mysticmonkcat

This was the very first film version I saw of Steinbeck's great novel. Unfortunately it seems go have been totally forgotten. That is a shame as it is incredibly good! The performances are top notch, especially the one of Lenny. I wish this would come out on DVD. This version deserves that and to be known by others who have seen other versions but not this one. I was extremely moved by the ending. Not any film can make me cry like that. I saw this version twice and have been wanting to see it again for a long time. It is not fair that this excellent version if primarily "lost" for so long. Most younger people (and even those my age) are completely unaware of it. It deserves to be well known.

I saw this film when it was first released in the movie theaters. I enjoyed it way back then and have seen it several times since then. It still holds up well, though perhaps a bit dated compared to more recent horror/ghost films. The two performances that stand out are of Pamela Franklin and Roddy McDowell. Both shine quite well in this film, especially Mr. McDowell. He is missed as he always brought an element of class to a film, whether it be good or bad. Ms. Franklin (The Innocents, Our Mother's House, The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie) is especially appealing. I believe she started making films at the age of 11 and by the time this movie came out she had blossomed into a very beautiful young woman. As always she gives an excellent performance. It is a pity she gave up acting sometime in the late 70s to raise a family, never to return film or television again.

I read the original novel on which this film is based on after seeing it in the theater. The movie is very much toned down compared to the book. I have never been fond of remakes, but this is one I would like to see made again as long as it follows the novel more closely and is done well. So much is left out in the film version, probably due to the time period and culture of the day. It would have received an "R" rating if it was more faithful to the book. Nevertheless, this is a decent celluloid version of it. It is sufficiently creepy, even today. It's scariness is not as intense as the original version of The Haunting (which scared me silly), my all time favorite "ghost film" but still is very suspenseful, with a very interesting storyline. What I don't like is how this film has been marketed; ie. the photo on the cover of the DVD. This is not really a violent film, yet they chose the one scene that shows blood for the DVD cover. That is very tacky.