Can someone take on the challenge of restoring and preserving all those 'made for TV' movies from the 60's and 70's? Here we have a curious masterpiece... a young woman goes snooping at a spooky American private girls' school in 1973, and gets more than she bargained for.
Pamela Franklin plays like a prototype Winona Ryder, short and short-haired amidst the tall, long-haired 'California' girls. Having spent much of her career playing skewed or disturbed British girls, here she is the 'straight' heroine, years before all those current Britishers took on the dialogue coach.
She confronts not one but TWO Jacksons, Kate and Jamie Smith-. Both were striking and imposing, both tall and long-haired... and when contrasted with poor Cheryl Stoppelmoor, both quite fascinating. Jamie is quite captivating playing the freaked and frightened Debbie. Kate is a mess of contradictions - beautiful yet straight-laced (check the night-gowns - Jamie sports a slinky red number, Kate is buttoned up in high neck and frills)... one Jackson sadly retired (as did Franklin - why?), the other unwisely shyed away from unsympathetic roles and found fame as a glam' detective (in polo-necks and neck-covering scarves).
Ultimately not the best entry in 1973's TV movie offerings, yet in the 21st century it's worth a look for the fantastic casting choices!
Pamela Franklin plays like a prototype Winona Ryder, short and short-haired amidst the tall, long-haired 'California' girls. Having spent much of her career playing skewed or disturbed British girls, here she is the 'straight' heroine, years before all those current Britishers took on the dialogue coach.
She confronts not one but TWO Jacksons, Kate and Jamie Smith-. Both were striking and imposing, both tall and long-haired... and when contrasted with poor Cheryl Stoppelmoor, both quite fascinating. Jamie is quite captivating playing the freaked and frightened Debbie. Kate is a mess of contradictions - beautiful yet straight-laced (check the night-gowns - Jamie sports a slinky red number, Kate is buttoned up in high neck and frills)... one Jackson sadly retired (as did Franklin - why?), the other unwisely shyed away from unsympathetic roles and found fame as a glam' detective (in polo-necks and neck-covering scarves).
Ultimately not the best entry in 1973's TV movie offerings, yet in the 21st century it's worth a look for the fantastic casting choices!