THE MAGIC GARDEN OF STANLEY SWEETHEART (1970)

Title: THE MAGIC GARDEN OF STANLEY SWEETHEART

Year of Release: 1970

Director: Leonard Horn

Genre: Drama

Synopsis: A young aspiring filmmaker living in a Manhattan apartment conducts a hedonistic lifestyle filled with free love and drugs, but becomes unstuck in the process.

Within a film history context: There were several movies which looked at college dropouts as a subject in film history. One of the first was Charles Guggenheim and John Stix's THE GREAT ST. LOUIS BANK ROBBERY (1959). A college dropout becomes enmeshed in a planned bank robbery which does not quite proceed as originally envisioned. HAIL, HERO! (1969), directed by David Miller, followed a young man who drops out of college to enlist in the Vietnam War. His methodology is simple; join the army, and spout notions of peace, without violence and death. Alan Pakula's THE STERILE CUCKOO (1969), was about the tender affair between two college students. This time around, the college dropout was a female character instead of a male, but her mental instability takes its toll on her. SUMMERTREE (1971), directed by Anthony Newley, surveyed the life of a college dropout, his relationship with a nurse, and opposition to the Vietnam War, among matters. THE MAGIC GARDEN OF STANLEY SWEETHEART proffered another position on a college dropout.

As with HAIL, HERO!, THE STERILE CUCKOO, and SUMMERTREE, the college dropout was the main character in the movie, the only difference being that the second film featured a female, Pookie, instead of a male, student. The sexual content in the final two examples were more marked than the first, but it is here that THE MAGIC GARDEN OF STANLEY SWEETHEART set itself apart. Stanley's life is a succession of different women, a threesome at one point, and is drug infused at various times. In a related issue, the sex and nudity angles were exploited much further than THE STERILE CUCKOO and SUMMERTREE, whose depictions are more discreet in nature. There was also a monogamous inclination respectively for both Pookie, and Jerry in these films that Stanley completely rejects in THE MAGIC GARDEN OF STANLEY SWEETHEART. This reflects the maelstrom occurring in Stanley's life, to a degree similar to Jerry's in SUMMERTREE. The presence of a family unit is another difference between SUMMERTREE, and THE MAGIC GARDEN OF STANLEY SWEETHEART.

Jerry's mother and father in SUMMERTREE add some authority to the story, and their point of view is valuable as a contrast to that of Jerry's. Stanley in THE MAGIC GARDEN OF STANLEY SWEETHEART does not have a family in the film, the only mention is of Stanley's mother in one scene where he is reading a letter from her. This gives some insight into Stanley's background, being that he is of a privileged background, and does not have to struggle for anything, but this is not a given. The tuition of Jerry in SUMMERTREE has been paid for by his parents, which is one of the reasons why they do not wish for him to go off the rails. They, as such, have an investment in his well-being, something the other examples did not elucidate. There is thus a subtle socio-economic subtext there, in comparing Jerry to Stanley. 

In addition, it is notable that Jerry in SUMMERTREE takes a stand on issues close to his heart, such as leaving college to become a musician, and his opposition to the Vietnam War. Stanley does not possess the same level of application, only standing for a good time with women, and whatever else he can find. The sole scene where Stanley resists something he does not like, being the gay man who tries to come onto him, is the only part where he actually stands for something. The ending goes somewhat into inferring that Stanley's actions are heavy on his mind, particularly since the suicide of his friend, which takes a toll on him. This is one of the most thoughtful passages in the film, adding a poignancy to the proceedings. An interesting view of a college dropout, THE MAGIC GARDEN OF STANLEY SWEETHEART presents a capable portrait of an ardent, but confused young college dropout.

Overview: Leonard Horn was an American director with three films to his credit. He was very active on television, helming countless prime time series from the early 1960s, until his death in 1975. Mr Horn presided over episodes of Alfred Hitchcock Presents, The Untouchables, Route 66, Dr. Kildare, Lost in Space, and many others. Leonard Horn's picture debut, ROGUE'S GALLERY (1968), was about a detective, whose involvement with a wealthy young woman may bring him heartache. Studded with veteran performers from the Golden Age of Hollywood, with Dennis Morgan, Brian Donlevy, Farley Granger, and Jackie Coogan, it was not released theatrically, but later on television. Mr Horn's final movie, CORKY (1973), centred around a mechanic who dreams of being a racing car driver, but this may be more difficult for him to achieve on closer inspection. THE MAGIC GARDEN OF STANLEY SWEETHEART was Leonard Horn's second cinematic outing, and an acceptable effort. 

