Back in March I posted a film called Between Two Worlds (1944). In a comment, one of my readers, Propagatrix, brought this film to my attention. It's loosely based on the same idea - what happens to a group of people after they die. The film opens on a luxurious airliner flying to an unknown destination. On it are various archetypes of society - the young couple in love, the workaholic business man, the wallflower, the housewife, the clergyman... Unlike the film its based on, the plane arrives at its destination early - a beautiful tropical resort where every need is met. The guests are pampered in every way until things begin to go wrong, starting with a huge storm that knocks the power out. As life begins to get more and more difficult for the guests it dawns on them that perhaps it's not life at all and they're actually dead and in hell.
Though this film deals with the same circumstances as the 1944 version, it has a much bleaker, 1970's outlook and draws conclusions from a particularly pessimistic point of view. The cast is quite the who's who, also featuring Donna Mills, Ed Asner, Moses Gunn, Robert Reed and Michael Lembeck. Clothes horse, Cloris Leachman wears many of the same clothes she wears as Phyllis Lyndstrom in Mary Tyler Moore (1970). Though it's never been released on DVD, it can be found on YouTube in its entirety thanks to TVTERRORLAND. The whole film is above.
Obscurity factor: 9 (hard to find, largely forgotten, not on DVD, available on YouTube)
I'm so glad you finally got around to seeing this one. Cloris looks so Brini after her spa treatment!
ReplyDeleteI'm about two-thirds of the way through this film - I distinctly remember watching it, on its original airing. What surprises me, is that the exteriors were filmed at Miami's Vizcaya, and my family was living in the city in 1972. I doubt that we noticed (the estate wasn't open to the public, at the time).
ReplyDeleteDirector Paul Wendkos helmed dozens of TV movies - but ultimately, will be remembered for the "Gidget" films, and "The Mephisto Waltz."
The weakest link here, is actor Moses Gunn - a bit too cartoonish.
Of course, when seeing it in 1972, I had no idea about the eventual "hell" aspect. Frankly, I'm surprised that my parents allowed me to watch it all of the way through. But, I did grow up on depressing 70s films and TV movies.
I was struck by how fatalistic the story was... in addition to being distracted by Phyllis' clothes.
ReplyDeleteHmmm, watched the rest of it tonight. A bit disappointed. I did remember many small details from the '72 airing - and I haven't seen it since. What I did not recall? The conclusion. I assumed that it would end with them back on the plane, landing at the island, once again. Hell being a constant repetition.
ReplyDeleteYes, the conclusion was something of a cop-out. I wish there was more of an emphasis on the nature of their transgressions - for the most part they seem like ordinary people with ordinary problems. I suppose Cloris Leachman's character could be guilty of vanity and Lloyd Bridges could be guilty of adultery, etc, but it's not really fleshed out why they're in hell.
ReplyDeleteWhat is amazing, is that my parents watched this with me, all of the way through. (Right before Asner said it, I remembered, the stairs!) My father was (and still is, at 80) a minister - I wonder what he thought about Robert Reed's character. Granted, our family loved these bizarre TV movies of the 70s. Wasn't it CBS that used to have the Tuesday late-night mystery movie? Ben, I am going to IMDb a 70s version of "The Turn of the Screw" - it was memorable. At the time, I had not yet seen the classic '61 version, "The Innocents."
ReplyDeleteAh, Dan Curtis directing, and Lynn Redgrave starring! Awesome. My distinct memory...at the scariest part, my father told me to "turn around" from the TV, while sitting in the ubiquitous 70s swivel chair. As if I couldn't HEAR what was going on!
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