Deceptions (1985)

Twin sisters (both roles played by Stefanie Powers, which was 100% my reason for watching this movie) — one a European jet-setter, the other a housewife in need of adventure — decide to swap lives and identities for a week. What could go wrong? Oh, you know. Everything.

Made while Powers was on Hart to Hart — and also starring in three miniseries all at the same time — this movie was based on the best-selling novel by Judith Michael.

Originally airing on the NBC network, this movie has a blockbuster cast, with Barry Bostwick as the U.S. based husband. And look out! That’s Fabio Testi, who you may remember from What Have You Done to Solange?Contraband and The Four of the Apocalypse, as the European beau to Powers.

While the American hausfrau is shaking her tailfeather to the smitten Testi on a yacht — to the Pointer Sisters’ “I’m So Excited,” years before that ditty reduced Jessie Spano to tears — the boat blows up real good, making this movie less about allowing your twin sister to have Biblical knowledge of your hubs and more about murder, baby. And if anyone knows murder in 1985 prime time, Stephanie Powers is the lady for the job.

So yeah. Barry Bostwick reacts to this news by realizing that he’s really in love with the rich girl sister because sex is dirty when it’s a secret and this never really gets explored and man, who doesn’t love run-on sentences?

Toss in Gina Lollobrigida, Brenda Vaccaro, a young Fairuza Balk and a pre-Ben Seaver Jeremy Miller and you have a cast ready for a paperback that ladies bring to the beach back when people still read trashy novels.

You can watch this on Amazon Prime.

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