Leonard Horn has crafted a sound motion picture with THE MAGIC GARDEN OF STANLEY SWEETHEART. Examining the life of a college student, and amateur filmmaker in New York City who drops out of his studies, majorly detailing his experiences with women, and drugs, it is a reasonable motion picture. The central strength of THE MAGIC GARDEN OF STANLEY SWEETHEART is in the portrayal of its charismatic, unsettled, but promiscuous lead character. Stanley's life is a whirlwind of women, drugs, running around, and generally avoiding either responsibility, or accountability to others. The movie, to its credit, is not morose or too heavy, and has some unexpected humorous moments which provide reprieve from Stanley's shenanigans. The mood is typical of the anything goes feel of the era, giving THE MAGIC GARDEN OF STANLEY SWEETHEART spirit in this respect. The ending is good, leaving both the viewer, and Stanley, to ponder the effect of his actions, and what this will mean for him. THE MAGIC GARDEN OF STANLEY SWEETHEART, though, in some parts, leaves much to be desired, dragging the movie down a few pegs.

In his Don Juan way, Stanley beds a number of young women in THE MAGIC GARDEN OF STANLEY SWEETHEART, and, at one stage, is sleeping with two best friends at the same time. The revelation that he is with Cathy, and then with her friend Fran, is never discovered by the two women. It could have precipitated a fallout out between them, but is ignored. Stanley's friendship with Danny, and Danny's fate in the final stretches, is another underdeveloped plot. Danny is a character who appears to have much going on internally, being a musician, and taking recreational drugs, but his suicide comes out of nowhere. One has not been offered privileged information about him explaining why this has occurred, and it is a cheap shot in the film to create some quick drama. It would have enriched THE MAGIC GARDEN OF STANLEY SWEETHEART by knowing more about Danny, and what led to this drastic event. This, though, is something that explains what really is at the heart of THE MAGIC GARDEN OF STANLEY SWEETHEART. It is a passable rendition of a time, and an era in the United States, and possibly elsewhere, with some courage of its convictions, if not fully expressive of these in a substantial manner.

Acting: The acting in THE MAGIC GARDEN OF STANLEY SWEETHEART is one of its strengths. In the lead role of Stanley Sweetheart, Don Johnson makes an impact as the charming, footloose young man who may in fact be his own worst enemy. An actor with a ready smile, but a wildness about him that suggests volatility, here makes an auspicious acting debut. As the girl who captures Stanley's restless heart, but to whom he cannot fully commit, Dianne Hull is in another of her thoughtful roles. With her subdued but friendly manner, her Kathy is the conscience of THE MAGIC GARDEN OF STANLEY SWEETHEART. Kathy's exuberant friend Fran is an excellent turn by Holly Near. With her zaniness on display for all to see, Miss Near adds a vulnerability, and pathos, that rings true, making her character very real. 

Similarly high on the wackiness level is Linda Gillen as Barbara/Shayne. With her cutting observations of life, and ability to see through situations, Miss Gillen adds an upbeat, comic spin to the film which balances it evenly. Michael Greer, as Stanley's friend Danny, is in one of his best performances. Keeping his style understated in this movie, Mr Greer makes Danny someone it would have been great to know more about. The last acting of note was by Brandon Maggart in a cameo role as Jim, a man in the cafe who tries to come onto Stanley. With his gregarious and outgoing persona, he builds his character profile well, making it crystal clear what he wants from Stanley, and eliciting surprise from the audience in the process. 

