To Kill a Clown (1972)

A young hippie couple rent a secluded cabin on the beach in an attempt to re-connect with each other and save their marriage. Unfortunately, the man they rented the cabin from is a ... See full summary »

Director:

George Bloomfield

Writers:

Algis Budrys (novel), George Bloomfield (screenplay),

Stars:

Alan Alda, Blythe Danner, Heath Lamberts

Cast

Cast overview:
Alan Alda	...	Maj. Evelyn Ritchie
Blythe Danner	...	Lily Frischer
Heath Lamberts	...	Timothy Frischer
Eric Clavering	...	Stanley

Storyline

A young hippie couple rent a secluded cabin on the beach in an attempt to re-connect with each other and save their marriage. Unfortunately, the man they rented the cabin from is a military-brat sociopath (Alan Alda) with two dogs more vicious than his temper.

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Plot Keywords:

based on novel

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Taglines:

He turned a man into a fool, and a game into a nightmare.

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Genres:

Drama | Horror

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

23 August 1972 (USA)

Also Known As:

Doberkiller

Company Credits

Production Co:

Palomar Pictures (I), Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

104 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

Algis Budrys won a Mystery Writers Edgar Special Award for "The Master of the Hounds," the novella this film was based on, originally published in The Saturday Evening Post, August 27, 1966.

User Reviews

Reasonably compelling, and a great showcase for its cast, but it's far from perfect

TO KILL A CLOWN is a three character story. A married couple goes to stay in a beach house owned by a crippled Vietnam vet who lives next door. The vet is deranged and has two highly trained, bloodthirsty dobermans. He decides that he doesn't like the husband, who is a portly clown (literally... he studied being a clown for years), and has his sights set on the wife. The Viet vet convinces the husband to undergo a game of sorts in which he will be taught focus and discipline; he tells the husband that it will help him to become a better clown. The Vietvet becomes a drill sergeant of sorts, forcing the husband to behave like a soldier and do hordes of meaningless labor. The couple eventually decides to stand up for themselves as their lives become a living nightmare.

The performances are first rate, particularly Alda, who shines in a tricky, demanding and ferocious role. He steals the show, and fans of his work won't want to miss his unforgettable and chilling turn here. The film meanders from time to time, and it contains far too many stylistic flourishes that often distract from the narrative goings-on, but it's tense and dramatically impressive.

Overall, TO KILL A CLOWN is relatively effective, but it's no masterpiece, that's for sure. Still, fans of horror and of minimalist cinema will want to give it a look, if only for educational purposes.