You'll Like My Mother

Francesca Kinsolving (Patty Duke) is having the kind of "bad day" that makes you want to slap yourself viciously for ever thinking that you had one. Only a few weeks ago, she found out her soldier husband was K.I.A. in Vietnam, and now she is HUGELY pregnant, with the baby due in...oh, about five minutes from yesterday! With no family of her own, she remembers her hubby's promise that when they got a chance to visit his family in upstate New England, she would really take a shine to them and they to her. Especially his dear, sainted mother.

So, off she goes, not letting anything get in the way of her visit (except maybe that monstrous belly); even an impending blizzard that is well on the way by the time she arrives.

But speaking of blizzards, isn't it lovely that Francesca gets a glacial welcome from her hubby's iceberg of a monster mother, Mrs. Kinsolving (Rosemary Murphy), who definitely seems a lot more put-out than pleased to see her? Oh, and then there's Kenny (Richard Thomas), her alleged "brother-in-law," whose personality not only makes Peter Lorre look like Brad Pitt, but seems to be a little too close to Mama for comfort. And please welcome to the mix Kenny's "sister" Kathleen (Sian-Barbara Allen), who is, shall we say in the spirit of remaining PC, "special?" Put them all together in a big old house during a dire winter storm out in the middle of nowhere, and you've got yourself one cracking good W.I.P thriller!

YOU'LL LIKE MY MOTHER was based on a popular novel of the decade written by Naomi Hintze, with a screenplay by Jo Heims (whose script for the Clint Eastwood vehicle PLAY MISTY FOR ME is the whole reason why Glenn Close was even able to HAVE a "fatal attraction.") TV vet Lamont Johnson does a great job ratcheting up the suspense at an unbearably slow and steady pace, as Our Heroine discovers that her extended "family" is not at all what it seems, and that she has to somehow get herself and her child out of harm's way with virtually no one to help her, before "something REALLY BAD happens," as it always does in such thrillers.

As audiences these days have become bloodthirsty gorehounds, who like their screen sacrifices freshly squeezed and slashed, and right often, MOTHER might be too slow and stately, from a more "genteel" time when the term "nail-biting" didn't refer to a shot to the chops with an industrial-strength nail gun. Patty Duke as Francesca shows without a doubt that talent does travel through the genes (which is likely where sons Sean and Mackenzie Astin got most of theirs from), stage and screen vet Murphy crackles as Mom, and then up-and-coming actress Allen gives a poignant and startling performance as the feeble sister who really is a lot more "special" than anybody realizes.

But the biggest treat on hand is Richard Thomas. Here, he sinks his teeth into a completely demented pre-"Waltons" performance that will leave you gasping, especially those fans of the gently rural show who thought they "knew" who John-Boy was. Turns out...naaaawwww, you DIDN'T! (Heh-heh!)

MOTHER comes highly recommended for those who enjoyed W.I.P. movies like DEAD OF WINTER, (which bears a striking resemblance to MOTHER) or WHEN A STRANGER CALLS, (the Carol Kane original, not the obnoxious remake.) In fact, it would make a great Saturday night double-feature with either.

Oh, and contrary to popular belief, MOTHER was NOT originally a T.V. movie. Considering it's over thirty years old, that's a forgivable mistake, since that's where most people see it now. This was yet another great theatrical effort that came out of Bing Crosby Productions (!!!) during that time period, when they cranked out the hits like the original versions of WALKING TALL, (in which Murphy co-starred with Joe-Don Baker), WILLARD and of course its sequel, BEN.

Heavily pregnant widow Francesca Kinsolving (Patty Duke) travels to snowy Minnesota to meet her mother-in-law Maria for the first time. However, on arrival at the remote Kinsolving estate, she is shocked to find that the woman (Rosemary Murphy) isn't as saintly as her husband described (nice old ladies don't drown kittens!). When a snowstorm prevents her from leaving, Francesca finds herself a virtual prisoner in the house, and discovers a secret that puts not just her life in danger, but that of her child as well.

A taut thriller with bags of atmosphere and great performances, You'll Like My Mother could have been a classic, if it wasn't for one dodgy plot point that undoes a lot of the good work done by director Lamont Johnson and his talented cast. Without giving too much away, the effectiveness of the film as a whole depends a lot on the silence of a baby; silence when it is born, and silence for the following few days. In my experience, newborns do the exact opposite - they cry a lot - but Francesca's bundle of joy doesn't even gurgle or coo. As the script requires, the tiny tot stays schtum. It's just a tad far-fetched as far as I am concerned, and prevents the film from being a complete success.

Still, even with this somewhat irksome plot contrivance, I enjoyed this slow-burn thriller for its wonderfully chilling wintry locale, smart direction (Johnson makes great use of the old house), and solid acting (Duke and Murphy are given able support from Sian Barbara Allen as mentally disabled Kathleen, and Richard 'John-Boy Walton' Thomas as sexual sadist Kenny, the other occupants of the sprawling Kinsolving manor).

There are a couple of things to recommend this picture. First there is the snow: a LOT of snow, which adds to the claustrophobic atmosphere. Also a truly creepy performance by Richard Thomas (pre Waltons) as Kenny. Just the way he refers to himself in the third person is more effective than a hundred stabs of a knife. A good rental but not as bloody as genre fans might like.

Duke, Harris, and Thomas are well worth watching for their understated performances in this moody character study. Director Johnson elicited a range of nuances and power from Duke that no other director has been able to achieve. Harris is spellbinding as a woman for whom bitterness is a highball and acrimony is champagne.

When her Army husband is killed in combat, a pregnant Patty Duke travels to the remote Minnesota home of his family, whom she's never met, for a visit. Meeting with icy acceptance from mother-in-law Rosemary Murphy and stranded by a blizzard, Duke begins to discover terrifying--and deadly--secrets about her husband's family.

I wish had known about this film before I had been in Duluth many years ago. The movie was shot in the Congdon Mansion, and it would have been fun to visit the building, even if I was not allowed inside.

Well played, Scream Factory, for giving this one a release. I had not heard of it, and based on the few IMDb reviews, it seems I am not alone. Despite being a Universal film, it seems to have been very understated, with few "names" attached. Was it made for TV originally? I am surprised by how well the protagonist takes her situation -- a more modern version would have her being terrorized.