In the late 1960s, a lot of previously respected classic actors apparently felt left out due to the rise of the hippies and so they tried desperately to fit in with this new culture. The results of these films are uniformly awful...and embarrassing. Lana Turner embarrassed herself in "The Big Cube" (all about LSD), Jennifer Jones did the same in "Angel, Angel Down We Go" (all about the evils of rock 'n roll and cults) and MANY actors and actresses embarrassed themselves in "Skidoo" (all about free love and the sexual revolution)...just to name a few. And, in "The Happening", Anthony Quinn hangs out with the hippiest and most annoying kidnappers in the history of Hollywood!
"The Happening" is not a wholly original film. Some story elements were in the previous movie, "Too Many Crooks" and some were reused in the 1980s film "Ruthless People". But there was one difference...these two other films are hilarious and well worth seeing.
The story begins in the woods where a bunch of hippies are sleeping as well as trying to sleep off the effects of various drugs. Suddenly, evil cops arrive and drive them all off. Three of these hippies soon meet up with another and they all go joyriding in a yacht. Soon, they quartet stop to play army soldier with some kids (why???) and in the process, the kids' father thinks they are kidnappers coming to get him. In fact, they had no such intentions...until he planted the idea in their minds...and soon they take the guy away and plan on charging a ransom for his return. In so many ways, the film IS "Ruthless People" in this regard...but with the most annoying committing the crime. So, instead of being funny, it is thoroughly annoying...to the point where I could imagine most viewers just turning it off and watching something, ANYTHING, else.
The bottom line is that much of the story is pretty good. But with hellishly annoying hippie-types trying to be funny...well, it's just trying! And, while SOME back in 1967 must have liked it, you'd be very hard pressed to find ANYONE who likes it and would recommend it today.
"The Happening" is not a wholly original film. Some story elements were in the previous movie, "Too Many Crooks" and some were reused in the 1980s film "Ruthless People". But there was one difference...these two other films are hilarious and well worth seeing.
The story begins in the woods where a bunch of hippies are sleeping as well as trying to sleep off the effects of various drugs. Suddenly, evil cops arrive and drive them all off. Three of these hippies soon meet up with another and they all go joyriding in a yacht. Soon, they quartet stop to play army soldier with some kids (why???) and in the process, the kids' father thinks they are kidnappers coming to get him. In fact, they had no such intentions...until he planted the idea in their minds...and soon they take the guy away and plan on charging a ransom for his return. In so many ways, the film IS "Ruthless People" in this regard...but with the most annoying committing the crime. So, instead of being funny, it is thoroughly annoying...to the point where I could imagine most viewers just turning it off and watching something, ANYTHING, else.
The bottom line is that much of the story is pretty good. But with hellishly annoying hippie-types trying to be funny...well, it's just trying! And, while SOME back in 1967 must have liked it, you'd be very hard pressed to find ANYONE who likes it and would recommend it today.