Watched: 04/29/2026
Format: TCM
Viewing: First
Director: Francis Ford Coppola
The story Ben Mankiewicz and producer Roger Corman shared about why this movie exists sounds like a movie in itself.
Basically, while filming a motorsports movie in Europe, Corman was running severely *under* budget. With $20K left in in the bank, a crew and equipment available, and some time before they had to go home - he set his second unit director loose to go make something for $20K. That director? Francis Coppola.
This is Coppola's first movie, and it feels like something between a Gothic mystery - one of those books with women running away from a castle, or Turn of the Screw or some such, and a modern thriller (for 1963). For a first movie made on the cheap (the final total budget was $40K after selling the rights to the UK to bolster the budget) and written in a rush, and produced on-the-fly.
It has a stellar first 25 minutes or so, borrowing a wee bit from the structure of Psycho, but with the added bonus of being about a family dwelling in a castle in Ireland.
Seven years ago the only daughter died, drowning in the pond out back. The family has an annual ritual where they re-enact Kathleen's funeral and the mother collapses emotionally and physically. Every year.
This year, one of the sons has come home with an American wife, Louise (Luana Anders), who is just learning about the strangeness of the family - and that the mother (Eithne Dunne) plans to give the castle and fortune away to charity when she dies.
After a shocking opening to the film- establishing Louise's greed - we see her plan to manipulate the mother.
However, other things are afoot at the castle. One brooding brother and his American fiance. Another brother who seems fragile. And an off-kilter doctor who wants to solve the mystery.
SPOILERS
There's no real mystery to the mystery. It's clearly the fragile brother who picks up the axe, but it's also a really great movie right up until he gives Louise 40 whacks. Psycho's opening is great, but the pivot to the rest of the movie is mind-boggling. But the movie that follows the plot we think we're getting with Louise's scheme is less interesting and far more predictable.
But - on that budget? This is a pretty tight little movie and presages some of Coppola's ability to get a story across economically. It does not begin to hint at his best works. It's just a really good API release.
The cast is mostly unfamiliar - I had seen Luana Anders in a few things, but not as the scheming blonde like she is here. Again, when she disappears, the movie loses a gear both plotwise and from her energy.
Also, Mr. Coppola - there could have been so many twists, and this is a sprint to the obvious choice for the killer.
Anyway - worth a watch for the historical value, some creepy ideas included, and some great visuals.
No comments:
Post a Comment