Love her or hate her, you have to admit that any news about real estate mogul Leona Helsmey is fascinating. The TV movie stars Suzanne Pleshette in rare form as the somewhat charming, yet hard as nails Leona. While Leona herself declared this telling as a "fairy tale", Pleshette plays her as very human and believable person. Those who hate her might reconsider their feelings, feeling sorry for her in spite of the cruel things she does. While Pleshette does not 100 percent resemble Leona (she is much prettier and younger looking than the real Ice Princess), she completely takes on the persona, separating her from the character she played for years on "The Bob Newhart Show". Lloyd Bridges, as Harry Helmsley, escapes any comparison to the bumbling characters he played in the "Airplane" and "Hot Shots" movies.
Told in flashback as Leona contemplates her fate before the verdict of her trial is heard, the story covers 30 years of Leona's life, from her divorce of her first husband (father of her son), through a short-lived second marriage which she would deny out of resentment, to her meeting Harry Helmsley, and rise to the top of the New York real estate world. Pleshette deservedly was nominated for an Emmy Award. The supporting cast is great as well, from Joe Regaibuto ("Murphy Brown") who plays Leona's wise-cracking best friend (and knowingly accepts all her faults) to the actress who played the designer of the hotel and pays dearly for upstaging "the queen". Even the non-speaking part of the maid who overheard Leona say "Only Little People Pay Taxes" is well played as the actress glares at Leona with contempt.
This makes me curious of the woman behind the legendary mogul who may have not been the nicest of powerful female business executives and others involved here, including Harry's diminutive first wife, Eve. There are plenty of moments of bitchy humor, most from Pleshette and that fabulous voice, and even some towards her. Leona herself should feel flattered by the often heartbreaking way she was portrayed and how much of a glow Pleshette adds to her public image. Available on video (but possibly hard to find), this is a film worth seeing. Those who despise TV movies will have a hard time finding fault with this one.'
Told in flashback as Leona contemplates her fate before the verdict of her trial is heard, the story covers 30 years of Leona's life, from her divorce of her first husband (father of her son), through a short-lived second marriage which she would deny out of resentment, to her meeting Harry Helmsley, and rise to the top of the New York real estate world. Pleshette deservedly was nominated for an Emmy Award. The supporting cast is great as well, from Joe Regaibuto ("Murphy Brown") who plays Leona's wise-cracking best friend (and knowingly accepts all her faults) to the actress who played the designer of the hotel and pays dearly for upstaging "the queen". Even the non-speaking part of the maid who overheard Leona say "Only Little People Pay Taxes" is well played as the actress glares at Leona with contempt.
This makes me curious of the woman behind the legendary mogul who may have not been the nicest of powerful female business executives and others involved here, including Harry's diminutive first wife, Eve. There are plenty of moments of bitchy humor, most from Pleshette and that fabulous voice, and even some towards her. Leona herself should feel flattered by the often heartbreaking way she was portrayed and how much of a glow Pleshette adds to her public image. Available on video (but possibly hard to find), this is a film worth seeing. Those who despise TV movies will have a hard time finding fault with this one.'