Monday, 30 June 2014

Family Plot (1976 Alfred Hitchcock)

Immediately gripping but bizarre plot follows two independent storylines involving medium and taxi-driving boyfriend (the great Barbara Harris and Bruce Dern) and kidnappers William Devane and Karen Black.

Film is one of his light-hearted and frothy affairs with a splendid but funny automobile incident in the vein of NBNW and a true Hitchcock moment when a priest enters a cafe with his five young study group charges, only to be joined a minute later by a stunning brunette... And a gripping finale.

Story derives from Victor Canning's The Rainbird Pattern via Ernest Lehman (one of his last). The music's by John Williams (using a synthesizer for colour) and shot by Leonard South.

The film's last shot - and thus Hitchcock's last moment to audience - is Harris winking to us about the con she's just played: I found that extremely fitting.




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