Hanging Heart

Denny is a struggling stage actor in Los Angeles who works with an experimental theater group. Elliot Scott, a wealthy attorney, is smitten with Denny and offers him a place to stay and lavish gifts. Denny accepts the support but refuses the expensive car that Elliot offers.

After Denny and his girlfriend Cathy have sex in the theater, a cloaked figure wearing a black wig strangles Cathy to death. The murder shocks the theater community and immediately casts suspicion on Denny. The case begins its slow, troubling arc toward a frame-up.

Denny is arrested and booked in the local jail for Cathy's murder. Joanne recasts Denny's role in their forthcoming play, giving the part to the ambitious but drug-addicted Richard. The cast's fortunes shift from art to accusation as the courtroom drama begins.

Elliot agrees to defend Denny as his attorney and posts bail for his release. The arrangement makes Elliot both ally and potential guardian, as Denny prepares for trial. The device of money and protection adds a layer of complexity to the case.

During a recess of the trial, Denny experiences unsettling dreams in which Elliot makes sexual advances toward him in the shower. The dreams blur the line between professional alliance and personal manipulation. These visions hint at a deeper, traumatic past that may influence the case.

Joanne finds Denny in the theater wearing a black wig, appearing catatonic after the earlier tension. The two have sex, and immediately afterwards Joanne is strangled to death in the same manner as Cathy. The killer's pattern establishes a chilling link between the two murders.

Joanne's murder is attributed to Denny, and he is incarcerated in a psychiatric hospital. The case grows increasingly unstable as mental health records are scrutinized. Prosecutors push for a conviction while the defense raises questions about Denny's memories.

In therapy sessions, Denny experiences flashbacks of sexual abuse by his stepfather and the unresolved death of his mother. A psychiatrist testifies on Denny's behalf in court, complicating the prosecution's narrative. The judge grants bail again, with Elliot paying to secure his release.

Julie, a friend and fellow actor who moonlights as an escort, expresses empathy for Denny's plight. Detective McGill observes Julie's sympathy in a local bar and becomes convinced that Denny is being framed. The tension between personal loyalty and professional investigation grows.

That night, Richard breaks into Julie's home and threatens her, escalating the danger surrounding the case. Julie remains a crucial witness who could implicate or protect others. The threat raises the stakes for everyone involved.

On a critical day of the trial, Denny runs late to the courthouse and is struck by a car, an incident witnessed by Julie. He is hospitalized, and Julie tends to him, forming a romantic bond as he recovers. The accident injects a new wave of uncertainty into the trial.

After he recovers, Denny learns that the car accident was orchestrated by Detective McGill, with Julie's reluctant help due to blackmail over her escorting. The revelation links the police to the conspiracy, further undermining the integrity of the investigation. Denny's resolve to uncover the truth grows as he pieces together the web surrounding him.

Richard attacks Julie at the local bar; Denny intervenes to defend her. A tense confrontation ensues, and Elliot arrives to stop Denny from escalating the fight. The confrontation pushes Denny and Julie toward the theater as the truth about the killer begins to surface.

Denny and Julie flee to the theater; Julie is attacked by a disguised assailant. Denny stops the attacker, who is revealed to be Elliot, the man who has been pursuing him. Elliot is arrested, ending his murderous spree against Denny's partners.