The Girl Most Likely To... (1973)

This darkly humorous gem of a t.v. movie is as funny and inventive as its big-screen cousins. The script is packed with the kind of verbal zingers one might expect from a screenplay co-written by Joan Rivers but it also offers a cleverly-plotted scenario that sends up thrillers and romantic melodramas with equal aplomb. Equally important to the success of the film is a strong performance from Stockard Channing as the vengeful heroine: she earns the audience's sympathy without overplaying the dramatic elements, fires off punchlines with precise comic timing and does an excellent job interpreting the many different personas her character's revenge scenario requires. Channing's efforts are bolstered nicely by a strong supporting cast, including a hilarious turn by Warren Berlinger as the heroine's casually cruel fiancée and amusingly deadpan performance from Ed Asner as the cop investigating the murders. Last but not least, The Girl Most Likely To's appeal is sealed by brisk direction from t.v. veteran Lee Philips, who packs the story's many twists and turns in a brisk but never rushed 73 minutes. In short, The Girl Most Likely To is a gem of the t.v. movie format and worthy of rediscovery by fans of offbeat comedies. ~ Donald Guarisco, All Movie Guide