Greetings my cinema-enthused good citizens of Winchester!

Integrity is doing the right thing even when no one is looking.

This value requires an individual to police one’s actions and reactions in a given situation. It requires strength, sacrifice and a well-calibrated moral compass to ensure we use it in the toughest situations, so we do not manipulate another person or situation for our own personal gain.

Temptation to lie comes easily when put into a situation where we are wrong or when dealing with a person that appears to be vulnerable.

Lies are rooted in most acts of wrongdoing and this deception is indeed tragic as it betrays the victim’s confidence in others while exposing the liar as a character of ill repute.

The act of deceiving others through a dark web of lies is the subject of today’s feature, “The Good Liar.”

Roy Courtney  (Ian “Apt Pupil” McKellen) is a career con man who sets his sights on a new mark: the recently-widowed millionaire with a medical condition, Betty McLeish, portrayed by Helen “Catherine the Great” Mirren.

Roy is a master of deception aided in the wings by his partner Vincent (Jim “Downton Abbey” Carter) in gaining the trust of Betty, who allows the convincing Roy access to her home and financials.

Betty grows to trust Roy more by the minute and her attraction deepens because of Roy’s genuine interest in her as this high-stake swindle grows more tense only to be challenged by her grandson Steven (Russell “Doctor Who” Tovey).

“The Good Liar” was adapted for the silver screen by writer Jeffrey “The Duchess” Hatcher and directed by Bill “Gods and Monsters” Condon from the Nicolas Searle novel of the same title.

“Liar” is a solid cat and mouse Hitchcockian fare that showcases the solid talents of McKellen and Mirren. This suspenseful thriller addresses the notion everyone lies, and we are all keeping secrets to some extent.

Filmed in London and Berlin, it is a well-shot and paced film reminiscent of the World War II and post-war thrillers that were the norm in 1940s and 1950s cinema. While viewing, you can visualize Cary Grant and Grace Kelly playing the leads.

It’s not a classic by any means, but still an effective cautionary tale.

It is apparent on the screen  the legendary leads had a fun time playing off each other in this yarn.

If you are in the mood for other movies about lying, “The Good Lie” (2014), “An Honest Liar” (2015) aren’t bad, but check out “Liar Liar” (1997) and “Jakob the Liar” (1999).

Little white lies are still lies and are detrimental in the long run. A lie effects all those involved and is a disruption of trust, communication and overall harmony.

We all know the destructive power of a lie, so tell the truth and be accountable for your actions and character all the while tweaking your skills of perception so you do not become a mark for a liar, con or scam.

Have an integrity-fueled film-tastic day! 

Rick Baldwin is a writer, filmmaker and film/music historian. He is president of the Winchester-Clark County Film Society. Find more from Rick on Facebook. He is on Twitter @rickbaldwin79  and can be reached by email at rickbaldwiniii@hotmail.com.