American character actor. His many films include ''Tin Men'' (1987), ''Good Morning, Vietnam'' (1987), ''A Few Good Men'' (1992), '' Hoffa'' (1992), ''Nixon'' (1995), ' ...

as Steven Seldes *

Mary Beth Hurt Mary Beth Hurt (''née'' Supringer; born September 25, 1946) is an American actress of stage and screen. She is a three-time Tony Award-nominated actress. Notable films in which Hurt has appeared include ''Interiors'' (1978), '' The World Accord ...

as Ellie Seldes *

Sheree North Sheree North (born Dawn Shirley Crang; January 17, 1932 – November 5, 2005) was an American actress, dancer, and singer, known for being one of 20th Century-Fox's intended successors to Marilyn Monroe. Early life North was born Dawn Shirley ...

as Mrs. Bodeck *

George P. Wilbur George Peter Wilbur (March 6, 1941 – February 1, 2023) was an American actor and professional stuntman, best known for playing Michael Myers in both '' Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers'' and '' Halloween 6: The Curse of Michael Myers'' ...

as Sherman Bodeck

Home media

''Defenseless'' was released on VHS by

Live Home Video Artisan Entertainment (formerly known as U.S.A. Home Video, International Video Entertainment (IVE) and LIVE Entertainment) was an American film studio and home video company. It was considered one of the largest mini-major film studios until ...

and around the same time in Canada by

Cineplex Odeon Cineplex Inc. (formerly Cineplex Galaxy) is a Canadian movie theatre and family entertainment centre chain headquartered in Toronto. The company was formed in 2003 via the acquisition of Loews Cineplex's Canadian operations (which included ...

. A TV edit of the film was released on DVD in 2002 by Platinum Disc. A widescreen unedited DVD was released in Japan by

Universal Studios Home Entertainment Universal Pictures Home Entertainment (formerly Universal Studios Home Entertainment, Universal Studios Home Video, MCA/Universal Home Video, MCA Home Video, MCA Videodisc and MCA Videocassette, Inc.) is the home video distribution division of Am ...

, under license from

StudioCanal StudioCanal S.A.S. (formerly known as Le Studio Canal+, Canal Plus, Canal+ Distribution, Canal+ D.A., Canal+ Production, and Canal+ Image and also known as StudioCanal International) is a French film production and distribution company that owns ...

, in 2007.

External links

* * * 1991 films Films directed by Martin Campbell 1991 thriller films Films about lawyers Films about murder American courtroom films 1990s English-language films 1990s American films {{1990s-thriller-film-stub