''The Stranger Beside Me'' is a 1995 American

made-for-television A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie or TV film/movie, is a feature-length film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a television network, in contrast to theatrical films made fo ...

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super ...

directed by

Sandor Stern Sandor Stern (born July 13, 1936) is a Canadian writer, director and film producer best known for his horror films. Personal life Born in the northern Canadian town of Timmins, Ontario; raised in the small town of Prescott, Ontario, on the St. L ...

and starring Tiffani Amber Thiessen as a young newlywed who suspects her charming husband (

Eric Close Eric Randolph Close (born May 24, 1967) is an American actor, best known for his roles in television series, particularly as FBI agent Martin Fitzgerald in the CBS mystery drama ''Without a Trace'' (2002–2009) and Teddy Conrad in the ABC ...

) is not as charming or innocent as he seems. Though the film shares a title with a

book A book is a medium for recording information in the form of writing or images, typically composed of many pages (made of papyrus, parchment, vellum, or paper) bound together and protected by a cover. The technical term for this physi ...

about

Ted Bundy Theodore Robert Bundy (Name change, born Cowell; November 24, 1946 – January 24, 1989) was an American serial killer who kidnapped, raped and murdered numerous young women and girls during the 1970s and possibly earlier. After more th ...

(and the book's 2003 film adaptation), it is not based on that book nor inspired by the

serial killer A serial killer is typically a person who murders three or more persons,A * * * * with the murders taking place over more than a month and including a significant period of time between them. While most authorities set a threshold of three ...

Tagline

"It's what you don't know that can kill you."

Plot

Jennifer Morgan is a young painter, who has secluded herself from the world since being

rape Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse or other forms of sexual penetration carried out against a person without their consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority, or ...

d two years earlier. At a family party, she meets Chris Gallagher, who falls in love with her. She is reluctant to be intimate with him, but he convinces her to marry him, and she hopes to let go of her traumatic past. Shortly after the ceremony, Chris' 17-year-old cousin Dana warns Jennifer that she will not be happy with him, but Jennifer does not listen. Because Chris has recently joined the Navy, Jennifer agrees to move with him to the seaside, where she befriends Nancy Halloran. Shortly after, Gina Corbet, a neighbor, becomes the victim of a

peeping tom Lady Godiva (; died between 1066 and 1086), in Old English , was a late Anglo-Saxon noblewoman who is relatively well documented as the wife of Leofric, Earl of Mercia, and a patron of various churches and monasteries. Today, she is mainly re ...

, and is later raped by a masked man. Most of the women in the neighborhood leave in panic, but Chris dismisses the danger and convinces Jennifer that they are overreacting. Meanwhile, Chris' dark side is starting to emerge, and he becomes more violent, and possessive. Jennifer finds out that Chris has been released from his Navy duty after threatening to kill himself. When she confronts him, he accuses her of being a spy. The same night, he is arrested for

voyeurism Voyeurism is the sexual interest in or practice of watching other people engaged in intimate behaviors, such as undressing, sexual activity, or other actions of a private nature. The term comes from the French ''voir'' which means "to see". ...

. Chris pleads guilty to the charges, and agrees to a discharge from the Navy. Jennifer is devastated by this news, since she recently found out that she is pregnant. Regardless, she gives Chris another chance. They move back to their previous home, and for a while things take a turn for the better. Chris' temper soon returns, while a masked rapist, once again begins preying on women in the neighborhood. Following the birth of Jennifer's daughter, Dana tells Jennifer that Chris

molested Sexual abuse or sex abuse, also referred to as molestation, is abusive sexual behavior by one person upon another. It is often perpetrated using force or by taking advantage of another. Molestation often refers to an instance of sexual assau ...

her when she was a child. Jennifer starts to suspect his involvement in the rapes. She talks to a detective from California, who tells her that he had all the evidence but could not do anything because Chris was under the protection of a district attorney friend. Horrified at learning all of this, Jennifer decides to leave Chris. Chris, however, is unwilling to let her go, and he becomes abusive. Jennifer is rescued by two police officers led by Officer Kurtz, and presses charges against Chris. She drops the charges a few days later, when Chris convinces her that he will not be convicted, and threatens to harm her and their baby if she runs away. She befriends Officer Kurtz, who is convinced of Chris's guilt as the rapist and a domestic abuser, but is unable to take actions against him without proof. While posing as Chris's loving wife, Jennifer tries to collect evidence against him. She finds his weapons in his car, but by the time the police arrive, they have disappeared. After this happens, Chris becomes increasingly violent. One night, Jennifer follows Chris, when he suddenly leaves at a late hour. She catches him preparing to rape someone, and sabotages his car, and Jennifer warns Officer Kurtz. The police arrive in time to prevent the rape, and Chris' attempt to escape fails, leading to his arrest. He pleads guilty to four counts of aggravated sexual assault, and one count of sexual attempted assault, and is sentenced to 99 years in prison. Jennifer and her daughter continue to live in the Southwestern United States.

Cast

* Tiffani Amber Thiessen as Jennifer Gallagher *

as Chris Gallagher * Steven Eckholdt as Detective Bill Rounder *

Gerald McRaney Gerald Lee McRaney (born August 19, 1947) is an American television and film actor. McRaney is best known as one of the stars of the television shows '' Simon & Simon'', ''Major Dad'', ''Promised Land'' and '' House of Cards''. He currently stars ...

as Dave Morgan *

Alyson Hannigan Alyson Lee Hannigan (born March 24, 1974) is an American actress. After starting her career at age four with appearances in commercials, she moved to Hollywood at age 11 and soon got an agent. Hannigan began her film career with supporting ro ...

as Dana *

Casey Sander Clinton O. "Casey" Sander (born July 6, 1956) is an American actor known as the character "Captain" Jimmy Wennick on the short-lived TV series '' Tucker''. His television credits also include ''Criminal Minds'', ''The Golden Girls'', ''Grace Und ...

as Officer Kurtz *

Lorrie Morgan Loretta Lynn Morgan (born June 27, 1959) is an American country music singer and actress. She is the daughter of George Morgan, widow of Keith Whitley, and ex-wife of Jon Randall and Sammy Kershaw, all of whom are also country music singers. Mor ...

as Nancy Halloran *

Patrick Labyorteaux Patrick Francis Labyorteaux (born July 22, 1965) is an American actor, television producer and television writer. In many of his earlier credits, his last name is spelled as "Laborteaux". He is best known for his roles of Andrew "Andy" Garvey on ...

as Police Officer Lane * Suzanne Ventulett as Kim

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Stranger Beside Me, The 1995 television films 1995 films 1995 crime drama films American crime drama films Domestic violence in television Films about domestic violence Films about marriage Films directed by Sandor Stern Films scored by David Mansfield Lifetime (TV network) films Films about rape in the United States 1990s English-language films 1990s American films