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”.
