kevinolzak Review of The Attic

The Attic (1980)

Ray Milland the father from hell, Carrie Snodgress his downtrodden daughter

[7/10 · 27 September 2022]

1980's "The Attic" was the sole directorial credit for Curtis Harrington's longtime producer George Edwards, written in collaboration with Tony Crechales, using the characters they had introduced in Harrington's little seen 1973 psychodrama "The Killing Kind." As the withdrawn, spinster librarian Louise Elmore, Luana Anders shared her sexual fantasies with serial killer John Savage, Peter Brocco in for just two scenes as her infirm, elderly father Wendell; here, Ray Milland and Carrie Snodgress are perfectly matched as father and daughter, given a full backstory never hinted at in Harrington's film. Instead of Los Angeles, the setting is now Wichita, Kansas (shooting on location), Louise still employed as a librarian but forced to retire after an arson attempt, befriending her much younger replacement, Emily Perkins (Ruth Cox). We learn early on that Wendell Elmore has been confined to a wheelchair since leaping from the second story of his burning department store, Louise rumored to be responsible for that as well, chained to his side out of guilt ever since. Adding to her woes, she continues to carry a torch for the man she was set to wed 19 years ago, who mysteriously vanished without a trace and has long since been given up by local authorities. For all her problems, Louise remains a caring individual who sees Emily suffering under an equally tyrannical parent, an overly strict mother (Rosemary Murphy) constantly berating her 11 year old son. There's no shred of decency in Wendell Elmore, listening in on his daughter's phone calls, delighting in her body massages, and never once paying the girl a single compliment. A miserable home life and soon to end work environment have Louise engaging in fantasies about killing her father, whether poison at the dinner table or electrocution in his bath, all to no avail as she wonders where he keeps his fortune hidden. Emily's gift of a pet chimpanzee touches Louise deeply, outraging Wendell even more because the little tyke discovers his secret loot. Carrie Snodgress is both eerie and heartbreaking in equal doses, prone to sexual trysts away from under her father's thumb, proudly gloating in his face afterwards. Long typecast in curmudgeon roles, Ray Milland is truly in his element, and in wondering just how far he will go to torment his only offspring reveals yet greater monstrous misdeeds that allow for a memorably horrific climax. Not for all tastes, it may not be better than "The Killing Kind" but adds more tragedy as it careens toward its predestined conclusion.