Play Misty for Me (1971)

The life of a disc jockey is turned upside down after a romantic encounter with an obsessed fan.

Director:

Clint Eastwood

Writers:

Jo Heims (screenplay), Dean Riesner (screenplay)

Stars:

Clint Eastwood, Jessica Walter, Donna Mills

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Clint Eastwood	...	Dave
Jessica Walter	...	Evelyn
Donna Mills	...	Tobie
John Larch	...	Sgt. McCallum
Jack Ging	...	Frank
Irene Hervey	...	Madge
James McEachin	...	Al Monte
Clarice Taylor	...	Birdie
Don Siegel	...	Murphy (as Donald Siegel)
Duke Everts	...	Jay Jay
George Fargo	...	Man
Mervin W. Frates	...	Locksmith
Tim Frawley	...	Deputy Sheriff
Otis Kadani	...	Policeman
Britt Lind	...	Anjelica (as Brit Lind)

Storyline

Disc jockey Dave Garver (Clint Eastwood) attracts the amorous attentions of a demented fan named Evelyn Draper (Jessica Walter). Evelyn lets Dave pick her up at a bar. Later at her apartment, Evelyn admits that she is the cooing caller who repeatedly asks Dave to play the Erroll Garner classic "Misty". From then on, this movie is a lesson in how one casual date can turn your whole life around. Evelyn stalks Dave everywhere, ruins his business lunch, assaults his maid, mutilates his house and all of his belongings, and finally threatens to butcher his girlfriend Tobie Williams (Donna Mills). You'll never be able to hear that song again without looking over your shoulder.

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Plot Keywords:

knife | directed by star | mentally unstable woman | psychological manipulation | manipulation | 

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Taglines:

...an invitation to terror...

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Genres:

Drama | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Did You Know?

Trivia

Flip Wilson was originally considered for the role of Al Monte.

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Goofs

When Evelyn creates a disturbance at Dave's business meeting with an executive from a San Francisco station, there is a close-up of the box containing the audition tape he originally sent to the station she runs. The return address reads Dave Garver, Radio K.M.R.L. (not K.R.M.L).

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Quotes

David 'Dave' Garver: Jay Jay, why don't you go cruise some sailors, huh?
Jay Jay: Oh please, don't mention seafood.

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Alternate Versions

The version shown on American commercial network TV had the entire "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" sequence re-shot to remove the sex scene. Instead, what was shown as the song played was simply scenes of Eastwood and Donna Mills walking in the forest. The very brief sex scene between Eastwood and Jessica Walter was also eliminated.

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Connections

Referenced in That '70s Show: Donna's Panties (2001)

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Soundtracks

Country Preacher
(uncredited)
Composed by Joe Zawinul
Performed by Cannonball Adderley

User Reviews

Eastwood's directorial debut is occasionally pedestrian, but he's helped by a solid script...

Too-careful shocker directed and starring Clint Eastwood involves a radio disc-jockey who gets seductive requests by telephone for the song "Misty"--he later meets the overly-friendly female fan and they share a fling, but she 'won't be ignored'. Tense thriller may have been the starting point for Adrian Lyne's "Fatal Attraction", though this one is far less slick. Sometimes an actor is so good in a role that it's impossible to see them as anyone else later in their career; such is the case with Jessica Walter, who nails this part of the psychotic woman--and seems to embody instability itself! Several scenes go on too long, the climax is so dark visually it is nearly incoherent, and there's a jazz festival interlude (and a romantic montage with Eastwood and Donna Mills) that feels like padding, but the central situation is unsettling, well-crafted and well-played. As for Walter, she had a tough time shaking off the affects left behind with this role, which of course is both pro and con. *** from ****

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

12 November 1971 (USA)

Also Known As:

Play Misty for Me

Filming Locations:

162 Spindrift Road, Carmel Highlands, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$725,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$10,600,000

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$10,600,000

Company Credits

Production Co:

The Malpaso Company, Jennings Lang, Universal Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

102 min 96 min (TV)

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1