Picture Mommy Dead (1966)

Picture Mommy Dead
Directed by Bert I. Gordon
Written by Robert Sherman
1966/US
Bert I. Gordon Productions
First viewing/YouTube

 

[box] “You gave birth to your own death.” ― Euripides, Electra[/box]

I watched this for the Old Hollywood cast.  Unfortunately, the material let the actors down

Susan (Susan Gordon) has just returned to the family manse from a stay in an asylum where she was sent after her mother Jessica (Zsa Zsa Gabor) died in a house fire.  Susan has terrible nightmares about the incident.  Her father Edward (Don Ameche) quickly remarried Susan’s governess Francene (Martha Hyer), a cold-hearted gold digger. Lawyer Clayborn (Wendell Corey) explains the very complicated terms of Jessica’s will, which put Susan’s life in considerable danger.  And then a bunch of other stuff happens.

This plods along with dialogue reminiscent of a pretty bad TV movie].  I never have liked Martha Hyer very much but what a treat to see Don Ameche after all these “years”.

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