Trick of the Eye (also known as Primal Secrets) is a 1994 American made-for-television psychological thriller film starring Ellen Burstyn and Meg Tilly. Directed by Ed Kaplan, it is based on the 1992 novel of the same name by Jane Stanton Hitchcock. The film originally premiered on CBS as a presentation of CBS Sunday Afternoon Showcase on October 23, 1994.

Trick of the Eye
Genre
  • Mystery
  • Thriller
Based onTrick of the Eye
by Jane Stanton Hitchcock
Written byJohn Gay
Ken and Jim Wheat
Directed byEd Kaplan
StarringEllen Burstyn
Meg Tilly
Barnard Hughes
Paxton Whitehead
Alastair Duncan
Music byAllyn Ferguson
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
Production
Executive producerRichard Welsh
ProducersDavid A. Rosemont
Brent Shields
Production locationPasadena, California
CinematographyShelly Johnson
EditorSabrina Plisco-Morris
Running time95 minutes
Production companiesSignboard Hill Productions
Hallmark Entertainment
Original release
NetworkCBS
ReleaseOctober 23, 1994 (1994-10-23)

Plot

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Faith Crowell (Meg Tilly) is a struggling bohemian artist who is commissioned to paint a mural for wealthy, reclusive socialite widow Frances Griffin (Ellen Burstyn). Frances wants Faith to paint murals all over the ornate walls of the abandoned ballroom of her ostentatious 211-acre estate. The theme of the mural is to be the grand entrance of Frances' daughter Cassandra at her debutante ball, which also happens to be the night Cassandra mysteriously died.

Faith soon begins receiving expensive gifts from Frances, which she enjoys but doesn't understand why. Before long, Faith starts picking up on several uncanny resemblances between herself and the dead Cassandra. Eventually, she is invited to live in Frances' mansion until the mural is complete, and she discovers a painting of Cassandra and sees the haunting resemblance.

Cast

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Production

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Trick of the Eye was shot from August 8 to August 31, 1994 at Huntington Library in Pasadena, California.

Home video releases

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In July 1995, the film was released under the alternative title Primal Secrets on VHS and LaserDisc by Hallmark Home Entertainment and Image Entertainment.

On January 25, 2010, it was released as Primal Secrets on DVD by Echo Bridge Home Entertainment.

References

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  1. Trick of the Eye: Miscellaneous Notes at TCM (1994).
  2. Picks and Pans Review: Trick of the Eye by People magazine (October 24, 1994).
  3. Trick of the Eye/Primal Secrets at LaserDisc Database (1995)
  4. Trick of the Eye/Primal Secrets at Amazon
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