Dolores Claiborne (DVD, 1998)

Kathy Bates establishes herself as one of the finest character actors in a Stephen King melodrama of the late 20th century in this Taylor Hackford directed film about Dolores Claiborne (Bates); abused widow of a father molested daughter (Jennifer Jason Leigh).

Dolores (Bates) works as a do-it-all-housemaid for a socialite widow who, now elderly, dies after falling down the stairs. Claiborne is caught holding a heavy rolling pin over her body and accused of murdering her mistress since she surprisingly left all of her estate to Dolores, way unbeknownst to Dolores.

18 years prior, Claiborne's pedophile, wife abusing, alcoholic husband was found dead in their home's well. The molested daughter blamed Dolores for her dad's death. Christopher Plummer plays the detective who is after Dolores, in the past and in the present, who makes me detest him. Back when her husband was found dead, Plummer was suspicious of the new widow; this time, when the socialite widow dies he is going after Claiborne for murder for money.

Stephen King wrote the novel that travels back and forth from the past to the present. As usual, there is a twist in the end that King's story reveals through another brilliant performance by Bates. Bates and Leigh together are a mother-daughter match to compete with on the screen.