A woman sees a man sitting on a park bench from the window of her posh apartment across the street. She peers through the curtains in the dining room while her guests prepare for the fine cuisine that her servants have cooked. She’s distracted throughout dinner, staring off into nothing, making excuses to get up to see the young man on the bench. It rains but the man remains sitting there. The woman becomes agitated. “That man out there, he’ll be soaked,” she says to her guests.
When they leave, she goes out with an umbrella, introduces herself and invites him to stay with her. She feeds him a fine dinner and a pineapple cake she made herself, plays music for him and offers him up her tub for a bath. The man plays mute the entire time so she runs her fucking mouth – it’s Sandy Dennis with some weird accent that sounds like one of those stars, Tina Turner, Madonna, who’re enamored by the foreign and effect some bizarre rendition of European accent. The movie is in Vancouver and though I’ve never been there I don’t think they talk like this.
Eventually Sandy Dennis takes the boy prisoner and invites a prostitute to have sex with him. She kills the prostitute and tries to soothe him, telling him that everything’s okay even though the windows and doors are bolted and he can’t get out. Tears stream down his face while the credits roll and she strokes his face, kissing him and whatnot in an extreme close up.
I loved this movie soooooo much when I was a kid! It haunted me something awful. I found it bizarre and transporting. It’s not on Netflix so I had to watch it on youtube in segments which is straight up wack! I wondered why it wasn’t on Netflix so I looked for reviews – it’s a Robert Altman film – I loved 3 Women by the way. Robert Altman’s good right? Well, everyone hated the film, called it psychosexual nonsense blah blah blah – what killjoys! I give the movie 10 stars because Sandy Dennis is a weirdo and I liked the Vancouver scene because you don’t get to see it much in movies and I like that she took somebody prisoner in her posh apartment. Roger Ebert can kiss my butt with his bad review.
1800ukillme 
OMG, I dreamt that whole movie in slo-mo last night. Should I be hitting Ebert up for an Oscar nod? =)
I think you should indeed! We all deserve oscars for some of the lies we have to tell in order to get a damn paycheck!
Wait, that’s a real movie? By Robert Altman? Have I been living under a rock?
Altman is one of my favorite directors. This proves that he made movies to make himself happy, and no one else. That’s awesome.
That’s inspirational isn’t it — if this is the case — that wasn’t trying to cow tow to the industry. My film review is extremely loose in tone so I don’t have all the facts — even the quotes are off — but I believe this was adapted from a book. I don’t know the circumstances surrounding it, all the details of that project, etc.,
I give the movie 10 stars because it’s probably my future as a weirdo.
I burst out laughing at this! Thanks for the early morning guffaw to start my day. I hope you don’t wind up like this — what is that thing y’all say — smdh…
Haha anytime! I hope I don’t either! 😉
I meant to tell you how much I love your avatar picture — it’s muy sexy and has a lot of character.
Sandee, I’ve never seen this movie, but it sounds creepy and wonderful. Sometimes the ones “reviewers” say are great aren’t and the ones they hate are good. Where can we find this artistic treasure? :).
I watched it on youtube in 7 segments. It’s poor quality and each segment’s about 15 minutes or so. You have to click on the next after the previous is over. Or you can get it on Ebay for $24. I really didn’t mind watching it on youtube. It was creepy and Sandy Dennis is so weird in it — I love her and her peculiar way of doing things.
I am intrigued…but you like old person porn so I’m not sure if I should see it. I sense we do not have the same taste in movies.
Yeah Mike I have to agree with you on that — this movie is really weird perhaps in the line of outer limits porn 🙂
Sandy Dennis is what I call a “cinematic object.” haha! I find her face and basically everything about her fascinating. I remember seeing 3 women when I was a teenager, right? How old were we back then? Robert Altman is one strange dude.
Yay! I’ll watch anything Sandy Dennis is in — I love love her face, the way she talks, etc. I loved her in The-Out-of-Towners with Jack Lemmon.
I did enjoy 3 Women, especially Shelley Duval — another one with that oddity that I like. She looks like one of my aunts. While I loved the movie it was very strange and I still don’t grasp the ending of it.
haha! The-Out-of-Towners is CLASSIC!!! I just love her. Now I’m gonna have to go on a Sandy Dennis fest.
Yeah, Shelley Duvall is another one whose face I can get lost in – I just fixate on her eyes and mouth! haha!
Once again, a bonding moment for us!
I was thinking that too that now maybe I’ll watch another one of her movies. Maybe I’ll do a Sandy Dennis/Shelley Duval fest.
Auntie Sandee,
Why does anyone listen to Robert Ebert anyway? His reviews have always been populist, and his taste sucks ass – please forgive my blunt intellectual appreciation of his reviews.
LOVE this movie. Love Robert Altman. Love my Aunt’s taste.
Le Clown
Ahhh!!!! You’ve seen this movie! You like this movie too!? We really are related!
Auntie Sandee,
Don’t tell anyone, but I studied in French lit, and I have a minor in Communications… Movies being a passion, which I will embrace as often as I kiss my daughter.
Le Clown
…don’t worry this goes no further than here — I won’t tell a soul.
This means that if you like a movie — it’s worth watching. I’ll have to get some recommendations from you at the family reunion.
Love your post. I’ve not seen the movie but will be sure to now.
Thanks Renee! This is one of the weirdest movies I’ve seen. If you do get it, I’d love to hear what you think.
I’m all for weird. I LOVE weird. I think I watched A Clock Work Orange when I was 10. LOVED IT! I’ll be sure to share what I think of it. Thanks for the recommendation.
Anytime!
I’ve never seen it-put it on my list;)
You might appreciate the oddness of it as an artist.
I have not seen this movie but it sounds very Altmanesque. And has Sandy Dennis ever NOT played weird?
You’re right about Sandy Dennis — I think of her in that ‘Parents’ movie with Randy Quaid. It’s too bad she died so young — I would love seeing her playing in movies now.
Can you imagine?? She’d be able to play the crazy old loon like nobody’s business.
Hehehehehe! One could only imagine.
Your description sounds interesting. I might check it out this weekend.
Yeah you could watch it on youtube. It isn’t on netflix.
Kind of reminds me of the movie “Something Wild” with Carroll Baker & Ralph Meeker. I saw it as a tween & it totally creeped me out…you might like it! lol xoxoM
Maybe I’ll put that on my queue — thanks for the recommendation!
Seems interesting, I have to check it out.
Yeah, get ready for the WEIRD!
Haha!