Alice, Sweet Alice (1976)

In 1961, a divorced catholic couple's life is turned upside down when one of their two adolescent daughters is suspected of her younger sister's brutal murder during her First Communion, and a series of subsequent stabbings.

Director:

Alfred Sole

Writers:

Rosemary Ritvo (original screenplay), Alfred Sole (original screenplay)

Stars:

Linda Miller, Mildred Clinton, Paula E. Sheppard

3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Linda Miller	...	Catherine Spages
Mildred Clinton	...	Mrs. Tredoni
Paula E. Sheppard	...	Alice Spages (as Paula Sheppard)
Niles McMaster	...	Dom Spages
Jane Lowry	...	Aunt Annie DeLorenze
Rudolph Willrich	...	Father Tom
Michael Hardstark	...	Detective Spina
Alphonso DeNoble	...	Mr. Alphonso
Gary Allen	...	Jim DeLorenze
Brooke Shields	...	Karen Spages
Louisa Horton	...	Dr. Whitman
Tom Signorelli	...	Detective Brennan
Lillian Roth	...	Pathologist (as Miss Lillian Roth also)
Patrick Gorman	...	Father Pat
Kathy Rich	...	Angela DeLorenze

Storyline

Alice Spages is a withdrawn 12-year-old girl who lives with her younger sister Karen and their mother Catherine. Karen gets most of their mother's attention, and Alice is often left out of the spotlight. When Karen is found brutally murdered in a church before her First Holy Communion, Alice is in the spotlight of suspicion, but is a 12-year-old girl really capable of such savagery? As more people die at the hands of a merciless killer, Alice's family and the police don't know what to believe.

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Plot Keywords:

masked killer | 1960s | sister sister relationship | north american giallo | serial killer | 

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Taglines:

It's too late for prayers.

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Horror | Mystery | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Did You Know?

Trivia

The knife used in the film was created by Alfred Sole's neighbor, who was an engineer, and was designed with a retractable blade. It was the only knife used in the film, the filmmakers never made any duplicates.

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Goofs

When Mrs. Tredoni answers the door for Catherine at the rectory, the boom mic is visible in a mirror.

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Quotes

Mrs. Tredoni: Bless me Father, for I have sinned.
Father Tom: We're only hearing the children this morning.
Mrs. Tredoni: ...Bless me Father, for I have sinned.

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Crazy Credits

During the ending credits there is no music and the screen doesn't turn black, the last frame of the film remains in the background forever.

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Alternate Versions

The DVD edition has a few other differences in sound between the original 1980's video release. The new version has several seconds of missing soundtrack music and dialogue, while the original release has dramatic music and dialogue during the same scenes.

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Connections

Featured in WatchMojo: Top 20 Iconic Horror Movie Masks (2019)

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Soundtracks

Three Little Fishies
By Kay Kyser
Written by Saxie Dowell (uncredited)

User Reviews

(***) -- butcher knives, bratty kids, and creepy masks

(three out of five stars) There's a bit more to this creepy, violent mystery-thriller than the standard slasher formula (which this movie must have had more than a little influence on). The performances are all exceptional, the intricate plot is well-written and keeps you guessing, and there is some deep symbolism and themes of ritualistic Catholic guilt and obsession that you wouldn't find in, say, "Slumber Party Massacre 2." Paula Sheppard stars as the title character, a hostile young girl who becomes the prime suspect when her little sister (12-year-old Brooke Shields, in her first role) is strangled to death and burned on the day of her first Communion. This murder sets off a police investigation and a series of more bloody attacks involving everyone from Alice's estranged parents (Linda Miller and Niles McMaster), to her priest (Rudolph Willrich), to the grossly overweight and lecherous cat lover (Alphonso De Noble) who lives on the floor below Alice's apartment. There are surprises and shocks galore and some pretty graphic butcher knife action. Jane Lowry also stars as Alice's bitchy aunt. HIGHLIGHT: All the religious (and sacrilegious) Catholic symbolism throughout the film culminates in a final Communion scene that is as violent as it is shocking (but that's all I'll tell you.)

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

13 November 1976 (USA)

Also Known As:

Holy Terror

Filming Locations:

New Jersey, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$340,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Harristown Funding

Technical Specs

Runtime:

107 min 98 min (edited)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1