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Lady in a Cage (1964)
Topic Started: Jul 27 2008, 06:17 AM (360 Views)
Laughing Gravy
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Olivia de Havilland is recovering from a broken hip, and she's had an elevator installed in her stately home. Alas, the power fails and traps her in it over a long 4th of July weekend, and her abode is infilitrated by a wino religious nut (Jeff Corey), a hustler looking for goods to pawn (Ann Sothern), and a trio of thrill-happy punks on leave from the reform school, where they majored in Death Row Prep (led by James Caan in his film debut).

Granted, this is a part-post-Psycho (black & white psychological thriller) and part-post-What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (old lady horror) movie, but... yee, gods. It's so over-the-top that the suspense is never really there, mainly because Jeff Corey acts as though he's Fagin in Oliver! (watch him tip-toe around the house with exaggerated footsteps, like a cartoon) and James Caan apparently took acting lessons by sitting in the back row of the movie theatre and watching everything Marlon Brando ever did. Thank goodness Olivia is in it; she draws out what interest there is with her sincerity and innate charm (although she's saddled with horrendous dialog). A well-made thriller, but the director -- who did about 10,000 TV shows and another 5,000 TV movies -- was probably more suited to the small screen than a big one. A subplot about bad feelings between Olivia and her son goes nowhere (we're not even shown how, or if, it's resolved). I liked the ending, though, as Mr. Caan and Miss de Havilland finally sit down and discuss things eye to eye.

I'd recommend this movie, but mainly for its kitschyness. And who'd have ever thunk that I'd like Arch Hall, Jr. as a thrill-happy punk killer (The Sadist) but dislike James Caan as one?
"I'm glad that this question came up, because there are so many ways to answer it that one of them is bound to be right." - Robert Benchley
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panzer the great & terrible
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Mouth Breather
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Gravy, Gravy, Gravy. Only you know why you like Arch Hall, Jr.

Lady In a Cage is one of the worst screenplays ever, pretentious and dumb at the same time, and that's why Caan looks like an idiot here. He was damn good as an evil yuppie in Games at about the same time.
Life is just a bowl of cherries, it's too mysterious, don't take it serious...
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Black Tiger
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Ironically, Jeff Correy made a good $$$ in later life as an acting teacher and had something of a rep amongst actors.
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MovieMan
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Balcony Gang, Foist Class
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I saw this last night for the first time. I've seen worse films. But Olivia de Havilland is definately the highlight for me! Even at age 48! :D
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