Saturday, 18 September 2021 19:16

Christina







CHRISTINA

Canada, 1974, 95 minutes, Colour.
Barbara Parkins, Peter Haskell.
Directed by Paul Krasny.

Christina is a Canadian thriller starring a very glamorous Barbara Parkins. It has touches of the Gothic, the mysterious disappearing woman as well as a rather old-fashioned explanation of all the dark deeds going on before the violent conclusion.

Peter Haskell is the hero who is invited to marry Christina, a business bargain, so that she can retain an American passport. He falls in love with her - with some dire consequences.

Not particularly startling - but quite interesting and enjoyable, especially for fans of Barbara Parkins.

1.Entertaining thriller? Plausible?

2.The American city settings, affluence, employment and unemployment, private eyes, police? The mysterious mansion? Musical score?

3.The title and the focus on Christina - and the irony of her identity?

4.The credits and the mysterious keyhole view? The recurring images - especially in Christina's room? In Simon's unconscious?

5.The mysterious Christina, her approach to Simon, the bargain, his going through with it, the ceremony, the meal, the marriage night, her disappearance? The sending of the cheques? Simon's following her and discovering her? The house? The funeral and her pretence? The mysteries with the private detective? Simon's discovering her in the house, the blackmail, the long explanation of her being the nurse, her ambitions, her treatment of Christina, the drugs, her pretence, falsifying the documents, inheriting the money, the murders? Her shooting of the blackmailer, confrontation with Simon, attempts to shoot him? Her madness, setting fire to the house, the return to Christina's room, her being trapped in the burning building? A portrait of madness and evil?

6.Simon, unemployed, his reaction to the officials? Approached by Christina? Intrigued, agreeing, the ceremony, falling in love with her? Return home and discussions with his housekeeper? Moving out, employment? His employer and her daughter? The note? Tracking down Christina with the parking ticket, the visit to the mansion, being knocked unconscious? His being called to the private detective, the attempt to murder him? His searches? Employing the aid of the massage parlour, his employer's daughter and her help? Following the woman, overhearing the explanation, confrontation of Christina, his being shot, watching her in the burning building?

7.The private detective, his shrewdness, contacts, greed? Blackmail? His murder? His assistant? The police and their investigations?

8.The landlady, her admiration of Simon, help?

9.The employer, his daughter, the meal, falling in love? Her help in detecting Christina?

10.The real Christina, drugged, the drug sources, the employees, Kay taking over, assuming her identity, the overdose, the faked crash, her funeral? The irony of Kay dying in Christina's room?

11.An effective Gothic thriller?