Soundtrack: The soundtrack of THE MAGIC GARDEN OF STANLEY SWEETHEART is a positive, and memorable, feature of the movie. While it includes a brief selection of several late 1960s/early 1970s songs within its running time, these nicely accompany the visuals, and provide a flavor of the era. There are, though, several tunes which are most striking in retrospect. The opening credits are enhanced by 'Nobody Knows', performed by Richie Havens. This is a fitting start to the movie which lends an aura of pensiveness to the film, with Mr Havens' deep voice a pleasure to listen to. 'Happy Together', sung by The Mike Curb Congregation, is an alluring, emotive tune which works seamlessly to emphasize Stanley's two-timing antics with Kathy and Fran. Similarly evocative is the beautiful 'Sweet Gingerbread Man', also performed by The Mike Curb Congregation. With its bright feel, but slight melancholic undertone, it adds to the thoughtful, but whimsical, feel of the picture. The closing credits are also notable, as they showcase a somber instrumental version of 'Sweet Gingerbread Man', which perfectly sums up the movie as a whole, and relates back to the quiet opening credits. 

Mise-en-scene: The visual experience for viewers is a good one in THE MAGIC GARDEN OF STANLEY SWEETHEART. Cinematography by Victor Kemper is just right, the color not too bright, but easy on the eyes. There are plenty of outdoor location sequences which adds realism and flair to the movie. The city streetscapes, university exteriors, and shopfronts are all imperative to show the life and times of Stanley Sweetheart. Interior locations are also of a high standard, with the psychedelic nightclubs, and bustling bars vividly portrayed. Stanley's messy apartment is exemplary of his busy, and chaotic private life, and a key non-verbal detail tellingly showcased by the movie. 

Notable Acting Performances: Don Johnson, Dianne Hull, Holly Near, Linda Gillen, Michael Greer, Brandon Maggart.

Suitability for young viewers: No. Infrequent coarse language, male nudity, female nudity, adult themes, low-level violence, drug use.

Overall Grade: C

Link: IMDB Page

INTERVIEW WITH ACTRESS WENDY PHILLIPS

I have the immense pleasure today of welcoming a very special guest, actress Wendy Phillips, to CINEMATIC REVELATIONS for an interview. Wendy has acted in many motion pictures over the years such as AIRPLANE II: THE SEQUEL, MIDNIGHT RUN, FRATERNITY ROW [my review of the film can be found here], THE WIZARD, BUGSY, I AM SAM, FRIENDS WITH MONEY, and RENDITION, to name several. Wendy has been an acting teacher privately for many years, and is currently an Adjunct Associate Professor at the University of Southern California. In this interview Wendy will be discussing her part in FRATERNITY ROW, acting in cinema and on television, and her academic career.

Welcome to CINEMATIC REVELATIONS Wendy!

Wendy: Thank you, I’m happy to be here.

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Athan: When did you first realize that you wanted to be an actress?

Wendy: Well, my parents were actors, and my father was a Broadway actor for many years, fairly successful, and was blacklisted right around the time I was born. So he went into teaching acting, and one of his students, it's almost a cliche, was my mother. They got together, and I was born along with my two brothers, and they'd just grown up in the theatre, or in acting classes.

Wannabe actors were our babysitters. We had to sit through all the plays my parents did, and it became second nature. It's the family business, what can I say? So I went to Cal Berkeley [University of California] sort of thinking I wanted to be an attorney, a lawyer, a criminal lawyer, and right the wrongs of the world. But then I realized I really hated law.

So I guess life picked me to be an actor. I got an audition, got it, and just kept going.

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Athan: Where did you study acting?

Wendy: Well, first with my parents growing up, but when I came down to Los Angeles, I had worked a little bit at the Strasberg Institute because Lee Strasberg was a close friend of my father's, but a really good person who taught me the most was a woman named Peggy Feury. She had a studio called the Loft Studio, and a lot of children of actors from New York studied there because they respected Peggy so much. People like Sean Penn, Angelica Houston, Adam Arkin, lots of people.

And I met my best friend there, Hallie Foote, who's the daughter of the playwright Horton Foote. So we were all twenty somethings in this acting class, and she was a very good teacher, and I owe her a lot.

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Athan: As the multi-faceted Betty Anne Martin in FRATERNITY ROW, your performance was excellent. What it is that drew you to the part of Betty Ann in FRATERNITY ROW, and how did it feel to make your film acting debut in the movie?

