Family Plot
Plot
Family Plot is a 1976 American comedy thriller film directed by Alfred Hitchcock, his penultimate film before his retirement. The movie follows the story of spiritualist Blanche Tyler (Barbara Harris) and her cab-driving boyfriend, Ephraim Winslow (Bruce Dern), as they embark on a journey to find a missing heir in California. The film begins with Blanche, a fortune teller who claims to have psychic abilities, using her supposed powers to help people solve their problems. Her partner, Ephraim, is a gruff but lovable cabbie who often finds himself entangled in his girlfriend's get-rich-quick schemes. When they receive a letter from an unknown sender claiming that Blanche has inherited a large sum of money from a distant relative, they set out to claim their supposed inheritance. As they delve deeper into the mystery, they discover that the missing heir is actually a young woman named Julia Ross (Karen Black), who has been kidnapped by a pair of serial kidnappers, Arthur and Harriet Myers (William Devane and Katherine Helmond). The couple's motives are revealed as they use Julia as leverage to extort money from her wealthy family. As Blanche and Ephraim work to uncover the truth behind Julia's disappearance, they find themselves entangled in a complex web of deception and manipulation. Along the way, they encounter a cast of suspicious characters, including a shady lawyer, a corrupt detective, and a mysterious stranger who may or may not be involved in the kidnapping. Throughout the film, Hitchcock uses his signature style to build tension and suspense, often using clever camera angles and misdirection to keep the audience guessing. The film's climax features a thrilling sequence of events that brings together all the threads of the story and provides a satisfying conclusion to the mystery. Despite its relatively light tone and comedic elements, Family Plot is a sophisticated and engaging thriller that showcases Hitchcock's mastery of his craft. With strong performances from its cast, particularly Barbara Harris and Bruce Dern, the film is a delightful addition to any fan of classic cinema.
Reviews
Scarlett
I don't know why, but I think this movie is great. It's the kind of film that grows on you the more you watch it.
Fiona
4.5 stars. Judging by "Frenzy" and "Family Plot," Hitchcock was truly keeping up with the times. In the last few years of his life, he suddenly went on a tear, shifting the focus from debonair, elegant, upper-class protagonists to the working-class masses. The style and tone of his work moved away from meticulous elegance, embracing a realistic and gritty approach, even injecting a touch of Sam Peckinpah-esque coldness and brutality. He became something of a "Bloody Fatty."
Luca
[Hitchcock, October 2019 √] Hitchcock's last film. He appears in a silhouette on the glass at 40 minutes and 37 seconds. It's genuinely funny, and the way misunderstandings are used is quite brilliant (excellent screenwriting). The winding mountain road scene is the highlight of the film.
Aiden
Hitchcock's final film takes a light comedic approach to a suspenseful vignette. Two storylines develop in parallel before colliding in the finale. While departing from his usual narrative style, it reflects Hitchcock's willingness to embrace contemporary perspectives. Farewell, Hitchcock, and thank you for the legacy.
Sage
A neat little piece? The wink and smile from the female lead, breaking the fourth wall at the end, serves as a wonderful summary of the humor that runs through Hitchcock's films. Despite being his last film, it still has new attempts, and a medium as the main character is probably a first for Hitchcock. Does the medium, obtaining information through self-delivery and loss of control, represent a projection of his anxiety over gradually losing complete control over himself and his films in his later years?
