Small time clairvoyant taps into a wealthy older woman’s wishes to find her lost heir. There’s 10 grand in it if she finds him. She enlists her boyfriend a struggling actor/taxi driver to help. On their search they cross paths with a couple of jewel thieves who are mixed up in the whole affair. The two would be sleuths bite off more than they expected.
CB has seen most of Hitchcock’s films. Why would he pick the last film he made and one that doesn’t get a lot of love? Well, because I really like it. Alfred always had a sense of humor running through some of his movies, with Family Plot he doesn’t hold back on his humor. He casts the film with some really good actors and gets some fine performances from them. William Devane (A CB fave) and Karen Black are perfect as the jewel thieves.
Bruce Dern has long been one of my favorites actors and he brings his unique personality to the role. I mean who can deliver a line like “I’m to pooped to pop” like him? I have probably seen most of his work and just knowing he was working with Hitchcock I couldn’t stay away.
Mystery, dark comedy. Some good lines and dialogue. Quirky and right up my alley. Doesn’t take itself seriously. Holes? Yeah but I liked it anyway.
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I’m to popped to post should by tag line. haha. Cool throwback post.
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Use it deKE. Only Bruce could deliver that line. He was always good for a couple good lines in his films.
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Somehow I missed this one. I’ve made a note to try and catch it. I didn’t realize that it was Alfred’s final movie.
I like Dern a lot too. He’s in a pretty good movie from last year. The Peanut Butter Falcon.
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Just found ‘Foreign Correspondent’. I think it’s the only Alfred I havent seen.
Hard to say with this one Neil. Like I said I like it for it’s off beatness.
Dern has been is so many good ones. I’ll have to check out ‘Peanut Butter’. Thanks. I liked him in ‘Nebraska’
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The “stupid thing” about this story is, that this damn Eddie Shoebridge not only hid well, but doesn’t want to be found at all, so that this apparently not too difficult task becomes an increasingly exciting and dangerous detective story.
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That’s it in nutshell Fox. Very good. The illusive Eddie.
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My charm also hides more than it reveals, so I should see this.
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I kinda have you pegged as Bruce kinda guy. Lots of hidden charm.
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Family Plot has always been one of my favorite Hitchcock films. A lot of great inside jokes and a few cool twists. I love how Hitchcock doesn’t allow the two sides to meet til the very end, and even then they are willing to let her go, until, of course, she snoops around a little more. I thought, too, it significant, as the last film Hitchcock made, that he has Blanche break the fourth wall and wink at the audience. To me, it was Hitchcocks way of saying to his fans, That’s all folks!
Side note: my eighth grade history teacher can be seen in the church scene!
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I love it tref for some of the same reasons you mentioned. Yeah the “wink”is a Alfred thing for sure.
Funny you should mention the church scene. In a bio I read (Hitch). He talks about a couple extras wanting to know their motivation for the scene. He deals with it in his own unique style. I wonder if your teacher was in on iT. Good stuff tref. We are in the “Hitch’ club for sure.
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So far as I know (and maybe a reader can correct this) but that was the one and only time Hitch ever broke the fourth wall in a movie, so I thought it significant for that reason. The film is important to me, too, as it was the only Hitch film I was old enough to see first run.
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I would say the 4th wall thing was a one off. Maybe I’m wrong. I caught it at the theater also. Do you think we are up for some kind of award for that? I heard Dern talk about how much he liked working with Alfred.
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We just watched Frenzy and boy that one was gooood.
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Yes Frenzy is a good one. Family Plot is a little different ride, lighter and more comedic. If u let it it will take you for a good watch. Thanks for dropping by S.
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I’ve been leery of the later Hitchcock films for fear that he lost his edge. But, like Sarah said, we had a good time with Frenzy last month. The CB bump has just made this a must watch!
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You’ll see a few others on the comments who also liked this film. I know it got panned by a lot of people at the time and I think its got tagged by that over the years. Going in people have it in their minds its a weaker Hitch. It certainly isnt ‘Frenzy’ but he was having fun and I think it comes through. Maybe it’s a guilty pleasure for me but CB dont feel guilty. Later Mars. Good viewing.
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I won’t set my expectations too high and go in with an open mind.
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You’re on a celluloid ride.
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Note to self must check out this movie I seem Mohave missed it.
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Quirky little ride.
Note to self must tune into Queen today.
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I haven’t seen this one, CB. I like Bruce Dern… he’s always good value… and often a bit unhinged.
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He’s his usual off beat self. There’s a scene where he’s sitting at the table in a diner with his girlfriend. He finishes his beer then starts to drink hers. I can relate. Perfect Bruce moment.
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Haha! That sounds like the kinda thing any of the characters he plays would do. Most of them anyhoo.
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He even gets a beer foam mustache. It made CB very thirsty watching him.
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I’m late to the party here as I was otherwise engaged. I noticed some references to Frenzy which I saw not too long ago as well for the first time in a million years. I can never remember if this or that was the last one. Have to watch this again. Hitchcock had a style that nobody has really duplicated. Do you know that director Gus Van Sant made a shot-for-shot color remake of Psycho a few years back? I see CB sliding into the role of Norman Bates with ease.
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You’re back from rock n roll vacation.
Thanks for the Norm remark. Never seen the remake. Family Plot is a curious one Doc. I’ve been using “off beat” “quirky” to describe it. It has Dern who I know we both love. Plus Devane is a bit oddball also. I just really like the fricken film. Can’t help it.
(I’ll be over to comment on your latest take on your foray into your alter ego “Rock Doc”. I read it already and enjoyed. Realyy liked the J J Cale laid back wardrobe on the one pic.Later
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I’d completely forgotten DeVane was in it. I always think of him as JFK. Dern is a quirkball. Do you remember the movie Black Sunday? Dern, Robert Shaw. As to my wardrobe, that’s funny. Forgot to mention that I didn’t realize we were going right to the Viper from the studio. So at the club I wore my shorts and – fortunately – the rock and roll shirt the camp gave us. Before that I had on a polo shirt. I don’t look anything like a rock star but that shirt is the only thing that kept me from looking like a fucking dentist.
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Ok I’m still laughing at the rock n roll dentist thing (I’ll swing this over to your take).
Oh yeah I did a take on a scene from Black Sunday with Dern. Heartbreaking. He’s not as wacked out in this but he’s still Bruce. You might know a guy that worked with Bill Devane. And that certain guy would say he’s a sweetheart. A take is coming up on. can you say Marathon Man?
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Wow, Devane huh? I need to track this guy down that worked with him and get the back door skinny on that. Is it safe?
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He’s a horseman (surprise) and an avid golfer and a cigar smoker just like CB. Wicked sense of humor even. And yes it’s very safe. Extremely safe. Fort Knox safe.
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Sounds like a manly man
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The source says he was a pro from top to bottom and didn’t take things to serious.
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The Band according to Robbie Robertson. Just played at film festival in Toronto. Should be making the rounds. Not sure if it’ll come to your Last Picture Show Town but I thought you should be aware.
https://www.rollingstone.com/movies/movie-reviews/once-were-brothers-review-robbie-robertson-doc-932871/
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thanks
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