I saw this as a teenager in 1968 at the theater when it was first released, and had fond memories of it being a fairly eerie thriller. A recent viewing of a 16mm print left me with less fond memories. It is basically an extended Alfred Hitchcock Hour TV show program padded an extra 30 minutes, and in color. Not that this is bad in itself because the Hitchcock Hour was often very good, and at worst, just plain good. But this film could have stood trimming to an hour and the tightening up would have helped. It doesn't help the film that Jack Lord carried an obviously phony foreign accent, and had not yet found his acting stature that he would eventually find in Hawaii Five-0. It would have improved this film by 100% had he just not used the bad accent, and been a plain hitch-hiking American ranch-hand. It also didn't help that TC Jones as the Mom absolutely telegraphed the fact that Mom was really Dad, especially since he had become famous for his portrayal of the female nurse who was really a male psycho-killer in the Hitchcock Hour episode "An Unlocked Window" just a few years earlier. If you recall that episode, you'll remember it was a big surprise to viewers when first aired, and consequently a much lesser surprise here. What this film has going for it is good performances by the three wacky daughters, nice desolate scenery, and a secret mystery that has several possible solutions. Plus the fact that it has been nearly impossible to see.
Review of The Name of the Game Is Kill!
