A Secret Affair (1999)

A Secret Affair (1999 film)

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A Secret Affair
Based on	A Secret Affair by Barbara Taylor Bradford
Screenplay by	Carole Real
Directed by	Bobby Roth
Starring	Janine Turner Fionnula Flanagan Paudge Behan
Music by	Stephen McKeon
Country of origin	United States
Original language(s)	English
Production
Executive producer(s)	Andrew Adelson Tracey Alexander Robert Bradford
Producer(s)	James Flynn Morgan O' Sullivan
Cinematography	Eric Van Haren Norman
Editor(s)	Armen Minasian
Running time	88 minutes
Production company(s)	Adelson Entertainment Tracey Alexander Productions
Distributor	Atlantic Film Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) Vanguard Cinema WOWOW
Release
Original network	CBS
Original release	October 27, 1999

A Secret Affair is a 1999 CBS TV-movie starring Janine Turner based on Barbara Taylor Bradford's novel of the same name.

Synopsis[edit]

Vanessa Stewart (Turner) has the soul of an artist, but her business tycoon father insists that she follow in his footsteps. As a result, Vanessa convinces herself that she wants to be a globetrotting executive, and also that she truly loves the man to whom she is engaged. But while in Venice on a business trip at the behest of her father, Vanessa meets and falls in love with adventurous Irish TV war correspondent Bill Fitzgerald (Behan). Deciding to kick over the traces, Vanessa is prepared to turn her back on her family obligations and plight her troth with Bill. But fate, as it often does, takes a hand in matters when Bill is reported killed during a dangerous combat assignment.

   
       

Synopsis forA Secret Affair (1999) (TV) More 

The story begins with Vanessa sculpting a clay model of a man with a true artist's inspiration and passion. Afterward, we find Vanessa, her fiancé, her mother and father all seated to a fine dinner in their wealthy estate. Her father makes a celebration speech on behalf of his daughter, who he deems, "my brilliant head of marketing." We discover that Vanessa is not an artist, but a part of the family business, Stewart's Quality Home Goods. Vanessa's father then makes the announcement that Vanessa is engaged to Stephen and warmly welcomes him into the family.

After the dinner, Vanessa's best friend, Mimi, surprises her with a lingerie of her design in preparation for the upcoming honeymoon. She hints to Vanessa that she might be making a mistake to marry Stephen, suspecting that her friend is not truly in love with him. After this conversation, Vanessa's mother starts to plan wedding details when Mimi mentions how lucky Vanessa is to go to Venice this year. Vanessa's father interrupts to tell her that Venice will not happen this year because Vanessa is needed for a presentation with the business investors. He suggests that someone else can go to Venice and look for unique artifacts for the store. Vanessa objects and declares that she always goes to look for new artifacts and that she does not like the direction the store has been moving in lately. Her father is angered by her opinion and insists that he needs her close by.

We find Vanessa next in Venice on boat leading her toward shore. Misunderstanding the specific route she is on, she tries to speak with one of the men aboard but he cannot understand her English. Bill steps in to explain where her next stop is, and becomes enamored of her instantly. She tries to resist his obvious interest in her, but eventually he finds her at a restaurant the next day. He is a television reporter from Ireland and like her, he is only in Venice for the next couple of days. Over the next couple of days, he introduces her to a world full of passion, spontaneity and unpredictability and she begins to realize that her life is not what she had wanted for herself. When the short visit comes to an end, Vanessa tells Bill that she has obligations at home and while she would love to keep seeing him, she feels guilty about lying to her fiancé. She begs him not to ask to keep in contact and they part with heavy hearts.

When she arrives home, Mimi senses a change in Vanessa and eventually the entire truth comes out. Mimi is excited for her friend and encourages Vanessa to "compare and contrast" between Stephen and Bill. When Stephen reveals to Vanessa that a townhouse they had been previously looking at was on sale and in their price range, Vanessa asks him whether or not he ever felt trapped by all the ingrained plans that seemed to be made for them. Stephen doesn't understand her and says everything is perfectly aligned for them. Vanessa asks him to elope and he responds that their parents would kill them.

The next day, Vanessa, her father and her Stephen are all at a meeting and Vanessa is becoming irritated with her father's obvious interest in expanding the store because she feels he is forgetting the quality of the products they wish to sell. He dismisses most of her concerns. Vanessa then receives a phone call from Bill. He begs her to come to Dublin for the weekend because he has to see her. When she refuses, he reminds her that she experienced a new kind of life with him and that he knows she wants more of that life. He tells her he is sending her the plane tickets, so she can't say no. Vanessa, lying to Stephen by saying that Mimi's sister is sick in Florida, flies to Dublin and meets Bill in his home. Bill takes Vanessa to meet his daughter, Lena. They drive out to the countryside where Lena is staying with Bill's mother. Lena and Vanessa are taken with each other right away, but Bill's mother is suspicious, especially when Lena remarks on Vanessa's pretty engagement ring. Bill reveals privately to his mother that he cares for Vanessa very much and that the next time she sees Vanessa, she won't be wearing it again. Later, Bill confesses that he has never felt this way about anyone since the passing of his wife eight years ago and tells Vanessa he loves her. She loves him too, and he asks her to meet him in Venice again in a few days.

Once at home, Vanessa calls off the wedding with Stephen, who reacts angrily to her decision. She asks for time off from the business. Then, she witnesses on television some men shooting Bill and robbing him in a foreign country. Distraught, she calls Bill's mother and the two of them travel to this country. They meet up with an official who tells them that it is possible the men who shot Bill will hold him for ransom. Vanessa and Bill's mother hold onto this hope for a couple of weeks until they receive news that a body burnt beyond recognition was found in a church with Bill's wallet and ring alongside it. Fearing the worst, they accept that it was Bill and try to move on with their lives.

Vanessa, Lena and Bill's mother all form a strong bond and try to cope with Bill's "death." Vanessa tells Lena that her father is in heaven with her mother and that he will always be in their hearts. Meanwhile, Vanessa and Bill's mother try to find Bill's body. However, details of his whereabouts are not being released. Stephen comes to Ireland to try and bring Vanessa back home and to apologize, but she explains that her life now is what she always wanted, even in the midst of losing Bill. She reassures him that had she not met Bill in the first place, their marriage would not have been a happy one because they would have married for the wrong reasons.

One day, Lena begs Vanessa to go and see the horses on their property, Bill's favorite spot. Lena rushes ahead of Vanessa and Bill's mother and shouts, "Daddy!" Vanessa rushes ahead and sees Bill waiting for them by the horses. He explains that officials wanted to keep him for debriefing, but he insisted on being flown back home to his family.

The last scene takes place in Venice. Bill and Vanessa are once again lost on the streets like during their first encounter and Bill asks Vanessa if she would like to be lost with him forever. She accepts and they share a kiss.

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