The Stepmother (1972)

Director:

Howard Avedis

Writer:

Howard Avedis (written by)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

She forced her husband's son to commit the ultimate sin!

Plot:

Returning home late one night from a business trip to Mexico, architect Frank Delgado finds the car of wealthy client Alan Richmond in his driveway...

Plot Keywords:

Mexico | Murder | Stepmother Stepson Relationship | Female Full Frontal Nudity | Mini Skirt

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar.

Cast

Alejandro Rey	...	Frank Delgado
John Anderson	...	Inspector Darnezi
Katherine Justice	...	Margo Delgado (as Catherine Justice)
Larry Linville	...	Dick Hill
Marlene Schmidt	...	Sonja Hill
Duncan McLeod	...	Chief Inspector
David Renard	...	Pedro Lopez
Claudia Jennings	...	Rita
Rudy Herrera Jr.	...	Steve Delgado
Mike Kulcsar	...	Alan Richmond
Priscilla Garcia	...	Maria
Margaret Garcia	...	Lupé (as Margarite Garcia)
Gil Barreto	...	José (as Gilberto Berreto)
Bert Madrid	...	Mexican businessman (as Burt Madrid)
Joe Snyder	...	Rookie Cop
David Garfield	...	Goof (as John D. Garfield)

Directed by
Howard Avedis		(as Hikmet Avedis)

Writing credits
Howard Avedis		(written by) (as Hikmet L. Avedis)

Produced by
Howard Avedis	....	producer (as Hikmet Avedis)
Lenke Romanszky	....	executive producer
Marlene Schmidt	....	associate producer

Cinematography by
Jack Beckett		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Tony de Zarraga
Ralph James Hall		(as Ralph J. Hall)

Set Decoration by
Roger Franks

Makeup Department
Ray Sebastian	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Leonard A. Mazzola	....	production manager (as Leonard Mazola)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Joe Snyder	....	assistant director

Art Department
Dale Skillcorn	....	assistant set decorator
Dale Skillcorn	....	props

Sound Department
Don Cahn	....	sound mixer (as Donald Cahn)
Jim Cook	....	sound mixer
Buzz Cooper	....	sound effects editor
Dick Damon	....	sound recordist
Dick Maier	....	sound effects editor
William Montague	....	sound mixer

Camera and Electrical Department
Brink Brydon	....	gaffer
Scott Fieldsteel	....	best boy
Barry Ingold	....	grip
Phil Kaufman	....	camera assistant
Ed Lipnick	....	grip
Bill McInnes	....	assistant gaffer
Ed Steinbach	....	grip
Robert Voss	....	still photographer

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Marilene Harris	....	costumer

Editorial Department
Dennis Dolan	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Audrey Granville	....	music editor (as Audray Granville)

Other crew
Maria Paris	....	script supervisor
Louise Rinder	....	production assistant
Norman B. Schwartz	....	assistant to producer (as Norman Schwartz)

Thanks
Roland Coate	....	special thanks: architect of construction site

Production Companies

• Magic Eye of Hollywood Productions Inc.

Distributors

• Crown International Pictures (1972) (USA) (theatrical)
• Academy Entertainment (1996) (USA) (VHS)
• BCI Eclipse (2008) (USA) (DVD)
• Mill Creek Entertainment (2010) (USA) (DVD)
• Taipan Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Columbia Studios  sound re-recording (as Columbia Studios Hollywood)
• Sears, Roebuck and Company  special thanks: Men's Department for Mr. Herrera, Jr.'s Wardrobe (as Sears Roebuck & Co.)
• Catalina  special thanks (as Catalina Swim Suits)
• Consolidated Film Industries (CFI)  titles and opticals
• Sunset Editorial Enterprises  music and sound effects editing

Also Known As:

"Impulsion" - USA (reissue title)

Runtime:

USA:94 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:R | Canada:R (Ontario) | Argentina:16

Company:

Magic Eye of Hollywood Productions Inc.

Trivia:

The Oscar nomination for "Strange Are The Ways Of Love" for Best Song marked the only time a Crown International Picture title got an Oscar nomination. It lost to "The Morning After" from The Poseidon Adventure (1972).

Quotes:

[first lines]
Alan Richmond:Hey, Margo.
Margo Delgado:Alan, no. Please.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Dusk to Dawn Drive-In Trash-o-Rama Show Vol. 8 (2002) (V)

Soundtrack:

Strange Are The Ways Of Love

Weird even by weird 70's standards

I like weird 70's movies a lot, but this is weird even by weird 70's standards. It takes about half the movie, for instance, to even figure out why it's CALLED "The Stepmother"--it, at first, seems to be a movie about a jealous middle-aged, Mexican-American architect who murders a business associate after he finds him in bed with his younger gringa wife (and unbeknownst to the wife). By a weird coincidence another more lower-class Mexican also murders his wife in the same area and is framed for both murders. But the cops begins to suspect the architect, and his continuing jealously causes him to accidentally kill his partner and best friend (played by "MASH's" Larry Linville). He then has to fend off the amorous advances of the friend's widow before the cops grow even more suspicious. Got all that so far?

So why is it called "The Stepmother"? Well, about halfway through the man's son shows up from Mexico City, and he also starts messing around with the young wife (his stepmother)and the off-kilter plot REALLY goes into over-drive.

There are a few reasons to see this. First, if you're a weird 70's film completist. This film is kind similar to early 70's bizarro flick "Swinger's Massacre", which was equally ridiculous but had a less random plot. Second, if you're a fan of Larry Linville, he's actually pretty good here and acts circles around the rest of the unknown cast. The best reason perhaps though is this was the first appearance of cult drive-in queen Claudia Jennings. Jennings has a cameo role as a stoned-out hippie chick who has one hilarious line where she tell the cops she was "way too ripped" to remember what happened the night of the murder. (And if that isn't worth the price of admission, she also has her typically gratuitous full-frontal nude scene). Weird, weird movie, but if any of this sounds interesting to you, check it out.