"A Father's Secret" (a.k.a., "Hunt for Truth") is one of those experiences that movie lovers call "guilty pleasures." The film is so contrived and so excessive in its bathos that it turns into a fun viewing experience to wait for the twists.
The focal point of the story is attorney Carrie Evans' relationship to her boss, the powerful head of a prestigious law firm and senatorial candidate, Caswell Foxx. There are so many improbable occurrences in this film that it is actually easy to swallow the revelation that Caswell is the secret father of Carrie, having paid off her mother, a woman from the wrong side of the tracks for the snooty Caswell.
One of the most outrageous scenes in the film is when Damon Evans, the supposed father of Carrie, makes a confession in the hospital after he fell down a set of stairs. Damon opens up to Carrie about her mother, Jacquelin, and the man who sired her, Caswell Foxx. It is remarkable that the actors were able to keep a straight face while the sentiment was dripping during this scene.
In the homestretch of the film, the action is so wild that it turns into a cascade of clichés. One of the most memorable lines is when Caswell and Carrie are having a violent confrontation after Carrie disrupted Caswell's campaign speech. In a violent outburst, Caswell cries, "You're just like your mother!" Those were probably the most truthful words spoken in this over-the-top melodrama.
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