DO NOT FOLD, SPINDLE OR MUTILATE
US, 1971, 73 minutes, Colour.
Myrna Loy, Helen Hayes, Sylvia Sidney, Mildred Natwick, Vince Edwards.
Directed by Ted Post.
Do Not Fold, Spindle or Mutilate is a telemovie from the early '70s, early days in telemovie production. It is an amusing crime story. However, it is principally a vehicle for its stars: some of the major dowager actresses in Hollywood in the '70s - Helen Hayes, Myrna Loy, Mildred Natwick, Sylvia Sidney. They all have the opportunity to display their talent, the film taking advantage of their experience and reputations, their manner and presence in old age. The younger star of the film is Vince Edwards (Ben Casey) as a manic murderer.
While the film's plot is not particularly new, it is quite nicely done. The old ladies enjoy their friendship, are out for some thrills in marking in a computer dating card - with murderous results. A blend of the thriller and the comic touch.
1. Interesting and entertaining telemovie? Crime thriller? Comedy?
2. The California gloss: apartments, streets, restaurants, police stations?
3. The reputations and experience of the stars? Their screen presence? A delightful idea in bringing them together? Their sparking off each other?
4. Plausibility of the plot: elderly ladies, filling in the form, the contacts from Weston, the murder, contact with the police, the confrontation with Weston? The screenplay playing with the crime and murder genre?
5. The focus on the ladies: Sophie T: leadership, initiative, filling in the form, getting the group together, the phone calls, the letters, watching Weston, going to his place, the interview with the woman from the bar, the police, the confrontation, outwitting Weston? Evelyn, her relationship with Sophie, her caution? Shelby and her prim and proper style, fainting, the obscene message and her keeping it secret, wanting to be daring? Elizabeth, her eagerness, egging people on? The filling in of the form, going to the restaurant, their concern about the waitress, the letters, phone calls, the appointment, the interview, the police, the house and the siege, the finale?
6. Weston and his intensity, his talking to himself? Madness, obsession, phone calls and letters? Wanting to meet the fictitious character? Misunderstanding the girl in the bar? Killing her? Covering his tracks? The confrontation with the women, their outwitting him? The dangers?
9. The police, concern, exasperation?
8. The moral of the story? The ironies?
