- Source: Torso: The Evelyn Dick Story
Torso: The Evelyn Dick Story is a 2002 Canadian made-for-television crime thriller film directed by Alex Chapple and starring Kathleen Robertson. It is based on the 1946/1947 murder trial of Evelyn Dick that remains a lurid murder case in Canadian history. After children find only the torso of her missing husband, John, Evelyn is arrested for his murder. The film was originally scheduled to be aired on September 11, 2001, but was delayed until March 18, 2002 due to the terrorist attacks on the original air date.
Plot summary
In 1940s Hamilton, Ontario, after her husband's corpse is discovered in the woods without its head or limbs, beautiful would-be socialite Evelyn Dick (Kathleen Robertson) is arrested by Canadian police for the murder. Her ever-changing jailhouse testimony leads Inspector Woods (Callum Keith Rennie) in various directions as the devoted detective tries to piece together a coherent chain of events and motives. But once Dick's manipulative mother (Brenda Fricker) is implicated in the scheme, Dick's story changes again, this time with twist that leads to a tragic denouement. Her future in grave danger—her sentence could be death by hanging—Dick hires attorney J.J. Robinette (Victor Garber) for one last attempt at freedom.
Cast
Kathleen Robertson as Evelyn Dick. Robertson was nominated for a Gemini Award for her performance in the film.
Victor Garber as J.J. Robinette
Brenda Fricker as Alexandra MacLean
Callum Keith Rennie as Inspector Wood
Ken James as Donald MacLean
Jonathan Potts as Detective Sgt. Preston
Jim Boeven as John Dick
Joseph Scoren as Bill Bohozuk
Bruce Gray as Third Trial Judge
Gerry Quigley as Willy Landeg
Joan Gregson as Prison Matron
Hannah Lochner as Heather Dick
David Gardner as Bohozuk's Lawyer
William Pappas as First Trial Judge
Bruce Clayton as Evelyn's Lawyer