Also starring Shelly Winters (as Helen Hill), and co-starring the illustrious Debbie Reynolds (Adele Brackner), this film follows the lives of two mothers trying to escape from the publicity of a shameful truth. T he layers of pastiche that fuel What’s the Matter with Helen? Not interested in Helen's confession, Sister Alma dismisses her, causing Helen to become hysterical. What's the Matter With Helen? Use the HTML below. When you buy 3 specially marked General Mills items at Target between 8/29-10/3. A September 1969 Daily Variety news item added that the producers were negotiating with Estelle Parsons to star in the film. The story opens during the advent of talking pictures, where a school for would-be child stars is opened by voice coach Helen Hill (Shelley Winters) and dance instructor Adelle Bruckner (Debbie Reynolds). What's the Matter with Helen? (1962) had given rise to the genre. Helen, who is now insane, confronts Adelle and admits that she pushed her husband in front of the plow. After their sons are convicted of murder, Helen Hill and Adele Bruckner change their names after receiving anonymous threats. Observations like the one quoted in the title to this post will surely make you wet your pants. And that "borders on a bad musical" that another commentator mentions? Soon after, Det. That night, when Linc brings the tipsy Adelle home and kisses her, the prudish Helen looks on disapprovingly. When she accepts, he suggests they immediately drive to Arizona to be married and takes her home to pack some clothes. The next day, Texan Lincoln Palmer, the divorced, wealthy father of Adelle's student Winona, comes to watch his daughter rehearse and is smitten by Adelle. The Legend of Lylah Clare. Joan Crawford's favorite!See this movie. But Adelle thinks it's all in her mind. is a 1971 American horror-thriller film directed by Curtis Harrington and starring Debbie Reynolds and Shelley Winters. Helen thinks that someone who blames them for what their sons did is stalking them. Add the first question. is cast as "Donna." This FAQ is empty. Farrell was at the time working on a story called "The Box Step," a contemporary story about two ladies who ran a dance school, but it had already been optioned by Farrell's agent. After a man phones Helen and threatens that "she will pay for what her boys did," the divorced Adelle, who fashions herself as a "Jean Harlow" type, decides to move her dancing school to California where she plans to turn out "little Shirley Temples." Edward S. Feldman Dies: Oscar-Nominated ‘Witness’ Producer Was 91, Edward S Feldman, Producer of ‘Witness’ and ‘The Truman Show,’ Dies at 91, Edward S. Feldman, Oscar-Nominated ‘Witness’ Producer, Dies at 91. Adelle arrives as Helen approaches Sister Alma and begs to confess. Set in the 30s, Helen and Adelle are two women whose sons commit a gruesome murder. (1971) 1/2 - video Dailymotion Directed by Curtis Harrington. Actor Debbie Van Den Houten from What's the Matter with Helen? WHAT'S THE MATTER WITH HELEN? That's one of the sadistic pleasures to be had from movies like this, I guess. Adelle resents Helen's growing possessiveness. "The Odyssey" reaches for inspiration from great literary journeys such as Dante's "Inferno" and the eponymous work by Homer to portray the many phases of love, break-up, and suffering. Was this review helpful to you? Helen gradually begins to suffer a nervous breakdown, and during the recital, she deliberately sticks her hand into a moving fan and screams, ruining the performance. What's the Matter with Helen? Helen gradually begins to suffer a nervous breakdown, and during the recital, she deliberately sticks her hand into a moving fan and screams, ruining the performance. Two middle-aged women move to Hollywood, California after their sons are convicted of a notorious murder and open a dance school for children eager to tap their way to stardom. Crime. When Helen denies knowing the man, West tells her that he was Ellie Banner's lover and was seeking revenge on the mothers of her killers. Many reviews commented on the similarity between What's the Matter with Helen? Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Starring Debbie Reynolds, Shelley Winters, Dennis Weaver, Micheál MacLiammóir "The audience at the screening I went to the other night was actually on their feet cheering after the film. The Los Angeles Times article added that Winters was threatened with the replacement of Geraldine Page if she did not become easier to work with. The picture earned a nomination for the Academy Award in the "Best Costume … Take a look back at these Hollywood icons in their early days to see how far they've come in their careers—and how little they've visibly aged. In What's The Matter Helen, Shelley Winters and Debbie Reynolds play the mothers of a pair of convicted murderers in the 1930's. A few months after completing What's the Matter with Helen?, Harrington directed another film starring Winters, Who Slew Auntie Roo?, which was shot in England and released in December 1971 (see below). Pamelyn Ferdin's real age is 61. Linc invites Adelle to dinner, and when he asks her if she has ever been married, she lies that she has never met "the right man." (1972) stars Shelley Winters as the aging female psychopath. Young Terry Lambert returns home from serving a prison term for a gang-rape he was forced to participate in. To view this content, please use one of the following compatible browsers: After their sons are convicted of murder, two women relocate to Hollywood to start a talent school. A young couple who are into kinky "mind games" get more than they bargained for when a mysterious woman comes into their lives. and the 1962 Robert Aldrich film What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?. Read the full synopsis of What's the Matter with Helen?, 1971, directed by Curtis Harrington, with Debbie Reynolds, Shelley Winters, Dennis Weaver, at Turner Classic Movies WHAT'S THE MATTER WITH HELEN (1971) features a maniacal Debbie Reynolds and WHOEVER SLEW AUNTIE ROO? Adelle is looking for a good life and when one of the parents of her students who is wealthy takes a liking to her she thinks she's got it made. An aging, reclusive Southern belle plagued by a horrifying family secret descends into madness after the arrival of a lost relative. Even though Helen takes an immediate dislike to Starr, Adelle accepts his offer. When Adelle awakens and finds Helen gone and hears Sister Alma on the radio, she realizes that Helen went to the sister's church and hurries to stop her. "What's The Matter With Helen?" Unabashed comedian Lynne Koplitz offers a woman's take on being crazy, the benefits of childlessness and the three things all men really want. Sgt. is cast as "Sue Anne." (1971) - Curtis Harrington on AllMovie A renowned actress who died years earlier, Lylah Clare (Kim Novak) is the subject of a film masterminded by movie producer Barney Sheean (Ernest Borgnine). What's the Matter with Helen? In addition to some strong dramatic scenes, Reynolds got the chance to sing and dance in the role, sharing a memorable tango with Broadway veteran Swen Swenson. But Adelle thinks it's all in her mind. multiply like Shelly Winters's titular character's fat white rabbits. One day, Adelle decides to glamorize Helen, and as she cuts her hair, Helen winces at the sight of the scissors, then recalls the death of her husband Matt: While plowing the fields of their farm, Matt loses control of the horses and is mangled by the plow blades. At that time, Harrington and Edwards changed the period to the 1930s and offered the lead to Joanne Woodward, who turned it down. (1971) 2/2 - video dailymotion Adelle (Debbie Reynolds) and Helen (Shelley Winters) are two mothers whose sons commit a gruesome murder. This closest of all the imitators to the Robert Aldrich source movie, What's the Matter with Helen? Adelle is looking for a good life and when one of the parents of her students who is wealthy takes a liking to her she thinks she's got it made. and is part of a sub-genre called "The Ladies of the Grand Guignol" where older women of the golden age of Hollywood appeared in Horror films. Adelle arrives home to find the walls splattered with blood and discovers that Helen has slaughtered the pet rabbits she had lovingly raised. He seeks revenge on his lawyer and the girl who framed him. After their conviction, they move to Hollywood change their names and open a dance school for girls. This is certainly NOT a movie to laugh at, rather than with, as one commentator indicates. Upon returning home, Adelle accuses Helen of trying to derail her romance with Linc and orders her to move out. After their sons are convicted of homicide in a highly publicized trial, Midwesterners Adelle (Debbie Reynolds) and Helen (Shelley Winters) begin receiving threatening phone calls and decide to begin their lives anew in Hollywood, Calif. Summary: In What's the matter with Helen?, two middle-aged women head West after their sons are convicted of a notorious murder, but heir idyllic new life begins to crack. Adelle tries to humor Helen, but when she mentions that she and Linc are getting married, Helen stabs her to death. The film received an Academy Award nomination for Best Costume Design. Actor Teresa De Rose from What's the Matter with Helen? Teresa De Rose's real age is N/A. Two middle-aged women move to Hollywood, California after their sons are convicted of a notorious murder and open a dance school for children eager to tap their way to stardom. Receive a $6 Movie … What's the Matter with Helen. Moreso than Whatever Happened To Baby Jane?, Helen feels like