Play Misty for Me (1971)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

Clint Eastwood

Writers:

Jo Heims (story)
Jo Heims (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

12 November 1971 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Romance | Thriller

Tagline:

The scream you hear may be your own!

Plot:

A brief fling between a male disc jockey and an obsessed female fan takes a frightening, and perhaps even deadly turn when another woman enters the picture.

Plot Keywords:

Disc Jockey | Obsessed Fan | Monterey Jazz Festival | Steak | Jazz Band

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe.

Cast

Clint Eastwood	...	Dave
Jessica Walter	...	Evelyn
Donna Mills	...	Tobie
John Larch	...	Sgt. McCallum
Jack Ging	...	Frank
Irene Hervey	...	Madge
James McEachin	...	Al Monte
Clarice Taylor	...	Birdie
Don Siegel	...	Murphy (as Donald Siegel)
Duke Everts	...	Jay Jay
George Fargo	...	Man
Mervin W. Frates	...	Locksmith
Tim Frawley	...	Deputy Sheriff
Otis Kadani	...	Policeman
Brit Lind	...	Anjelica

Runtime:

102 min | Portugal:96 min (TV version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 | Singapore:M18 | South Korea:18 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 (video re-rating) (2002) | UK:18 (video rating) (1985) | UK:X (original rating) | USA:R (Certificate #22848) | West Germany:18

Filming Locations:

Big Sur, California, USA

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

Clint Eastwood's directorial debut.

Goofs:

Continuity: As Dave drives towards Tobie's at the end of the film it's beginning to get light. When he arrives, it's pitch black again.

Quotes:

Jay Jay: That bitch should be hung by her thumbs or something equally appropriate.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Tatort: Märchenwald (#1.576)" (2004)

Soundtrack:

First Time Ever I Saw Your Face

Ahead Of Its Day With This Theme

This was "Fatal Attraction" 16 years before that famous movie was made.

The problem with this tense drama was credibility. There are several instances where just about everyone with a brain would avoid trouble by doing the sensible thing....except the character in here, of course. Also, being honest is the obvious thing to do here and, of course, that's not done either.

Nevertheless, it's a taut thriller with Jessica Walter doing a great job playing a nutcase stalker "Evelyn Draper." I also enjoyed watching Donna Mills. An appealing actress, and not just because of a pretty face, I wonder she didn't do more films? After this movie, it's been almost all television roles for her.

So-so mono sound and poor picture quality helped me eventually trade my VHS copy in but, with a nice DVD transfer now available, I might check this movie out again. Clint Eastwood, the male lead here, has rarely been in a boring movie, and this is no exception.