Play Misty for Me (1971)

Director:

Clint Eastwood

Writers:

Jo Heims (screenplay) and
Dean Riesner (screenplay) ...
(more)

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 | Briefs | Obsessed Fan | Stabbing | 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
Paul E. Lippman	...	2nd Man
Jack Kosslyn	...	Cab Driver
Ginna Patterson	...	Madalyn
Malcolm Moran	...	Man in Window
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Cannonball Adderley	...	Himself (uncredited)
Boyd Cabeen	...	Ambulance Attendant (uncredited)
Cannonball Adderley and His Quartet	...	Themselves (uncredited)
Barbara Chrysler	...	Waitress (uncredited)
Don Hamilton	...	Bar Patron (uncredited)
William J. Hanzelka	...	Ambulance Attendant (uncredited)
Robert S. Holman	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Johnny Otis	...	Himself (uncredited)
James Rodriguez	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Walter Scott	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Walter Spear	...	Policeman (uncredited)
William Tomlinson	...	Intern (uncredited)

Directed by
Clint Eastwood

Writing credits
Jo Heims		(screenplay) and
Dean Riesner		(screenplay)
Jo Heims		(story)

Produced by
Robert Daley	....	producer
Bob Larson	....	associate producer (as Bob Larson)
Jennings Lang	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Dee Barton

Cinematography by
Bruce Surtees		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Carl Pingitore

Art Direction by
Alexander Golitzen

Set Decoration by
Ralph S. Hurst		(as Ralph Hurst)

Costume Design by
Helen Colvig

Makeup Department
Ginger Bishop	....	hair stylist (uncredited)
Jack Freeman	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Bob Larson	....	unit production manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Bob Larson	....	assistant director (as Bob Larson)
Michael Kusley	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Don Heitkotter	....	painting
Carmel Foglia	....	painter (uncredited)
Ed Keyes	....	props (uncredited)

Sound Department
Robert L. Hoyt	....	sound
Robert Martin	....	sound
Waldon O. Watson	....	sound
Jerry Whittington	....	sound effects editor (uncredited)

Stunts
Jeannie Epper	....	stunt double: Jessica W (uncredited)
Julie Ann Johnson	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Henry Fox	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Gary Graham	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Earl Kennedy	....	gaffer (uncredited)
Billy Simpson	....	grip (uncredited)
Frank Stanley	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Robert C. Thomas	....	camera operator (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Brad Whitney	....	wardrobe: Mr. Eastwood (as Brad Whitney of Carmel)
Dan Chichester	....	wardrobe (uncredited)
Dina Joseph	....	wardrobe (uncredited)

Music Department
Mike Deasy	....	musician (uncredited)
Jerry Whittington	....	music editor (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Sol Goldberg	....	transportation captain (uncredited)

Other crew
Betty A. Griffin	....	script supervisor (as Betty Abbott)
Jack Kosslyn	....	dialogue coach
Jennings Lang	....	presenter
Jack Casey	....	unit publicist (uncredited)
Don Wyman	....	auditor (uncredited)

Thanks
Jimmy Lyons	....	gratitude is expressed to: for The Monterey Jazz Festival with the Johnny Otis Show and The Cannonball Adderley Quintet

Production Companies

• Universal Pictures (as A Universal Picture) (as A Universal-Malpaso Company Picture also)
• Malpaso Company, The (as A Malpaso Company Production) (as A Universal-Malpaso Company Picture also)

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1971) (USA) (theatrical)
• Cinema International Corporation (CIC) (1972) (France) (theatrical)
• Cinema Internazional Corporation (1972) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1973) (USA) (TV)
• MCA Home Video (1987) (USA) (VHS) (pan and scan)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (1992) (USA) (VHS)
• ETD Home Video (1993) (USA) (VHS)
• Universal Home Entertainment (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Universal Home Entertainment (2001) (USA) (VHS)
• Universal Studios Home Video (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Universal Studios Home Video (2001) (USA) (VHS)
• Universal Pictures Benelux (2003) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures (2003) (Germany) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (2009) (Argentina) (DVD)
• CIC Video (19??) (West Germany) (VHS)
• Karre Video (1988) (Greece) (VHS)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (19??) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Universal Pictures (19??) (UK) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera cranes (uncredited)
• Cinematique  cosmetics by
• Octave Music Publishing Corporation  "Misty" by arrangement with (as Octave Music Publishing Corp.)
• Universal Title  titles and opticals

Also Known As:

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:

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 | West Germany:18 (nf) | Iceland:12 | Argentina:16 | Germany:16 (DVD rating) | France:-12

Filming Locations:

Big Sur, California, USA

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

All filming was completed in 21 days.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Dave and Tobie are walking on the seashore Dave is seen on the right of her in a long shot but when the angle is changed to medium he is on the left and back on her right when the angle is changed again.

Quotes:

Al Monte:Well you know what they always say my man, "He who lives by the sword shall die by the sword".
David 'Dave' Garver:Don't let the door hit you on the ass on the way out, huh.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Moonlighting: Maddie Hayes Got Married (#4.12)" (1988)

Soundtrack:

The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face

Before there was "Swimfan," before there was "Fatal Attraction," there was "Play Misty For Me"

This movie, I suppose, was the first nice-guy-being-stalked-by-psycho-female thriller. And it's quite damn good. Modern audiences might feel the film was too low-key, but I found it very suspenseful. This proves you don't need eerie music (there's very little score on the soundtrack) and continuous gore to create suspense. Jessica Walter is terrifying--maybe not as terrifying as Glenn Close in "Fatal Attraction," but she comes pretty close. It's fun--and somewhat hilarious--to see Clint Eastwood as a young man with LOTS of hair. This was his first directorial effort, and he did a fine job. Over 30 years, the premise has become all-too-familiar, so unfortunately the story is predictable. Maybe 1970's audiences found it more shocking. But I was able to predict who would die and when. Nevertheless, I still found "Play Misty For Me" very entertaining and very well-acted. But what was with that jazz concert scene? Clint definitely should've left that on the cutting room floor.

My score: 7 (out of 10)