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Play Misty for Me (1971)

Director:
Clint Eastwood
COUNTRY
USA
GENRE
Thriller
NORWEGIAN TITLE
Misty – mørkets melodi
RUNNING TIME
102 minutes
Producer:
Robert Daley
Screenwriter:
Jo Heims
Dean Riesner


Cast includes:

CHARACTER ACTOR/ACTRESS RATING
Dave Garver Clint Eastwood
Evelyn Draper Jessica Walter
Tobie Williams Donna Mills ½
Sgt. McCallum John Larch ½
Frank Jack Ging
Madge Irene Hervey
Al Monte James McEachin

 

Review

The same year that Clint Eastwood had to deal with a crazy Andy Robinson in Dirty Harry, he also had to tackle Jessica Walter in this taut and well-made chiller of semi-hitchcockian proportions. This was incidentally also Eastwood's debut in the director's chair, and he displays the economical, propulsive directorial style that he later would become well known for. The thriller elements are portrayed with a fair bit of psychological depth and understanding, something which was make or break for whether the Evelyn Draper character would work on a deeper level than within the realms of the genre. This is both Eastwood's and Walter's merit, the latter giving a performance which is wholehearted if nothing else, and she was nominated for a Golden Globe for her efforts. Play Misty for Me ultimately settles into a modus operandi that can be frustrating to endure, but luckily Eastwood breaks up the pace with a couple of wonderfully filmed segments (involving a romantic subplot and a jazz festival, respectively), and with its rather clever twist and a low-key, unassuming ending, the film has stood the test of time well despite its obvious genre affiliation.

Copyright © 12.03.2019 Fredrik Gunerius Fevang

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