Pretty Maids All In A Row (1971/Warner Archive DVD)
Picture:
C+ Sound: C Extras: D Film: B-
Some
films are so interesting that you wonder how they disappear from the discourse
of discussing interesting movies.
Sometimes it is because they get lost in the vast catalogs of major
studios. It can also be because a good
print of the film has been hard to track down and not enough people know about
the film. The great thing about the
Warner Archive series is that it is uncovering these films and putting them
out, even if they may not have huge sales.
Then there are films like Roger Vadim’s Pretty Maids All In A Row (1971), which may turn into one of their
more popular releases.
This gem
was based on the Francis Pollini novel and had a screenplay written (and
co-produced) by no less that Gene Roddenberry, known for his work in the Science
Fiction genre with Star Trek and
other such projects he tried to launch, but he proves here he can write a smart
murder mystery with wit and comedy you might not expect from him or an American
production set in the then-modern day.
Vadim just came off of the hit Barbarella
(1968) and it was felt by MGM that he could well handle a large female cast
film with a style that would stand out.
Then there was the cast, one that has appreciated a good bit since this
first arrived.
Rock Hudson plays a football
coach whose side hobby is sleeping with several of the female students, though
the strict principal (Roddy McDowall) would not approve of this at all, he does
not know. Then there is the sexy older
teacher (Angie Dickinson, whose star was on the rise) who has been isolated
personally since her last relationship ended.
The coach may be interested in her, but wants her to help out a young
male student (John David Carson) discover his sexual prowess.
However,
the games on and off the field go on the backburner when one of the female
students turns up dead in a bathroom. In
comes a police investigator (Telly Savalas just before Kojak) and a rowdy police officer (Keenan Wynn) to find out what
has happened on this otherwise happy campus.
James Doohan, William Campbell and a large amount of very sexy actresses
as the female student body only make this all the more interesting. This includes JoAnna Cameron, who would be
the most successful four years later as the superheroine Isis, a big hit TV show on Saturday morning TV.
The film
is not perfect, but so much of it works, it has some funny scenes, some
memorable scenes, is frank about sex without being stupid about it and the
mystery is thoroughly thought out. I was
surprised how much I started to remember, but glad I forgot how the killings
were being done, why and by who. A
top-rate A-production from MGM, Pretty
Maids All In A Row is about to turn 40 and could go a few rounds with any
current such film with ease. This one is
worth going out of your way for, from its new camp value to just how well it is
actually made.
The
anamorphically enhanced 1.85 X 1 image is from a remastered source and was
lensed by Director of Photography Charles Rosher, Jr., who later worked on
several Robert Altman films (3 Women,
A Wedding) and other important works
like The Late Show, Semi-Tough and The Onion Field. This is
very well blocked and shot throughout, makes great use of locations and the
MetroColor usually looks really good here.
The Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono is a little weak and though it is also fixed
up, you can hear some flaws in the sound and uneven volume in the dialogue
recording, especially where audio was later looped in post-production. Lalo Schifrin’s score is very good and
another gem from his amazingly prolific period of music making at this
time. Sadly, there are no extras, but
this film is worth going out of your way for.
You can
order this release exclusively at the Warner Archives website at this link:
http://bit.ly/wac_ROW
- Nicholas Sheffo
