La corrupción de Chris Miller (1973)

Director:

Juan Antonio Bardem

Writers:

Santiago Moncada (screenplay)
Santiago Moncada (story)

Release Date:

September 1975 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Plot:

A serial killer uses a scythe to slash his murder victims--or maybe it's *her* murder victims? |

Plot Keywords:

Murder | Serial Killer | Rural | Stepmother | Daughter

Cast

Jean Seberg	...	Ruth Miller
Marisol	...	Chris Miller
Barry Stokes	...	Barney Webster
Perla Cristal	...	Perla
Rudy Gaebel	...	Lewis
Gérard Tichy	...	Commissioner
Alicia Altabella	...	Adela
Mariano Vidal Molina	...	Ernesto (as Vidal Molina)
María Bardem	...	Maria
Juan Antonio Bardem	...	Pedro (as Juan Bardem)
Miguel Bardem	...	Tin
Gustavo Re	...	Shopkeeper
Carl Rapp	...	TV Reporter
Goyo Lebrero	...	Peasant
Antonio Parra	...	Postman

Also Known As:

Behind the Shutters
Sisters of Corruption
The Corruption of Chris Miller

Runtime:

107 min

Country:

Spain

Language:

Spanish

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:16 | USA:R | Netherlands:16

Filming Locations:

Barcelona, Cataluña, Spain

Company:

Xavier Armet P.C.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Beauty (1981)

Soundtrack:

Au clair de la lune

Interesting and well worked Spanish thriller

The Corruption of Chris Miller is often labelled as a Giallo; this is not really the case, although the film does feature some of the trademarks of the genre amongst its multilayered plot. I'd say it falls somewhere between a murder thriller and a psychological drama; and the two main plot lines represent both genres. The film reminded me a lot of René Clément's masterpiece Joy House in the way that the relationship between the three central characters works. The film begins with a grisly murder, committed by someone dressed as Charlie Chaplin. From there, we move on to a house inhabited by two women, a mother and a stepdaughter; who is scared of the rain as she was raped in the shower by a bodybuilder when she was a child. The mother later finds a drifter taking a nap in the barn, and after some convincing, agrees to take the stranger on to do odd jobs for them in return for free board. However, it's not long before the man's presence makes tensions rise among the mother and daughter; and the murders in town are continuing.

The film does not make murder its central plot line, and there's not a lot of blood either. The main plot is the relationship between the mother, stepdaughter and the mysterious drifter, and this takes up the majority of the film. The three way relationship is not disinteresting, although it has to be said that it's a bit long winded and spoiled by some less than brilliant performances. Chief among them is Barry Stokes; who is extremely wooden. Jean Seberg and Marisol so-star and are better, though none of the actors particularly impress. Director Juan Antonio Bardem does succeed, however, in creating a foreboding atmosphere; the countryside setting creates a feeling of isolation and this bodes well with the plot line. The film really does pick up in the final third and the ending is strong, as well as wrapping things up nicely. Overall, while this film is not a Giallo; it will certainly be of interest to Giallo fans and is well worth tracking down.