Angel, Angel, Down We Go

In her next to last film Jennifer Jones plays once again a decadent over sexed sultry figure in Angel Angel Down We Go. In the film she did a few years back The Idol Jones plays an older woman who flips for her son's friend who just looks at her as someone he wants to nail. But The Idol was classic next to this one.

Jennifer Jones and Charles Aidman play a rich power couple who have a daughter Holly Near who's no Miss Junior Miss. Still her status requires she be given a coming out as any débutante must have. At that party she meets Jordan Christopher who is a second hand version of Christopher Jones's character Max Frost from Wild In The Streets. He hangs out with a group of Manson like followers that include Davey Davison, Roddy McDowall, and Lou Rawls. With her millions they welcome Holly into their group all the while Christopher takes aim on Jones.

We learned here that Jeanne Crain showed uncommon good judgment in turning this film down. Watching Charles Aidman I thought he was imitating Jason Robards and maybe Jason was who was originally thought of to play the father. I guess that Aidman was having his own little joke knowing he was in a Thanksgiving Day special.

The Idol and Angel Angel Down We Go were both made after the death of David O. Selznick, Jennifer Jones's second husband and career Svengali. Selznick sure had his faults but there ain't no way he would have let his wife appear in those two films, especially Angel Angel Down We Go.

Jones was apparently no good at charting her own career, but her final film was The Towering Inferno where she played the part of a respectable widow who stays respectable.

Jordan Christopher was imitating Jim Morrison in his role and I can't believe that they didn't give the genuine talent of Lou Rawls a song to sing.

Fans of Jennifer Jones will not like Angel Angel Down We Go.

American-International Pictures during the 1960s usually had a good idea of what their drive-in audience would like to see, but they really missed the boat with "Angel, Angel, Down We Go" (a.k.a. "Cult of the Damned"), which was a box office disappointment. Studio head Samuel Z. Arkoff theorized that the failure of the movie was because the characters in the movie simply were not sympathetic, and the movie was extremely downbeat. That's certainly true, but the movie has additional problems. It's also pretty slow, with its thin story stretched out to the breaking point. Also, I am not sure what point the movie was trying to make, unless it was that life is a real downer. The movie is sometimes directed in an eye-catching manner (particularly the opening minutes), but it doesn't manage to hide that the story and characters are drab and uninteresting. It took a long time for this movie to get a home video release, though if you ask me, it could have stayed in obscurity.

As I have collected all 24 Jennifer Jones' films on video, (25 if you include the two versions of "Gone to Earth"/"Wild Heart"), it was only natural I should buy a video entitled "Cult of the Damned", its' later release title.

I was 23 when this was filmed in 1969 so if what now amounts to a period piece of rock stars, drugs, cults etc, appeals to you, then this film is worth a look.You may be somewhat surprised to see and hear established stars such as Jennifer Jones appearing in this film especially when she utters lines like," I made 40 stag films and never faked an orgasm" or calling her masseuse a " you're a bloody sadistic dyke".Roddy McDowell also appears as a disciple of Jordan Christopher, the cult leader."Pop" art adorns the set especially at the beginning and is designed to shock.The dialogue is full of pretentious nonsense as espoused by Holly Near playing the overweight daughter and its narrator.I did however like most of the songs especially the one Jordan sings to Jennifer Jones when he's stark naked at the foot of her bed, with just her famous necklace to cover his modesty!

I know this film gets "slated" by most people and critics but do see it if you get the chance.Its never been seen on mainstream UK TV to my knowledge and the video title is not commercially available.Your best bet is to bid on "e-Bay" as it occasionally comes up for auction.

Jennifer Jones gets to sleaze it up as the rich mother (who did NOT to stag movies, they keep saying) of an overweight deubutaunte who escapes with a bunch of drug abusing hippies and turns into a disaster. Almost all of the dialogue is overdone and over performed and it becomes the most hysterically funny camp experience since Valley of the Dolls. It must be seen to be believed.

The this is a disgraceful movie, embarrassing to watch and the only reason I and am sure many others did was to see a great star Jennifer Jones return to work. Puzzling as Jennifer Jones the great star of 'Song of Bernadette', 'Love Is A Many Splendored Thing', 'Madame Bovary', 'Tender Is The Night', was reduced to appearing in this film. Why Jennifer Why? Anyone who follows Jennifer Jones' career notes that David Selznick micro managed Jennifer's career making some wise choices Song of Bernadatte and then some poor one's turning down 'Laura'. Mr.Selznick regarded Jennifer Jones as a star of the stature of Garbo. To see this fine talented actress in a mess like this is explainable only by the fact perhaps in the editing some un wise choices were made. and I am sure the only reason some have seen it is to see Ms. Jones who was a superb actress appear in a dreadful film. I am not sure but I believe this film was shot at the old Selznick studio in Culver City which makes the embarrassment all the more to the point.

Jennifer Jones would go on to make one more movie 'Towering Inferno' with Steve McQueen, and Paul Newman and William Holden, and where Jennifer Jones got some very good notices and a Golden Globe Nomination, and then retired.

David Barra