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

Edge-Of-Your-Seat Thriller

Clint Eastwood made his directorial debut with this 1971 suspense/thriller, `Play Misty for Me,' in which he also stars as Dave Garver, a late night radio disc jockey for a small station in Carmel, California. During his show, he opens the phones to take requests, at which times a frequent caller-- a woman named Evelyn (Jessica Walter)-- always asks for the same tune, `Misty.' Her obsession, it turns out, is not with that particular record, but with Garver, who is currently sorting out a relationship gone bad with a young artist, Tobie (Donna Mills), but which may be on the mend in light of the fact that Tobie has just returned to town after a lengthy absence in the wake of their breakup. In the interim, Garver has become entangled with Evelyn, a fan he soon discovers gives new meaning to the term `fanatic.'

Eastwood invades Hitchcock territory with this film, which it turns out was indeed a harbinger of the course his career would take from this point on, that of directing and starring in his own movies. With this one, it's apparent that he had that special touch from the beginning; he knows unequivocally what he likes, what works and how to deliver it. The only weakness in the film (if you can even call it a weakness), would be the use of longshots during a couple of scenes between Garver and Tobie that take place on the coast. It adds a scenic vista for a backdrop, but listening to the dialogue with the actors in the distance gives it a dialogue-added-later feeling. It's a minor flaw, however, that takes nothing away from the overall impact of the film, especially as Eastwood establishes a deliberate pace that allows the tension to mount throughout.

It would seem that for an actor to direct himself would be a monumental undertaking, especially the first time, but Eastwood proves here what has been corroborated over the years and with his films since, that he is his own best director. And it's a club to which few actor/directors belong, which puts him in the elite company of Welles, Branagh and most recently, Ed Harris (with `Pollock'), just to name a few of the select. As Garver, a minor celebrity whose biggest fan turns out to be his worst nightmare, Eastwood is thoroughly convincing, and though this may not be one of his most memorable roles, it is certainly well acted, and delivered with that subtle Eastwood charm.

Jessica Walter combines just the right amount of beauty, charm and menace for her role of Evelyn, which just may be her most memorable performance ever. She creates a character who is smoothly confident, if slightly vulnerable, and prone to instantaneous bursts of psychotic anger. It's an honest portrait of an extremely disturbed individual with the ability to conceal the true nature-- and danger-- of her mental state. Exceptionally well realized by Walter, Evelyn could be the older sister of Stephen King's Annie in `Misery,' a role for which Kathy Bates received an Oscar for Best Actress some twenty years after Walter inhabited the body of Evelyn.

The supporting cast includes John Larch (Sergeant McCallum), Jack Ging (Frank), Irene Hervey (Madge), James McEachin (Al Monte), Clarice Taylor (Birdie) and Don Siegel (Murphy). A film that will have you on the edge of your seat by the end, `Play Misty for Me' withstands the test of time and works every bit as well today as when it was originally released. A tale from the dark side, it's engrossing entertainment that may give you second thoughts about that casual acquaintance you've just invited to your house for dinner. Eastwood chose a perfect setting for his film, using one of the most beautiful spots along the California coast as a background against which to contrast the grisly events of the story. It all adds up to a wild ride for the audience, and an auspicious debut for Eastwood as the Man Behind the Camera. I rate this one 8/10.