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| Bette Davis |
Peggy Johns (Sian Barbara Allen) is a college student who takes a part-time job as a housekeeper for the aged, tippling Mrs. Elliott (Bette Davis) and her sculptor son, Jeffrey (Ted Bessell). Jeffrey tells the very curious -- indeed nosy and rather pushy -- Peggy that his sister, Jennifer, is insane and living in an apartment above the garage. A barely-seen female sneaks out at night to puncture people with a knife. George Thornton (Charles Drake of The Pretender) comes looking for his missing daughter and also encounters "Jennifer." Very aggressive Peggy makes up her mind to find out what's going on even though she hasn't got a clue. Scream Pretty Peggy, co-written by Jimmy Sangster, has some interesting, if unoriginal, macabre elements to it, but the ending is painfully obvious almost from the start, and Bessell [Billie] is given the most embarrassing role of his career, although his performance is better than you might expect. Allen is overly perky, but competent, and Davis phones in her performance aside from her well-delivered final speech. A far cry from Hush ... Hush, Sweet Charlotte indeed. Hessler's direction provides little help although the pic is entertaining enough.
Verdict: Fun to see Davis but this is a bit of a "drag." **1/2.
Just watched this recently as well, Bill, and was disappointed too. I expected a little bit more, and you are right, Miss Davis phones it in...
ReplyDeleteHave you ever seen the bloodcurdling Burnt Offerings? That was a great late-career horror role for Bette...
-C
Yes, she was much better in "Burnt Offerings." The director of this telefilm did not encourage her to do any more with the role than she offered. Davis always did her best work with a firm director, especially Wyler.
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