The Reincarnation of Peter Proud (1975)

When college professor Peter Proud begins to experience flashbacks from a previous incarnation, he is mysteriously drawn to a place he has never been before but which is troublingly ... See full summary »

Director:

J. Lee Thompson

Writers:

Max Ehrlich (screenplay by), Max Ehrlich (from his novel)

Stars:

Michael Sarrazin, Jennifer O'Neill, Margot Kidder

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Michael Sarrazin	...	Peter Proud
Jennifer O'Neill	...	Ann Curtis
Margot Kidder	...	Marcia Curtis
Cornelia Sharpe	...	Nora Hayes
Paul Hecht	...	Dr. Samuel Goodman
Stuart Thomas	...	Jeff Curtis (as Tony Stephano)
Norman Burton	...	Dr. Frederick Spear (as Normann Burton)
Anne Ives	...	Ellen Curtis
Debralee Scott	...	Suzy
Jon Richards	...	Newspaper Custodian
Steve Franken	...	Dr. Charles Crennis
Fred Stuthman	...	Pop Johnson
Lester Fletcher	...	Car Salesman
Paul Nevens	...	Room Clerk
Breanna Benjamin	...	Miss Hagerson

Storyline

When college professor Peter Proud begins to experience flashbacks from a previous incarnation, he is mysteriously drawn to a place he has never been before but which is troublingly familiar. As if drawn to her by cosmic force, he soon finds himself unwittingly in the company of his previous incarnation's wife. This woman, Marcia Curtis, recognizes in Peter startling characteristics which he shares with her dead husband, Jeff. Even the sound of his voice seems at times to be that of the dead man. Peter becomes romantically drawn to Ann Curtis who is or was his daughter (Jeff and Marcia's daughter). Recognizing the incestuous nature of their relationship, Mrs. Curtis tries to keep the two young people apart. But how? Must she reveal the terrible secret of the final minutes she shared with her husband in order to keep this man from her (their?) daughter?

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Plot Keywords:

university professor | flashback | psychologist | hypnosis | tennis match | 

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Taglines:

You Only Have One Life to Live...Or Do You?

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Genres:

Horror | Mystery

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

18 September 1975 (UK)

Also Known As:

La reencarnación de Peter Proud

Filming Locations:

Northampton, Massachusetts, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Bing Crosby Productions, Cinerama Productions Corp.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

105 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Margot Kidder is about six months younger than Jennifer O'Neill in real life, yet she played Miss O'Neill's character's mother in this film.

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Goofs

When Peter describes his first dream, he tells his girlfriend that "she (Marsha) was hitting me in the (private parts) with a paddle. Initially, the director may have wanted to show the murder as involving an injury of this sort, because when the man in the dream falls back into the water, he is holding his private area. But, it is very clear that when he is in the boat, he is on his stomach. There is no way she could have hit the front of his body.

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Quotes

Jeff Curtis: You bore me, you bitch.
Marcia Curtis: Where are you going?
Jeff Curtis: Out. For a swim. I'm gonna wash off your stink.

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Connections

References Madhumati (1958)

User Reviews

Not great, but truly spooky

Peculiar film which mixes murder-mystery with the supernatural concept of reincarnation, along with a large dose of early-70's movie sexuality. I saw this several times years ago on TV, and was quite impressed with it, somewhat against my will; now I wish that I could see it again. It is deeply and disturbingly creepy at points, and contains chilling scenes which I will never forget; it has the quality of a bad dream that you can't quite get out of your mind. At the same time, it is not in any way a typical "horror" or fantasy film; in an odd way it is somewhat subtle and intellectual without being at all high-brow (the lead character is an inquisitive college professor).

The main protagonists are played by Michael Sarrazin and Margot Kidder (both Canadians). Sarrazin was becoming quite popular at the time, and something of an unlikely heart-throb, but his career later fizzled out. His rather sleepy and laid-back acting style works well here. Kidder at first seems bizarrely and very severely mis-cast playing a far older alchoholic widow, but her performance begins to get under your skin once you get past the terrible age-makeup that was used on her (she plays her own age in flashbacks). She was actually much younger than Sarrazin at the time, and the same age as the radiant Jennifer O'Neill who plays her adult daughter. It would be interesting to know the behind-the-scenes info on the casting decisions.

The production is rather slow-moving, although it eventually gathers speed and certainly ends with a bang! Unfortunately, as a whole the thing never quite works. It probably could be a much more interesting and intense film, and I have read that Paramount has acquired the rights for a remake.

Originally available on both VHS tape and LaserDisc.