Wendy: Well, honestly, I would've, at that point in my career, taken any part. So it wasn't that I picked Betty Ann as much as Betty Ann picked me. Now, overall in my career, I've had more success playing, I don't want to say the villain, but a character that's broken in some way. And a wonderful writer/producer once said that his theory on casting was always to cast…

If you wanted a villain, get someone who's really nice because they will present complexities, as opposed to someone who's just, excuse my language, well, someone who's just kind of rotten to play a rotten person, you just, you just get two rottens. But if you cast opposites, you get a duality, which is what you look for in complex performances.

At that young of an age though, you always want to be the liked one, or the pretty girl, but over time, I appreciated it. And again, one of my oldest friends is Greg Harrison and also, Nancy Ritter. From that movie, you kind of bond as young actors. You don't know anything. You're pretending you know everything and you form very close relationships at those times of transition.

I had done a movie before FRATERNITY ROW, which is what brought me to Los Angeles. I'd done a movie of the week called Death Be Not Proud, which was really excellent, with Robby Benson, Jane Alexander, and that was my sort of professional debut. And a Los Angeles agent saw it and wanted to sign me. She also happened to be Greg Harrison's agent, and she submitted us both for FRATERNITY ROW.

That very first year was young.

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Athan: FRATERNITY ROW had an accomplished cast with yourself, Peter Fox, Gregory Harrison, Nancy Morgan, and Scott Newman as the lead group of protagonists. What was it like working with these performers, and have you kept in contact with any cast members and crew from FRATERNITY ROW?

Wendy: Well, it's interesting looking back on it. You know, Scott Newman shortly passed away after the movie, but he was difficult. He was a difficult character probably because of the demons he was struggling with, and because of who his father was. But looking back on it, he was extremely charismatic. And I'm so sorry that he wasn't able to somehow work his way through his demons.

Greg and I became very close friends, very good friends. We were the only two actors that my agent represented that were not from New York. I was from San Francisco, and Greg is from Catalina. So all those parties, we kind of just huddled in the corners, the two non-New Yorkers.

But we were very good, good friends, and we played brother and sister in season eight of Falcon Crest many years later. And Nancy, who became Nancy Ritter, John Ritter's wife, was just a wonderful person. And I went a couple of years ago, I went back to an acting class, I just wanted to. I was teaching, and I felt like I needed to walk in the shoes of being an actor again, to help my teaching.

And there's a wonderful teacher that she was in that class, so we got to sort of reconnect after many years. She's just a great person, really great. I value my friendship with both of those people. And Peter, I like Peter, but I don't know where Peter went. I think he's president of the Theater Alliance in Los Angeles, but ninety-eight percent of my work has been filmed, so I don't know very much about theater in Los Angeles.

I love film. Perhaps it was my own personal validation, my family or theatre, and I went into film. Fortunately, film accepted me in and I love it. I loved the hours, I loved the camaraderie of being the crew. I love the intimacy film that you get, that's harder to get on stage, I think.

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Athan: For you, what was the most demanding, but emotionally satisfying segment of filming FRATERNITY ROW?

Wendy: It was during the summer of 1976 maybe. We took over a paternity house at USC, and the cast and the crew in a weird way almost lived there. We just, we would just shoot sort of around the clock. Most of it takes place at night, so it's night shoots, which particularly throws your rhythm off.

So we would spend a lot of hours just hanging out at that fraternity house while they were setting up cameras. And it was conducive, conducive to conversations of the soul around 4:00 AM in the morning while you're waiting for the next shot to be set up.

In terms of a sequence from the movie, there's a fight scene in there. I think that's my favorite scene, and its with Peter Fox. I have a fight scene and I'm really not very nice, but my feelings are heard. I don't understand why everybody else feels different than I do. I’m arguing by a tree with Peter Fox, then he leaves me crying there.

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Athan: FRATERNITY ROW was directed by Thomas J. Tobin, in his only film as director. What was the experience of being directed by Mr Tobin in FRATERNITY ROW, who made his movie debut helming the picture?

Wendy: Well, he was a lovely man. I'm surprised didn't get some work out of it. I don't know if you realize this, Gary Allison was the executive producer. This is a film made by USC in an effort to get their graduate students experience.

