An incisively directed and edited film, with good performances and design, and yet it doesn't quite work.
Why not? Because the Julie Harris character has just spent years suffering looking after her mother, and also feels guilty for not being there when she died. She wants something to happen to her. She thinks the house is either after her or for her. (How can she have any experience of psychic phenomena when she's been housebound for so long?) Nothing is resolved. And we feel the ending is somewhat fluffed.
But it's still an absorbing watch, largely because Robert Wise is so good as creating scenes. (He learned first from Orson Welles, then Val Lewton, let's not forget.)
The editor is Ernest Walter (The Mercenaries, The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes, Nicholas and Alexandra, Children of the Damned). Davis Boulton shot it (also Children of the Damned).
Of the cast, Claire Bloom is the most watchable. With Richard Johnson and Russ Tamblyn.
Amazing production design. We especially liked the door that bends in.
No comments:
Post a Comment