A Deadly Silence 1989 Horror Movie Review

Based on the true story published by NY Times reporter Dena Kleiman, the made-for-TVer A DEADLY SILENCE covers a delicate subject. 

To protect her younger sister from the intimate assaults she herself endured, a teenaged girl hires a schoolmate to kill the perpetrator.

In February of 1986, Long Islander Cheryl Pierson (Fairfield) arranges for the murder of her electrician father, James (Haid). She’d been a victim of incest at his hands for five years, and as this story reveals, friends and family members who are aware of such horrendous acts may keep quiet instead of protecting the helpless victim. At her trial, Cheryl’s attorney (Farrell) pleads “not guilty due to extenuating circumstances.” 

This well-done film isn’t a popular one, but that’s understandable considering the subject matter. (Watch here for a pre-Friends David Schwimmer, also veteran actor Jeff Corey as the judge.)


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Parenthetical number preceding title is a 1 to 10 viewer poll rating.

(5.3) A Deadly Silence (TV-1989) - Mike Farrell/Bruce Weitz/Charles Haid/Richard Portnov/Wallace Langham/Heather Fairfield/Sally Struthers/Juliet Sorcey/David Schwimmer/Jeff Corey