And it was an experiment to see if they, if, a graduate department, of course USC cinema, USC cinema, a School of Cinematic Arts, is about as prestigious as you could get in this country. So I would say seventy-five percent of this, the crew were students, graduate students. Our DP [Director of Photography] had been a professional director of photography, and I think Tom had directed some, but he really hadn't worked with actors extensively. He was lovely. And I think he did an amazing job considering the pressure he was under with the school, just being the first time the school attempted to do this.

And they did find a market and you know, a year later it was sold for release and we all got paid. But at the time, everybody was doing it as a labor of love. We weren't being paid at that time. The actors weren't and neither was the crew. And once it was paid, everybody, they kept the hours, they kept the accounting. I have a wonderful story about Greg Harrison. This is a little off topic, but we did the movie, and then we didn't hear anything more about it for about a year.

And that's not unusual, but we went our own ways. But Greg Harrison was having a hard time getting any work and he was working, selling shoes. I think Carl’s Shoes didn't have any money, and all of a sudden it was just before Christmas that they cut the checks for FRATERNITY ROW. And with all his overtime, and remember, this is 1977, his check was for $36,000. From working to selling shoes, he knew that with amount of money, he could live at least a year in Los Angeles and pursue acting. And soon after that, he got Logan's Run, which was a dream. But he came over with a check because I got my check. and was in tears because it was in the nick of time.

Athan: Isn't it something when something like that happens? Many times a situation saves.

Wendy: The thirteenth hour or something and you go, oh, here I'm gonna make it.

Athan: Makes you not want to give up on life, doesn’t it?

Wendy: I don’t know, it ain't over until the fat lady sings. Do you have that expression?

Athan: Yes.

Wendy: Baseball expression here. And I think you hang, you know, it's over until, it's over. You know, it's, so hang in there.

Athan: That's it. Exactly.

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Athan: You have also acted in many television shows over the years, with Executive Suite, Lou Grant, B.J. and the Bear, CHiPs, Trapper John, M.D., Taxi, and St. Elsewhere, Falcon Crest, and more recently in E.R., Ghost Whisperer, The Mentalist, and SEAL TEAM. You have appeared in telemovies, with Paper Dolls, Shattered Vows, and Appearances just a small sampling. What, for you, are the main differences between film, and television?

Wendy: Well, there's one time, just time. TV, they have to get big, they have to tell the story. You have eight days for an hour of tv, if you're lucky. And for a feature for two hours, a two-hour feature could be like four months. So a lot of that goes to the lighting, and they can go on location. And the richness of the quality of production is much richer on a big feature.

So feature writers can write to that, while TV writers know that they have to keep the story within a certain kind of containment or they just can't shoot it in time. I think the hour long format may be the format I love the most, but it may be the most tiring to me on a series for an hour drama because you're just every day shooting for months and a different story every day. While with a feature, you have one story over a couple of months.

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Athan: You have been an Adjunct Associate Professor at the University of Southern California Graduate School of Film for the last fourteen years in the John Wells Division of Writing for Screen & Television. What is it about this role which gives you the most satisfaction?

Wendy: Oh, I'm very grateful. You know, in Hollywood there's not much use for older actresses. When I finished my last series Promised Land, I was 50 something. And while there are parts for older women, if they are any good, then Meryl Streep is doing them. There's so few, and most of them are just written like in broad terms and aren't, aren't really very interesting.

It's not why one becomes an actor. And I got offered this job out of the blue. I did a film called MIDNIGHT RUN with Robert De Niro, and the man sitting next to me in a dinner party loved that film. He turned out to be the head of the cinema department at USC, and asked if I wanted to come teach this class that had been taught by Nina Foch, who had just died one or two years earlier.

They were looking for her replacement. And I couldn't imagine teaching screenwriters the process of acting, because that's the class I teach, which, is a required course. It's the first course they get when they enter graduate school. And it's magic, it's absolutely magic. I would prefer to teach screenwriters than actors because actors are constantly, how am I going to get a job?

You know, giving them information, but they want to know, is this going to help me get a job? It's hard for them to hold onto the big picture of their journey as an artist. But if you're a screenwriter, you're like, what the heck? I've got to take this acting class? And then all of a sudden they kind of get it. They kind of get how the actor is also a storyteller, and that their words, and these people, merge together to create one story for you to view.

