Serena is one of those films that, once all is revealed at the end, it is quite difficult to reconstruct coherently. True, there is a twist in the tail, but I think it creates contradictions in the plot. Let's tell the story with the benefit of hindsight.
Howard and his lover, Serena, want to murder his wealthy estranged wife, Ann. On the day of the murder they drive a long way from Ann's home to shoot pigeons, and there is witness to this.At some point, Serena sneaks off in Howard's car, drives to Ann's house and shoots her in the face, and drives back. Later, Howard tells the police that the dead body is not Ann, because there is a birth mark missing - her face is damaged beyond recognition. Then, Serena changes her appearance, and re-emerges as Ann, inventing (for the police) an old friend, Claire, who was staying at the cottage with her on the day of the shooting, who looked a bit like Ann, and was wearing Ann's clothes (don't ask). 'Ann' also invents a mysterious woman in a green coat who has been following her recently, and this woman matches the description of the now missing Serena. So, the police theory now is that Serena tried to murder Ann, killed Claire by mistake, and may make another attempt on Ann's life. They stay on the wrong scent until a wig fragment provides the clue that foils the plot.
So, the plan seems to be that Serena will continue to impersonate Ann until she gets access to Ann's fortune. This would rely on 'Ann' meeting no-one who knew the real Ann, and this is surely a bit of a long shot? And surely there are photos of the real Ann at her home, which the police would find? Why not just kill Ann, without defacing her - wouldn't Howard just inherit the money as her next of kin? Also, when Howard and Serena/Ann are alone together, they continue to talk and behave as potential murder victim and concerned husband - they don't need to do this when no-one else is around, and would have quite different conversations. And, at the end, 'Ann' goes to a Catholic church (Ann was Catholic) - why does she do this, she doesn't know she's being followed? One other little thing - when the police want 'Ann's' alibi for the time of the shooting, she shows them receipts from London shops, which seem to satisfy them that she was elsewhere: how's that explained?
It's a short and sweet way to spend an hour, just a bit too tricksy for my liking.
Howard and his lover, Serena, want to murder his wealthy estranged wife, Ann. On the day of the murder they drive a long way from Ann's home to shoot pigeons, and there is witness to this.At some point, Serena sneaks off in Howard's car, drives to Ann's house and shoots her in the face, and drives back. Later, Howard tells the police that the dead body is not Ann, because there is a birth mark missing - her face is damaged beyond recognition. Then, Serena changes her appearance, and re-emerges as Ann, inventing (for the police) an old friend, Claire, who was staying at the cottage with her on the day of the shooting, who looked a bit like Ann, and was wearing Ann's clothes (don't ask). 'Ann' also invents a mysterious woman in a green coat who has been following her recently, and this woman matches the description of the now missing Serena. So, the police theory now is that Serena tried to murder Ann, killed Claire by mistake, and may make another attempt on Ann's life. They stay on the wrong scent until a wig fragment provides the clue that foils the plot.
So, the plan seems to be that Serena will continue to impersonate Ann until she gets access to Ann's fortune. This would rely on 'Ann' meeting no-one who knew the real Ann, and this is surely a bit of a long shot? And surely there are photos of the real Ann at her home, which the police would find? Why not just kill Ann, without defacing her - wouldn't Howard just inherit the money as her next of kin? Also, when Howard and Serena/Ann are alone together, they continue to talk and behave as potential murder victim and concerned husband - they don't need to do this when no-one else is around, and would have quite different conversations. And, at the end, 'Ann' goes to a Catholic church (Ann was Catholic) - why does she do this, she doesn't know she's being followed? One other little thing - when the police want 'Ann's' alibi for the time of the shooting, she shows them receipts from London shops, which seem to satisfy them that she was elsewhere: how's that explained?
It's a short and sweet way to spend an hour, just a bit too tricksy for my liking.