A Mother's Instinct

 ((Wed. (13), 9-11 p.m., CBS))

By JOHN P. MCCARTHY

Filmed in Wilmington, N.C., by CBS Entertainment Prods. in association with Wildrice Prods. Executive producer, Joel S. Rice; co-producer, Sam Pillsbury; director, Pillsbury; writer, Norman Morrill.
 
Cast: Lindsay Wagner, Debrah Farentino, John Terry, Lynne Thigpen, Alana Austin, Lee Norris, Andy Nichols, Barbara Babcock, Laura Robbins, Alex Van, Mert Hatfield, Pete Burris, Chris Daughtry, Bob Hannah, Richard K. Olsen, George Nannarello, Dorothy R. Brown, Phil Loch, Nello Tare.
 

When it comes to marrying, the instincts displayed by the two principal characters in "A Mother's Instinct" are unfortunate at best. When it comes to mothering, their instincts are worse. The production is handsomely photographed and adequately directed by Sam Pillsbury, yet the narrative and performers can't overcome a muddled premise.

Two moms are victimized by a smooth-talking bigamist, Carl (John Terry). He steals his two sons by first wife Raeanne (Lindsay Wagner) and she doesn't exert much effort to find them.

Holly (Debrah Farentino) subsequently marries the alleged widower. When he takes off on her, she makes it her mission to track him down for Raeanne's sake. In doing so, she alienates her own 13-year-old daughter.

Movie begins with a meeting between Holly and Raeanne. Scene shifts to six months earlier, when Holly has started over in her hometown after a divorce. Carl singles her out and a whirlwind courtship leads to marriage. It's not clear whether he has any genuine feelings for her; his ingratiating manner suggests he doesn't.

He's touchy about his past, saying the boys' mother died. When Holly starts snooping and his cover story unravels, Carl runs away with the kids. Holly gets a quirky private investigator (Lynne Thigpen) to make inquiries, which is how she locates Raeanne. Unfortunately, they decide to find Carl without the help of the P.I.; three heads would have been more entertaining than two.

Writer Norman Morrill doesn't keep his eye on the ball once Carl flees. Bickering amongst this Thelma and Louise, and friction between Holly and both her daughter and mother, distract from the chase. Routine dialogue and an uneventful road trip sap pic of its momentum.

Morrill takes the line that a bad marriage -- or, in Holly's case, two bad marriages -- is understandable. When it comes to their children, however, the heroines' motivations don't seem very instinctual or maternal.

And Holly doesn't even show a need for vengeance or anger. She has a big heart, yet Farentino doesn't bring a transforming degree of tenderness or energy to the part. In the smaller role, Wagner isn't given much to do. It's up to Farentino to carry the telepic. As Carl, Terry is unnervingly unctuous and Barbara Babcock plays Holly's disapproving and unsupportive mother.

Tech credits are all above average.

Camera, Matthew Williams, Daryn Okada; editor, Sabrina Plisco-Morris; production designer, Bryan Ryman; sound, Peter Bentley, Rich Waddell; music, James McVay; casting, Judith Holstra (L.A.), Fincannon & Associates (North Carolina).