But the director, the writer, the actor, the cinematographer, they're all coming together to tell this story as truthfully, and fully as possible. And you know, you really, there's always one or two during a semester where you see the light comes on, you know, behind the eyes and they go, oh, I get it, I get it. And I know those people when they direct now, will truly appreciate what actors do, and not see them merely as talking puppets, which is, I kind of think, that a lot of people think actors really are. Either they're exhibitionists, or they practice in front of the mirror, and make a series of expressions, and that's not it at all.

Yeah. And I'm 72, and I get to go work with young people who are really smart and excited about their futures, and it makes me feel young. Campus in the fall and they're all arriving and their script hasn't been written yet, and they're so, they're ready to go. And you can just be, it's contagious. It really, it makes me feel very alive.

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Athan: Do you have any upcoming projects of which you would like to tell readers?

Wendy: I've been retired from acting for a good fifteen years, maybe longer. Maybe every once in a while it crosses my mind and someone will ask me if I'm interested in something. But you know, acting is a muscle. You have to believe in yourself. You have to have confidence that you are the best person to tell or act the story of this character.

And you have to do it a lot to believe in that. It's a kind of a trick in the mind. You have to practice it a lot so that when a part comes at you go, I know this character better than anyone else, and I can do it better than anyone else. You have to walk in with that kind of belief. And that's why young actors are always in acting class. It's not necessarily just to learn acting, it's about keeping that muscle going so that when they do get a job, they've been acting every day or you know, they've been at it for a while.

Actually teaching it is a very different part of the brain than the doing of it. And now that teaching part is really built up and the doing of it is, that's why I went to that class where I reconnected with Nancy, because I just wanted to touch it again and, make sure that part of the brain still existed. But no, no, no, just not just, I want to teach as long as I can.

You feel like that, you know, you're where you belong. You could feel it in your body, and it's not like every day is happy and there are days when I go, I don't want to teach anymore. But overall, you know, you're receiving an enormous amount of nutrition for the soul, and I'm really, really grateful for it. Really grateful because I too have, I have had acting jobs where I just could not wait for it to be over.

And if I could quit in the middle of a project, I would've, as they would have been like nightmare experiences, just because I wasn't where I was supposed to be. 

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Thank you so much today for your time Wendy, and for the keen insights you have provided into the art of acting, FRATERNITY ROW, cinema, television, and academia. It has been wonderful having you on CINEMATIC REVELATIONS. You are welcome to return whenever you wish.

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Wendy Phillips links

+Wendy Phillips IMDb Actor Page

+FRATERNITY ROW movie IMDb page

+Wendy Phillips University of Southern California profile

NIGHTMARE HONEYMOON (1974)

Title: NIGHTMARE HONEYMOON

Year of Release: 1974

Director: Elliot Silverstein

Genre: Drama, Horror

Synopsis: A couple on their honeymoon witness a murder, and are pursued by the killer.

Within a film history context: From the silent era onwards, there have been several movies which deal with couples on their honeymoon who encounter murder and mayhem. One of the first was Maurice Elvey's FOOTSTEPS IN THE NIGHT (1931). The honeymoon of a scientist and his wife is interrupted by a foreign agent, who wants to steal the plans for the scientist's newest invention, subsequently causing the couple nothing but trouble. With horror film THE BLACK CAT (1934), directed by Edgar G. Ulmer, a honeymooning couple is drawn into the warped life of an architect, with murder and intrigue aplenty. In William Clements' THE CASE OF THE VELVET CLAWS (1936), which was one of the Perry Mason series mysteries, Perry and wife Della's honeymoon is interrupted by a woman with a gun. She wants Perry to have a story about her and a man retracted from a newspaper, but that is just the start of events in this short movie. THE INVISIBLE MENACE (1938), directed by John Farrow, had an army private take his new bride for a honeymoon on an island, but discovering that chaos and murder reign supreme there. 

