Silent Motive (1991)
A Hollywood screenwriter's darkest fictional ideas become terrifyingly real in this 1991 Lifetime thriller.
Silent Motive - Movie Information
Silent Motive - Plot
Notorious for writing the most successful - and scandalous - scripts in Hollywood, hit screenwriter Laura Bardell suddenly finds herself implicated in a baffling series of film-industry killings. What's worse, the killer is using the same ingenious methods Laura herself employed in her latest movie about a real-life murder case. To her horror, Laura realizes her script is coming to life - and turning her fictional words into homicidal reality.
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Silent Motive - Cast & Crew
Director(s)
- Lee Philips
Main Cast
- Patricia Wettig
- Rick Springfield
- Ed Asner
- Mike Farrell
- David Packer
- Molly Parker
- Johannah Newmarch
- David Cubitt
- Kevin McNulty
- Frank Ferrucci
Writers
- William P. Bekkala
Producers
- Mike Farrell
- Marvin Minoff
Silent Motive - FAQs
What is Silent Motive about?
Silent Motive follows Laura Bardell, a celebrated Hollywood screenwriter whose latest script — inspired by a real murder case — becomes a chilling blueprint for actual killings. As victims die using the exact methods she invented, Laura finds herself both a suspect and a target in a terrifying real-life thriller.
Who stars in Silent Motive?
Patricia Wettig leads the cast as screenwriter Laura Bardell, with Rick Springfield playing Brad and Ed Asner as Sam. Mike Farrell appears as Detective Paul Trella, and the supporting cast includes David Packer, Molly Parker, David Cubitt, and Kevin McNulty.
Is Silent Motive based on a true story?
Silent Motive is not based on a true story. It is an original fictional thriller written by William P. Bekkala. The film's premise — a screenwriter whose fictional murder methods are replicated in real life — is a creative invention designed to explore the unsettling intersection of storytelling and real-world violence.
When was Silent Motive released?
Silent Motive premiered on October 16, 1991. It was produced for and broadcast on the Lifetime television network, making it one of the channel's early forays into the suspenseful, female-driven thriller format that would become a signature of the network's programming identity.
Who directed Silent Motive?
Silent Motive was directed by Lee Philips, a television director with a long career helming TV movies and series episodes. The film was produced by Viacom Productions, Farrell/Minoff, and Lifetime, with Mike Farrell and Marvin Minoff serving as producers.
What genre is Silent Motive?
Silent Motive is a Thriller and TV Movie. It blends suspense, mystery, and psychological tension as its protagonist races to uncover who is turning her fictional screenplay into a series of real murders — all while she herself remains under suspicion.
What are movies similar to Silent Motive?
If you enjoyed Silent Motive, you might like Body Brokers (2021), Infidelity in Suburbia (2017), Sleeping with Danger (2020), Kept Woman (2015), Dead of Winter (1987), Seeds of Yesterday (2015), A Perfect Man (2015), The Twin (2017), and Mommy Would Never Hurt You (2019).
How long is Silent Motive?
Silent Motive runs for 90 minutes, making it a compact and tightly paced thriller. At an hour and a half, it delivers its suspenseful story without overstaying its welcome — a typical runtime for a Lifetime TV movie of the early 1990s.
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