In a Nutshell. Mini reviews of movies old and new. No fuss. No spoilers. And often no sleep.

Tuesday 19 September 2017

Hannie Caulder (1971)

Raquel Welch plays the titular Hannie, a woman on a mission to exact revenge upon a trio of men who stormed into her life and left it in ruins.
There's a scene early in the film that's harrowing to watch, given additional wallop by a powerful musical accompaniment. It's the reason the story goes in the direction it does, but a subsequent turn of events weakens the set-up. It's as if the makers feared they'd gone too far and attempted to alleviate the criticism they might receive. I feel that was a mistake, and is likely the reason the film is remembered more for its beginning than for its entirety.
Welch's character works best when silent. Thankfully, Robert Culp is on hand to pick up the slack there, doubling as tutor and mentor in both practicalities and the more meaningful soul-searching aspects of the story.

3 cold nights out of 5

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