ANATOMY OF A PSYCHO

Alright. So what do we have here? A 79-minute movie developed in 1961? Hmm! Yeah! I suppose I can live with that. But can you live with that? Can you, its Director: Boris Petroff? Or what about you, its Actors: Ronnie Burns, Pamela Lincoln, with Darrell Howe? Let's see, shall we? Let's see if any of you shall live. Hahahaha!


Anatomy Of A Murder : The Film - The Poster

THE STORY:

Now listen, Dad. I know you've been through a lot recently. Especially since you helped convict Duke Marco (William Salzwedel) for murdering a man; thus leading to his imminent execution. But please, you've got to believe me when I say his sister Pat (Pamela Lincoln) isn't anything like that at all. Honestly, she isn't anything like either of her two brothers!

Yeah. That's right, pop. Pat does have another brother. A second one. Chet Marco (Darrell Howe) is his name, and on the surface he is a rather brutish character. All he seems to do is lounge around with his pals in a club-house by day, whilst by night he gets into scrapes with passers-by on the street. Furthermore, I heard through the grape vine he might've been one of those goons that beat-up the DA's son associated with his brother's murder case.

Still. None of this matter's to us, right, Dad? For I am your son after all. Me. Mickey (Ronnie Burns): The hopeless romantic than wants your blessing so I can take Pat out, to a party tomorrow afternoon.

Then again, I suppose that's why what next transpires all goes to court, when I tell Pat about you're involvement with Duke's conviction. As a gathering catches fire - a subsequent murder gets rather dire - an innocent man is convinced of a crime - and at the end of the day, it's all down to Lieutenant Mac (Michael Granger) to finally call time.

THE REVIEW:

On the surface 'Anatomy of a Psycho' comes across just like any other lucid and overt made for television movie developed during this era. Not only because aesthetically it looks very poor upon the screen. But in addition to this, the production values were tonally nth rate, plus some of the actors involved were relatively wooden to say the least.

Underneath that, though, this film is a number of other things as well. Firstly, it's a story about a man who becomes disenchanted about his brother's imminent execution. Secondly, it's about another mans confusion, surrounding the position he's been placed in, due to his father's involvement with sending his girl-pals brother to the gas chamber. Thirdly, it's a detective story, evolving around a Lieutenant who wants to do right by everyone.  And fourthly, it's all of these three factors rolled up into one, and that, my friends, is where the main problem with this movie lays.

You see, from my point of view, if this projects premise were more focused through the eyes of a singular character -- like Pat's for instance -- I'd say that it would have been a lot more easier and associative to follow. That way I would've been able to directly engage with this adventure without trying to figure out what the f*ck is happening from one moment to the next.

Now please don't get me wrong. I'm not trying to imply that I didn't enjoy what this escapade ultimately presented. No. Not at all. As a matter of fact I found it very intriguing. It's just that I wasn't too keen on its philandering approach, and how the tale kept on jumping from one character to another, inadvertently diluting the story part of this film.

Also, if some of the secondly actor's where more pronounced and better defined within the overall story-line -- mainly Chet's gang -- I'm sure this would have elevated this movie a lot more than it finally was.  

Anyway. I think I best stop myself there, folks. Or otherwise I won't have enough time to present you with the following filmic facts. (1) 'Unitel' first screened this production in Los Angeles, California, on the same day the British pop-singer, Boy George, was born -- the 14th of June, 1961. (2) Even though the majority of this movie was shot in an unknown studio, situated somewhere within America, parts of it were also shot on location in Colorado Springs. (3) One of the writer's that was assigned to pen this film was none other than the director of 'Plan Nine from Outer Space', Ed Wood. However, for his contribution to this project, he decided to use his pseudonym instead, Larry Lee. (4) Another one of the writers who was assigned to pen this movie, Jane Mann, only ever contributed to this tale as well as the 1957 sci-fi horror-thriller, 'The Unearthly'. (5) There were two taglines used to promote this picture. The first one was simply, 'Terrifying!'. Whilst the second one was, 'A Psychotic Killer prowls the night! Will he be stopped before he kills again?'. (6) In 1961 the UK censors refused to issue this flick with a cinema certificate, because... because... because... err? They just felt like it! Ha! (7) This was the final full screen appearance by the venerable acting son of George Burns and Gracie Allen, Ronnie Burns. (8) After this yarn wiped its own face, Judy Howard starred in an episode of the popular television series, 'The Monkees'; Darrell Howe starred in another television series, 'The Virginian', whilst Pamela Lincoln played a nurse in, 'A World Apart'.

Overall I'd say 'Anatomy of a Psycho' was a fairly good film, despite its unfocussed manner of prodding its way through numerous characters associated with it. So if you're up for a timely yarn that's almost there, yet not quite, go on, give this one a bash. Because it's a damn sight better than some of the other cr*p you see on television nowadays.

Nuff said.

THE RATING: B-