Cbs Tuesday Movie Face of Evil

 ((Tues. (9), 9-11 p.m., CBS))

By TONY SCOTT

Filmed in Salt Lake City by Larry Thompson Entertainment Inc. Exec producer, Larry Thompson; producer, Daniel Schneider; co-producers, Robert Kosberg, Arvin Kaufman. Director, Mary Lambert; writer, George Goodell.
 
Cast: Tracey Gold, Perry King, Shawnee Smith, Don Harvey, Brigitta Dau, Simi Mehta, Nicole Prescott, Heather Hansen, Karen Alston, Dave Jensen, Susan Dolan, Mireille Enos, Charles Frost, Timothy Shoemaker, Joan Mullanmey, Melissa Moor, Margo O-very, Alisa Harris, Susan Masley, Max Robinson, Johnny Biscuit, Barta Heiner, Lynne Van Dam, Frank Gerrish, Scott Wilkinson.
 

Scenarist George Goodell, cooking up the story of a mad, amoral vixen who kills when cornered, has an admitted sense of character, a stretch-to-here imagination and a plot that collapses of its own improbable weight. But Goodell and director Mary Lambert have created a meller that will grab viewers despite the outrageous action.

Teenage artist Darcy (played resourcefully by Tracey Gold) cheats her vulgar-mouthed fiance (Don Harvey) out of dough, his paintings and their wedding jewelry when she takes off on her bizarre odyssey of lying, stealing and killing. After erasing innocent young thing Brianne (Mireille Enos) in a restroom, Darcy assumes her name and heads off to Brianne's college in her stead. (Goodell neatly packs away Brianne's body until the right time.)

Now enrolled in the exclusive girls school, Darcy is assigned gullible, generous and wealthy Jeanelle (Shawnee Smith in a lovely portrayal) as her roommate. Jeanelle's twice-widowered dad Russel (Perry King, stuck with an awkwardly plot-devised ponytail, but better than he's been in some time), melancholy, alone and stinking rich, proves a challenge. Darcy's up to it.

Those are the bare bones, and why anyone buys Darcy's stories is a stumbler. Gold does a capable job as the wanton, but no one could sell this character with such short takes. For example, to hide her identity when a counselor who knows the real Brianne is going to interview her, Darcy laces the counselor's eye drops with acid. C'mon now.

Other stretches are just as head-shaking, but Darcy plunges ahead with all the purposefulness of a bad seed offspring. How she's sidetracked is the gist of the program, but, of course, it's her methods in the meantime that are the telepic's draw -- and they're often too shaky or familiar to inspire belief.

Vidpic looks good, with Brian Cooper displaying superior camerawork in and about Salt Lake, and Sharyn L. Ross' editing setting a fast clip. Alfred Sole's location sites and production design are appropriate, and Chris Boardman's score offers help whenever it can.

Trouble is, "Face of Evil," right down to its title, is a shell game that's too easy for both characters and viewers to penetrate.

Camera, Brian Capener; editor, Sharyn L. Ross; production designer, Alfred Sole; sound, Joseph Melody; music, Chris Boardman; casting, Holly Powell.