Run time: 1h 42m
Intro
Clint Eastwood”s directorial debut film “Play Misty for Me” was my source of cinematic entertainment for this week. Not only does the movie legend direct the film, but he also stars in it.
Plot
The plot centres around a DJ named Dave and Evelyn, a major fan of his. The two start casually dating but Evelyn becomes attached to Dave in an unhealthy and quite creepy manor. The plot builds to a quite shocking climax.
With a story that is spine-chillingly tense, this movie will have you cowering behind your pillow. I found this style of plot right up my alley and so I give it a 9/10 rating.
Acting
The two key characters are that of Dave, played by Eastwood, and Evelyn, played by Jessica Walter. The two deliver fantastic acting performances that I found utterly captivating. A special mention to Donna Mills and Clarice Taylor, who in turn bring solid performances to the film.
Quality acting all round plays heavily into the films favour, warranting itself an 8.5/10 rating.
Characters
Both Dave and Evelyn are memorable characters and we see the remnants of their personalities and relationships pass over to later films like “Fatal Attraction”. Although it may be more well know than “Play Misty for Me”, this was the original.
The creative genius of Eastwood shines through to his characters earning a rating of 8.5/10.
Dialogue
The film is shocking and also very thought provoking and this is amplofied by the script. The dialogue is carefully choreographed by Jo Heims and Dean Riesner and really gives us a look into the language used by someone who is mentally unwell.
Watching the film, I could see that there was a lot of thought given to writing the script and I found it very intriguing. I give it an 8.5/10 rating.
Music
Eastwood hired Dee Barton to compose the score for his film and the two worked together on a total of 9 films. This was the first film in which the two workes together and its clear to see that they had chemistry together as the soundtrack is enjoyable and fits nicely with the film.
The music us subtle but still has its place in the film. Therefore, I give it an 8/10 rating.
Final verdict
For a 50 year old film, “Play Misty for Me” is ahead of its time. It’s a very thought provoking movie, with plot themes that echo in later films such as “Fatal Attraction” and “Homecoming”. After watching this film, I have become an even bigger fan of Eastwood and I will pursue his other directorial works in the future.
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