Arthur Wood's comedic HAUNTED HONEYMOON (1940), was similar in type. When a Lord, who is an amateur private eye, honeymoons with his new wife, a crime writer, at their new country home, they become embroiled in a homicide. HOMICIDE FOR THREE (1948), directed by George Blair, again had a honeymooning couple fall into suspense and murder. In this instance, a couple proceed to a hotel and find a suite, but homicide makes its presence felt in their lives in this thriller. David Friedkin's HOT SUMMER NIGHT (1957), had a reporter interrupt his honeymoon ardent on the trail of a bank robber, but whose investigations for him may prove lethal. Horror was the name of the game in KISS OF THE VAMPIRE (1963), directed by Don Sharp. Events on their honeymoon lead a couple into a European village where they encounter vampires, and the occult, in this British production. NIGHTMARE HONEYMOON was the most realistic production about a honeymoon given to murder and mayhem, for several reasons.

While it shared the tendency of the other movies to showcase a harried couple who fall into dangerous situations on their honeymoon, NIGHTMARE HONEYMOON was lacking in obvious suspense elements, which typified entries such as THE CASE OF THE VELVET CLAWS, HOMICIDE FOR THREE, and, in particular, KISS OF THE VAMPIRE. In NIGHTMARE HONEYMOON, it was a case of witnessing a blissful, newlywed couple flush with excitement at starting a new life together, and how their stumbling upon a horrific incident changes the course of their honeymoon, and their lives from therein. It was a naturalistic presentation overall in this way, and also featured elements of action movies in the chase sequences. Aside from this, it also did not have villainous characters who held prestigious positions, such as in FOOTSTEPS IN THE NIGHT and THE BLACK CAT. In NIGHTMARE HONEYMOON, the transgressors were thoroughly psychotic criminals, without a sterling pedigree, committing heinous acts. There was a lack of glamour in this respect, with the offenders dressed down, particularly compared to the well-heeled entries of the 1930s and 1940s. A beguiling look at honeymoon calamities, NIGHTMARE HONEYMOON was the most contemporary movie of its kind in its time.

Overview: Elliot Silverstein was an American director who made six feature films between 1965 and 1994, with a considerable break of seventeen years from his fifth, to his sixth and final project. He mainly helmed dramas, with his first two movies being comedies, but also tackled crime dramas, action, and horror. Mr Silverstein's inaugural picture, CAT BALLOU (1965), was a western comedy of a young woman whose father is murdered, and seeks retaliation for the crime. She in turn becomes an outlaw, and enlists the services of an inebriated gunfighter in her quest for justice. With a cast including Jane Fonda in the title role, and Lee Marvin as her gunman, it was one of the most successful films of the year. Less popular at the box office was Elliott Silverstein's next project, THE HAPPENING (1967). When a businessman is kidnapped by a group of young people for a hefty ransom, no one, not even his wife, offers to pay the amount. He then turns against these people, and sides with his kidnappers to extort money in this enjoyable comedy caper. 

Into the 1970s and after, A MAN CALLED HORSE (1970), was one of Elliot Silverstein's best-known works. The odyssey of an English aristocrat in a Native American tribe, eventually becoming their leader, rang the box office bell, and led to two sequels. Mr Silverstein's penultimate movie, THE CAR (1977), was a foray into horror. A car without a driver causes pandemonium in a small town, specifically of the murderous kind. Critically derided in its time, it was followed by a sequel over forty years later which met with the same disdain. Elliot Silverstein's last film, FLASHFIRE (1994), followed a police detective and his assorted problems. Despite having Louis Gossett Jr. and Billy Zane in the lead roles, it sank into oblivion. NIGHTMARE HONEYMOON was Elliot Silverstein's fourth motion picture, and a competent, if inconsistent movie.

Elliot Silverstein has made a forceful, but patchy film with NIGHTMARE HONEYMOON. Taking as its starting point the reception party of a newlywed couple, it shows them elated upon embarking on a new life together. This is aptly contrasted later when they encounter villains during their honeymoon, this experience marking them irrevocably. In this respect, there is a logical sequence of events in the film which make sense as a whole for the characters, and the story. Aside from this, NIGHTMARE HONEYMOON, at first glance, would seem to be an insidious exploitation tale with few redeeming qualities to recommend it. The advertising materials suggest something akin to a horror movie, with some unfortunate self-defeating copy which does not assist the film's cause. Upon viewing the film, it is refreshing that it is not as furtive as expected. NIGHTMARE HONEYMOON has murder and rape as some of its content, but, in both cases, shies away from closeup views of these crimes. In an era of cinema where crime was often depicted in thoroughly violent ways, the picture, as such, does not glamorize it. While this is a virtue of NIGHTMARE HONEYMOON, on the other hand, it could have gone further to engage viewers both visually, and storywise.

