The flashback is a staple of the biopic genre, often introduced by an awkward segue, wavy lines or  a reflective star on the brink of a comeback. Haywire employs none of these methods, presenting them without forewarning, and only occasionally linking them to the subject at hand. It’s a bold move, and one that may have worked were they not accompanied by impassive performances in three crucial roles.

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Aired over two nights, the first part of this biopic begins with the death of actress Margaret Sullavan. As her three adult children and ex-husband reunite for her funeral, old wounds are opened up. Sisters Brooke and Brigid bicker over each other's relationship with their mother, while brother Bill clashes with his father, producer Leland Hayward. The dysfunction on display is juxtaposed with scenes of happier times, when the most exciting place on earth was wherever mother was. The second half takes place eleven years later in the ailing Leland’s hospital room. Noticeable in her absence is the troubled Brigid.

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Despite the sad outcome for many of this family’s members, there are no villains in this piece. Produced by Bill Hayward and based on his sister’s best-selling memoir, its refreshing to have the recollections of a star's child strive for balance. Yet its thrown off-kilter by the remoteness effected by Deborah Raffin, Dianne Hull and Hart Bochner. In contrast, Lee Remick and Jason Robards rise above the material, rendering believable characters adrift in a daytime soap opera.

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The result is a well-intentioned bore beset by a sense of detachment both on and off the screen.