What's the Matter with Helen? (1971)

Director:

Curtis Harrington

Writer:

Henry Farrell (written by)

Release Date:

26 May 1972 (Finland)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Horror | Musical | Mystery | Romance | Thriller

Plot:

Two middle-aged women move to Hollywood, California after their sons are convicted of a notorious murder and open a dance school for children eager to tap their way to stardom.

Plot Keywords:

Hollywood | Hollywood California | School | Corpse | Evangelist

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar.

Cast

Debbie Reynolds	...	Adelle
Shelley Winters	...	Helen
Dennis Weaver	...	Linc Palmer
Micheál MacLiammóir	...	Hamilton Starr (as Micheal Mac Liammóir)
Agnes Moorehead	...	Sister Alma
Helene Winston	...	Mrs. Greenbaum
Peggy Rea	...	Mrs. Schultz
Logan Ramsey	...	Detective Sgt. West
Paulle Clark	...	Mrs. Plumb
Yvette Vickers	...	Mrs. Barker
Molly Dodd	...	Mrs. Rigg
Samee Lee Jones	...	Winona (as Sammee Lee Jones)
Robbi Morgan	...	Rosalie
Timothy Carey	...	The Tramp
Swen Swenson	...	The Gigolo

Also Known As:

The Box Step (USA) (original script title)

Runtime:

101 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:M | Canada:14A (Canadian Home Video rating) | Finland:K-18 | Sweden:15 | USA:GP (Approved No. 22897) (original rating)

Company:

Filmways Pictures

Trivia:

Sister Alma was loosely based on Aimee Semple McPherson.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: The film is set in 1933 but the songs "Animal Crackers In My Soup" and "Goody-Goody" weren't released until 1935.

Quotes:

Helen Hill: Men can be quite a bit lower than the angels.

Movie Connections:

References Curly Top (1935)

Soundtrack:

Goody, Goody

Fine, eerie black comedy with a superb Reynolds turn.

A vastly underrated black comedy, the finest in a series of grand guignol movies to follow 'Baby Jane'. Reynolds and Winters are mothers of young convicted murderers (a nod to 'Compulsion') who run away to hide in Hollywood. They run a school for would-be movie tots, a bunch of hilariously untalented kids attended by awful stage moms. Debbie, in her blonde wig ('I'm a Harlow, you're more a Marion Davies' she tells Winters) leads the tots at their concert and wins a rich dad, Weaver. She also does a deliciously funny tango and, over all, gives an outstanding performance, unlike anything she'd done before. The atmosphere is a fine mix of comic and eerie. It looks wonderful with great period detail (30's). Lots of lovely swipes at Hollywood and the terrifying movie tot. Micheal MacLiammoir has a ball as the drama coach: 'Hamilton Starr', he purrs, 'two r's but prophetic nonetheless'. See it and love it.