Name: The Corpse Had a Familiar Face
Director: Joyce Chopra
Genre: TV Movie, Crime
Released: 1994-03-27
Duration: 120 min
Rating: 4.7
Cast: Elizabeth Montgomery, Dennis Farina, Yaphet Kotto, Audra Lindley, Branscombe Richmond

Bewitched's Elizabeth Montgomery solves murders in Miami? Now THAT'S a spell I want to see cast.

90s TV pulpjournalist noirMiami heat

Overview

TV Movie Crime

The Corpse had a Familiar Face is a 1994 American TV-Movie with Elizabeth Montgomery, playing Edna Buchanan, a Miami's criminal journalist.

Content warning

murder woman director

Standout Aspects

Acting

Montgomery's final role—she's magnetic, weary, completely unglamorous.

Direction

Joyce Chopra brings female gaze to crime procedurals before it was cool.

Best for:Solo·Rewatch

Heads up:Violence

Director

Joyce Chopra

ReleasedMar 27, 1994

Runtime2h

StatusReleased

Vibe

Pacesteady

Intensitymedium

Tonemixed

Feelmedium

Top Cast

Elizabeth Montgomery

Edna Buchanan

Dennis Farina

Detective Harry Lindstrom

Yaphet Kotto

Detective Martin Talbot

Audra Lindley

Monica/Edna's mother

Branscombe Richmond

Rodriguez

David Spielberg

George

Lee Horsley

Ben Nicholson

Matthew Posey

Sam

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Deep Dive

Trivia, insights & behind the scenes

Trivia

This was Elizabeth Montgomery's final performance; she died of cancer eight months after filming wrapped, making her weary, driven portrayal unintentionally haunting.

Cultural

Real Edna Buchanan was a Miami Herald legend who won a Pulitzer in 1986; she reportedly found Montgomery 'too elegant' for her own rough-around-the-edges persona.