a proto-drag movie. Directed by Curtis Harrington. (1971) - YouTube Adelle grabs the raving woman and hustles her home, where Helen blames Adelle for her anguish because she stopped Sister Alma from granting her absolution from her sins. Official theatrical movie poster for What's the Matter with Helen? Movies.com, the ultimate source for everything movies, is your destination for new movie trailers, reviews, photos, times, tickets + more!Stay in the know with the latest movie news and cast interviews at Movies.com. When she finds a letter he was carrying, notifying Helen that she has inherited money from a relative, Adelle, fearful of Linc finding out, insists on immediately disposing of the body without notifying the police. The layers of pastiche that fuel What's the Matter with Helen? was based. See individual titles for more detailed synopsis. By the 1970s, the actress had left her "girl next door" days behind and was looking for a strong dramatic role. movies.But they look plenty bad enough. Certificate: M/PG stars Debbie Reynolds and Shelley Winters, neither of whom look as bad as Bette Davis, Joan Crawford, etc., did in the stills from the earlier Whatever? One of the major points of the film is how we live our dreadful lives in sad imitation of equally dreadful Hollywood stars. That night, when Linc picks up Adelle for a date, he shows her a newspaper clipping he received in the mail about the Banner murder. It seemed a perfect match, as Reynolds seemed perfect as an Iowa farmwoman fleeing a notorious crime to open a school for Shirley Temple wannabes in Hollywood. In the small town of Braddock, Iowa, in the 1930s, Adelle Bruckner and Helen Hill become pariahs when their sons are sentenced to life in prison for the brutal murder of Ellie Banner. Helen thinks that someone who blames them for what their sons did is stalking them. By Frank Miller. Get a sneak peek of the new version of this page. You should make Jesus your main attraction! Yet the film has developed a devoted following, including writer-director Quentin Tarantino on the strength of Farrell's twisted script, the stars' performances and David Raskin's ingenious background score. In the pouring rain, the women lug the body to a construction site across the street and dump it into an open trench. In a desolate community full of drug-addled Marines and rumors of kidnapping, a wild-eyed stoner named Lou wakes up after a wild night of partying with symptoms of a strange illness and ... See full summary ». X. At Adelle's Academy of Dance, Helen accompanies the little dancers on the piano while their stage mothers eagerly await the appearance of talent scouts. They open a dance school for young girls, and, while the business succeeds, their troubles continue. According to Filmfacts, Reynolds invested $800,000 in the production. At the same time, director Curtis Harrington and producer George Edwards were looking for stars for a script they had commissioned from novelist Henry Farrell, whose story for What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? Helen's mental condition worsens when she goes into the cellar and finds that the cardboard cutout of Adelle used to advertise the studio has been mutilated. The full onscreen copyright statement listing the film's claimants reads; Filmways, Inc., Raymax Productions, Inc., Raven Productions, Inc. & Virgo International Pictures, Inc. Before the opening credits roll, a series of Hearst Metrotone Newsreels depicting Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt and the fictional Hill-Bruckner trial are shown. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. "What's The Matter with Helen? In fact, frightening so. Weird mothers (Debbie Reynolds, Shelley Winters) of two thrill-killers move to 1930s Hollywood. ... See Full Cast + Crew for What's the Matter With Helen? When Adelle accuses Helen of sending it, Linc reassures her that he does not care if her son was accused of murder and offers to pay for an appeal. - Moppets With Ambitious Mothers, What's The Matter With Helen? Released in United States Summer June 1971. Henry Farrell, who wrote the script for What's the Matter with Helen?, wrote the novel on which What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? The property was assigned to another director at Universal, and Farrell was commissioned to write the screenplay. Debbie Van Den Houten's real age is N/A. Whoever slew Auntie Roo? Her four-year-old son witnesses the accident and blames her because she was not able to stop the horses. Later, when Linc comes to pick up Adelle, he finds Helen pounding out a song on the piano and Adelle's corpse, dressed in her dancing costume, propped up on the stage by a ladder. What's the Matter with Helen? ... See full summary ». 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