Intrigo: Dear Agnes

About the movie

Agnes and Henny, a college literature professor and once aspiring actress respectively, were once the closest of friends, they practically inseparable for a year in their young adulthood, until they had a falling out. They have not seen each other in over ten years, not knowing the intimate details of the other's present life, until they see each other from afar at the funeral of Agnes' husband, Erich Neuman-Hansen, who passed after suffering from leukemia. Henny's presence at the funeral is not by chance as she is seemingly aware of Agnes' predicament following Erich's passing. He has left half his estate to her, and half to his young adult stepchildren, Thomas and Carla, that estate including her and Erich's house, long having been in the Neuman-Hansen family, whereas Agnes thought the house would be placed in trust under her name. Thomas, never having trusted Agnes, has convinced Carla to take their half share now, meaning that they as a collective will have to sell the property as Agnes does not have the funds to buy out her stepchildren. Wealthy Henny's proposition to her old friend, the idea from the old movie Strangers on a Train (1951): Agnes is to kill Henny's self-absorbed husband, Peter Grossman, a theater producer, while Henny, in return, would provide Agnes with the necessary funds, no matter the amount, for her to buy Thomas and Carla's half to allow her to stay in the house. Despite the reasons beyond no longer loving Peter in wanting him dead, Henny has been unable to pull the proverbial trigger herself. The primary question then becomes if there are underlying motivations for Henny asking Agnes to kill Peter or Agnes' decision on the matter that may relate to the reason for their falling out over ten years ago.—Huggo