die, die my darling

January 18 movie: Die, Die My Darling. Whoo-ee, talk about stinkers made by legendary actresses late in life. This was almost the final film role for Tallulah Bankhead. Who was actually more of a theater star than a film star, and was in hardly any movies. She's probably best known for Lifeboat, though my favorite is the Depression-era Faithless. Anyway, I read that as she reached a certain age, appearing on stage every day became too physically demanding. She was offered this script for a Hammer film (called Fanatic in England) and agreed to do it because other actresses like Bette Davis were doing cheap horror movies, why couldn't she?

Bankhead stars as a religious fanatic (thus the title) mourning the death of her young son. Stephanie Powers, the son's fiancée, visits Bankhead, they clash over religion and morality, and Bankhead decides that she has to protect her son's immortal soul by locking Powers in the attic and tormenting the sin out of her.

I think religious fundamentalism must be somewhat different in England. When you hear "crazy religious fanatic" in a Hollywood movie you expect a certain type of character, which Bankhead's Mrs. Trefoile was not. She reminded me a lot of the preacher in Cold Comfort Farm. Except that guy wasn't eeevvvill. But the habits, the way they speak and the way they read from the Bible, fairly similar.