Haunts of the Very Rich (1972)

A group of wealthy but secretly very troubled people travel to an island resort but find themselves wondering about their existences after a while.

Director:

Paul Wendkos

Writers:

William Wood (teleplay), T.K. Brown III (story) (as T.K. Brown)

Stars:

Lloyd Bridges, Cloris Leachman, Edward Asner

Cast

Cast overview:
Lloyd Bridges	...	Dave Woodrough
Cloris Leachman	...	Ellen Blunt
Edward Asner	...	Al Hunsicker
Anne Francis	...	Annette Larrier
Tony Bill	...	Lyle Dugan
Donna Mills	...	Laurie Dugan
Robert Reed	...	Rev. John Fellows
Moses Gunn	...	Seacrist
Beverly Gill	...	Miss Vick
Todd Martin	...	Harris
Phyllis Hill	...	Rita
Michael Lembeck	...	Johnny Delmonico
Susan Foster	...	Miss Upton

Storyline

A group of people, all of whom, we can only assume, are very rich, are on a plane flying to an island resort. When they land, they are greeted by a mysterious black man (Seacrist), and the plot thickens. Ellen Blunt gets a makeover from a mysterious black woman (all the mysterious characters in this film are either black or "native") in a scene laden with homo-erotic undertones, and Dave Woodrough falls in love with her. We come to find out that John Fellows is a minister tormented by his own conflicted spirituality; Annette Larrier is an unhappy housewife strung out on prescription uppers and downers; and Al Hunsicker has a very, very hairy back. We also come to find out that just before setting off on their journey, each of the "guests" had narrowly escaped death -- or had they?

---

Plot Keywords:

psychotronic film | death | island | makeover | afterlife | 

---

Genres:

Drama | Thriller

---

Did You Know?

Trivia

The scenes at the island resort were filmed at Vizcaya, an Italianate villa on Biscayne Bay in Miami, Florida. The estate, built in 1916, was originally the winter home of International Harvester vice president James Deering. The house and grounds are now a museum open to tourists.

---

Connections

Version of Front Row Center: Outward Bound (1955)

User Reviews

Reworking of 'Outward Bound'

I liked this film very much. However I take issue with the credit 'Story by T.K. Brown.' This is NOT an original story; it was lifted from the play 'Outward Bound' by Sutton Vane.

Having given credit where it is due, the premise is very simple: Seven (7) vacationers are on an airplane bound for a mysterious resort called 'The Portals of Eden'. A newlywed couple, a married woman in recovery from a nervous condition; a Clergyman experiencing a crisis of faith; a businessman on the wrong plane; a single, insecure woman; A lusty man traveling alone whose marital status is in question. They are all about to experience the vacation of a lifetime...

Viewing this film 40 years later, I am sentimental because I love the entire cast: they are immortalized in their prime and I thought they all did a terrific job. Robert Reed is the stand out for me; his character, the Reverend Fellows, is mostly in the background until the last 20 minutes or so. It is Mr. Bridges's, Ms. Leachman's and Mr. Asner's characters who move the story forward throughout most of the film with the participation of Ms. Francis's, Ms. Mills's and Mr. Bill's characters who are all followers.

Mr. Reed then takes the helm and his character provides a most powerful and moving soliloquy vital to the plot to help the story towards closure.

I found this movie a bit 'Haunting' as the title suggests; it does what a good movie should do, it stays with you after it is over. I give this a 9 out of 10.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 September 1972 (USA)

Also Known As:

Au-delà de la fortune

Filming Locations:

Miami, Florida, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

ABC Circle Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

75 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1