One of NIGHTMARE HONEYMOON's best aspects is its treatment of crime in a serious manner. The criminals are not bad people who are redeemed by the end of the movie, thus avoiding a distorted message to viewers. This is admirable to see, and the film's straightforward presentation also has its virtues. Where the picture could have been better is in the filming of certain key scenes. The rape sequence is one of these examples. The movie does not depict the rape onscreen in any manner, and prefers to explore the psychological impact of this on its victim. It could have, though, set up a scene where the rapist's eyes lock with the victim's, and her scream heard as he moves towards her. In addition, and in a spare manner, this device could have been repeated throughout the movie when the woman remembers her horrible experience. There is another downside in NIGHTMARE HONEYMOON's plotting which does not help the film.

Having the rapist disappear from the narrative for a large chunk of the picture has its disadvantages. There is a concentration upon the newlyweds, and how they come to terms with what happened to them, that is compelling to watch. The absence of the criminals, though, does let the proceedings down somewhat. Watching the criminals exact their revenge step by step would have added suspense. Aside from this, there is no substantial backstory for the rapist and his accomplice. This would have been beneficial, and added dimension to the character, and picture itself, as he is not a cardboard villain as such. The anger and violence displayed have their origin somewhere, and elaborating on this would have greatly enriched the film. In essence, these flaws reflect something about NIGHTMARE HONEYMOON. It is a film which has a few impressive scenes, but the overall delivery does not live up to expectations.

Acting: NIGHTMARE HONEYMOON has several performances of note. In the lead role of David Webb, one half of the central newlywed couple, Dack Rambo is convincing. An actor with a suave presence, here adds a little danger to the mix as the charming, but complicated David. David's new wife, Jill, is expertly portrayed by Rebecca Dianna Smith. Miss Smith effectively conveys the change in temperament from bubbly newlywed, to a woman suffering after being violated, with utter force. An actress who has vanished from screens since the mid-1970s, it would have been a treat to have witnessed more acting interpretations from her. The thorn in David and Jill's side, the villainous Lee, is a surprising turn by the underrated John Beck. Usually cast as a solid, amiable leading man whose soothing presence makes his female partner at ease, here is entirely contrary in role. Although Lee is a mean seed to the core, there is just something about John Beck in this part which captures the attention, despite the movie not getting into sufficient depth about his backstory. The last acting deserving mention was by Angela Clarke as a woman David finds at the park. Even though it is a small part, Miss Clarke is riveting as a woman caught in a difficult situation, but with a good man on her side to allay her fears.

Soundtrack: NIGHTMARE HONEYMOON is purposefully lean in terms of its soundtrack, and this works for the picture as a whole. Elmer Bernstein's score covers all the bases, from the quieter scenes with soft music, to the more thoroughgoing passages with stronger music. The opening, and closing credits are also of interest in that the former features pleasant wedding music, while the latter has a somber tone which reflects the sad tone of the concluding scenes.

Mise-en-scene: The onscreen experience of NIGHTMARE HONEYMOON is persuasive to witness for viewers. Colour photography by Harry Stradling Jr. is properly subdued, with a slightly more florid turn at the film's beginning making way for shadows, and darkness, as the movie unravels. This is in keeping with the plot, and feelings of the characters, expressed in a non-verbal way. Sets are elaborate and opulent, with David and Jill's bridal suite, and hotel restaurant the main standouts, thanks to set decorator James L. Berkey. Outdoor location shooting is also impressive, with the wedding festivities, and the climactic duel between David, and Lee, just two examples of properly orchestrated scenes.

Notable Acting Performances: Dack Rambo, Rebecca Dianna Smith, John Beck, Angela Clarke.

Suitability for young viewers: No. Adult themes, high-level violence.

Overall Grade: C

Link: IMDB Page

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