316. The Stepford Wives

316. (22 Dec) The Stepford Wives (1975, Bryan Forbes) 66



A pretty powerful film about marital discontent, the themes here are so depressing they completely outweigh a far-fetched sci-fi plot. Katharine Ross is excellent here, expressing perfectly a longing to experience passion again while she's resigned to keeping to her wifely duties. The film itself isn't really doing anything better than Invasion of the Body Snatchers did, but it's a far less optimistic movie than that was. Ultimately, the men's attempt to stifle feminism wins out, making this truly dark stuff.

035. Mister Buddwing

035. (29 Jan) Mister Buddwing (1966, Delbert Mann) 37



Sort of mesmerizingly dopey, Mister Buddwing is laden with flashbacks as an amnesiac slowly recalls his life. James Garner has an almost impossible time making an amnesiac's confusion relatable. Handsome though he may be, his limitations further emphasize how nonsensical the script is. The film's title, for instance, comes from Garner wandering around the streets of Manhattan where he sees a beer truck and airplane in the sky; he pieces that together to name himself "Buddwing."

The drawn-out, silly plot is made bearable by a strong supporting cast. Angela Lansbury, Katharine Ross, Suzanne Pleshette, and Jean Simmons all take turns helping Garner. Each upstages him. Nichelle Nichols makes an impression in a bit part.

The Art Direction nomination is only for a handful of interiors, none of them especially intricate. It's mostly the inside of apartments and a couple restaurants. The Costume Design nomination is hilarious. Helen Rose is credited with the nod, but is listed in the credits as only designing Jean Simmons' gowns. That means she was cited for two shiny dresses.

446. Games

446. (22 Oct) Games (1967, Curtis Harrington) 62



This relatively suspenseful thriller makes the mistake of needing to throw one last twist into the mix. When it's genuinely supernatural, it's at its spookiest. The film actually opens itself up to plot holes by making our villains strictly human ones.

While James Caan and Katharine Ross are pitting themselves against a ghost and their intuitive house guest, a very eerie Simone Signoret, this is a roller coaster. Watching an upper class couple turn into calculating, cold-blooded killers is at once uncomfortable and exhilarating. Add to the mix director Harrington's affection for pop art and you've got one very unique chiller.