I read the book and its great. You actually don't realize until they are looking for the killer that you yourself have no idea who he is. A little awkward to pull off in the movie, but although I read the book 2-3 times and saw the newer version, I didn't realize until my 3rd viewing of this movie that the 2nd sister is talking to him on the phone poolside.
Anyway, I thought this movie was awful with awful forewarning music that was too loud and over obvious and awful, stiff acting from everyone. Pauses were too long and scenes that were intended to set up forthcoming action or for exposition took to damned long. Also there were strange interruptions. For example when the sister is in the alley and that woman pulls up the shades and yells at her then quickly pulls them down. That was right out of a stupid amusement park house of horrors get-up. Another that comes to mind is when the sister and that stupid guy, Gordon, with the awful props (thick glasses and a pipe that was never lit - obviously to connnote that he's brillant) are sitting in some lobby and discussing the contents of Dorey's purse and this woman cuts right in between them in this awful "summer" get up - long, long pauses - at one point he pauses, gets up walks over to a garbage can, emptys his pipe - and we are all still awaiting to see what happens next - I thought he was going to say something profound - and, nothing. Another one is when, the sister is getting the address of one of Dorey's ex-boyfriend and the clerk while talking gives this weird little stifled cough. I am assuming it was not part of the script and the director should have yelled "cut!" and reshot the scene or at least edited out the cough.
Everything was shouted out or broadcast at the audience. Whether in conversation or exposition. The college professor exits the chem lab and then pauses lifts up the tube and "studies" it. Why? We know he came out of the lab. Back and forth conversation sounded like two kids in their first high school play. I like old movies and can take the corny, but this was just too awful and obviously made during the "jazzy" era of the fifties. And what about that awful line "Love conquers all." (when Bud leans over the car at the beginning after getting Dorey something for her stomach). It was so corny. Everytime he was trying to be romantic or hitting on someone, his lines were corny and stale. Obviously, the actors were new in their careers and couldn't tell the screenwriter give me better lines for christsakes. By the time Bud shoves poor Dorey off the building, I wanted to shove her. As played by Joanne Woodward she was annoying. When she walked into class after Bud gave her the poison, I felt his pain. Now that was real.
Watching this, I wondered how Joanne Woodward's and Robert Wagner had careers.
And about that fall down the bleachers. I am watching that right now and he does not push her. I believe this scene was setup to show how he may have gotten the idea to throw her off the top of the building (and BTW shouldn't people have looked up and seen him digging around in her purse afterward? ) Didn't anyone react to a body falling of a building? She sure screamed loud enough. Also the bleacher scene is when Gorden sees him and then connects later that he knows who he is. But I agree with the writer. She rolls down the bleachers better than any stuntperson could do it and jumps and says, oh its alright (wha???). The scene does let you see the evil on Bud's face though.
In the book, Bud goes on a tour inside the smelting plant. The father confronts him while they are out on a platform over a huge vat. He pees himself and falls in. Also there are 3 sisters and he kills two and is working on the 3rd homely sister when he is finely figured out. Sorry this is so long, but I've been watching this movie this weekend. I was on here to see who the godawful director was and see if he did any other movies and they got better or were still awful. Its a great story but the screenwriter and director should be shot.
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pt100
12 years ago
I'm not sure what you meant by this:
"She rolls down the bleachers better than any stuntperson could do it and jumps and says, oh its alright (wha???)."
That almost certainly *was* a stunt person: they never show her face when she's rolling down the bleachers; and it's very unlikely that they would ever let Joanne Woodward do that stunt. For all we know, the stunt person did get a bit banged up; but it comes w/the job.
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