What's the Matter with Helen? (1971)

User Rating:

6.2/10   

Director:

Curtis Harrington

Writer:

Henry Farrell (writer)

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 | School | Hollywood California | Children | Evangelist

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar.

Cast

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

Runtime:

101 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:M | Finland:K-18 | Sweden:15 | USA:GP (original rating)

Company:

Filmways Pictures

Trivia:

Shelley Winters decided that after they came in from the rain, her Helen character should have a moment when she kissed Debbie Reynolds Adelle character on the lips. This unscripted moment was filmed but removed from the final print of the movie to avoid attaining an R-rating.

Goofs:

Continuity: There's a bible on the desk to the left of Helen as she talks to the detective and clasps her hands together. Suddenly her hands are outstretched across the desk and the bible's in the center.

Quotes:

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

Movie Connections:

References She Done Him Wrong (1933)

Soundtrack:

Bye Bye Blackbird

It wasn't as campy in 1971

It was interesting to see the comments preceding my entry. I saw this movie when it first came out when I was 11 years old and it was really frightening at the time. The gruesome murders that the sons committed combined with the gory flashbacks and the maniacal ending burned images in my mind that lasted for years later.

I couldn't appreciate or recognize any of the factors that may make it considered camp now. All I can say is that getting that last shot of Debbie Reynolds out of my head while trying to fall asleep took a long, long time.