Willard (1971)

Director:

Daniel Mann

Writers:

Gilbert Ralston (screenplay)
Gilbert Ralston (novel)

Release Date:

19 November 1971 (West Germany)

Genre:

Horror

Tagline:

Where your nightmares end...WILLARD begins.

Plot:

A social misfit, Willard is made fun of by his co-workers, and squeezed out of the company started by his deceased father by his boss...

Plot Keywords:

Rat | One Word Title | Remade | Recluse | Horror Movie Remade

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Bruce Davison	...	Willard Stiles
Elsa Lanchester	...	Henrietta Stiles
Ernest Borgnine	...	Al Martin
Sondra Locke	...	Joan
Michael Dante	...	Brandt
Jody Gilbert	...	Charlotte Stassen
Joan Shawlee	...	Alice Rickles
William Hansen	...	Mr. Barskin
J. Pat O'Malley	...	Jonathan Farley
John Myhers	...	Mr. Carlson
Helen Spring	...	Mrs. Becker
Pauline Drake	...	Ida Stassen
Almira Sessions	...	Carrie Smith
Alan Baxter	...	Walter T. Spencer
Sherry Presnell	...	Mrs. Spencer

Also Known As:

Ratman's Notebooks (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

95 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:X | Iceland:16 | West Germany:18 | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | USA:GP (original rating) | USA:PG

Company:

Bing Crosby Productions

Trivia:

The film's Spanish title is 'La Revolución de las ratas', meaning 'The Revolution of the Rats'.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Ben (1972)

A man and his rats.

Interesting combination of make-you-squirm-in-your-seat genre fare and affecting character study has gone on to become a classic of sorts. Bruce Davison memorably portrays the title character, a wimpy and downtrodden loser dominated by his mother Henrietta, played by none other than the Bride of Frankenstein herself, Elsa Lanchester. Willard works for Al Martin (Ernest Borgnine), a slimy and self-serving type who actually stole the company away from Willards' father.

Willard finds himself a reason to live when he becomes attached to the rats that are now frequenting his property. He goes so far as to dub a white rat "Socrates" and a brown rat "Ben" ("Ben" would get his own movie when the success of this movie led to a sequel). He finds that he can get them to do his bidding, which comes in handy as the movie progresses.

Good performances by both the human and rodent stars help to carry this low-key but fairly creepy movie. Davison makes for a marvelously quirky and lonely soul, doing a creditable job at creating sympathy for the character. Both Lanchester and Borgnine - both real scene-stealers - sink their teeth into their respective roles. Borgnine in particular is one of those antagonists whom one can love to hate. In one of her earliest parts, an appealing Sondra Locke plays a potential love interest for Willard.

Those expecting more horror, gore, or more of a body count, are going to be disappointed, as the dramatic elements are the ones emphasized the most. I found it interesting that Willards' eventual burst of self-confidence will come at a price; the downbeat nature of the story and message that it's never smart to turn on whatever friends one may have give the movie a certain lasting impact.

It would have been nice if the remake (itself over five years old now) could have generated a DVD release of this movie; as of this date, it still needs one.

7/10