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Mousey
USA/UK 1974
produced by Aida Young, Beryl Vertue (executive) for Universal, Associated London Films
directed by Daniel Petrie
starring Kirk Douglas, Jean Seberg, John Vernon, Bessie Love, Beth Porter, Sam Wanamaker, James Bradford, Suzanne Lloyd, Stewart Chandler, Valerie Colgan, Mavis Villiers, Elliott Sullivan, Bob Sherman, James Berwick, Margo Alexis, Robert Henderson
written by John Peacock, music by Ron Grainer
review by Dale Pierce
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Released in theatres over in Europe but shown only on TV in the USA, Mousey
remains a dark and brooding psycho film, often overlooked by reviewers
as well as fans. Kirk Douglas is at his craziest in this, when he is
finally pushed to the breaking point and snaps. The odd thing is, though
he is intended to be the villain, some might actually identify closely
with him and cheer him on.
A mild mannered biology teacher, Mr. Andrews (Douglas), flips his lid
when his wife leaves him for another man and he decides to do everything
he can to seek revenge. The fact that he seems such a wimp makes the
screenplay all the molre believable. He is not a superhuman killing
machine like Freddy
Krueger, Michael Myers or Jason
Voorhees, but a believable character who goes brutal when
edged over the brink.
Douglas goes off on a vendetta and pending killing spree, including one
chilling, but bloodless throatcutting scene (remember this was made for
TV). In the end, he goes for his ex-wife and in a scene repeatedly used
in other films, is calling her from another line within the house. In
the end he does not kill his intended target, but cracks up even
further, in a disappointing crying fit, while the police come to get
him. I for one wanted him to kill the bitch and get away.
Jean Seberg committed suicide a short time after this movie was made.
She would best be remembered as the jaded Mormon woman married to both
Clint Eastwood and Lee Marvin in Paint Your Wagon, though she
certainly comes through in this unappreciated chiller as well.
Though known for a career of tough guys in gangster, western and even
boxing films, Douglas has a lengthy amount of horror or terror films to
his credit as well, aside from this one. The Chosen, The Fury,
a made for tv version of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (a musical, in
which he accomplishes the transformation in mid-song), and others. While
Mousey will not go down in history as his greatest role, it would
certainly have to be one of his most often ignored. A creepy and
overlooked performance on his part, stealing the show.
[Editor's footnote: Somehow I suspect the movie is so obscure (even I
have never before heard of it) because of its slightly silly title. For
me, Mousey simply suggests anything but terror. But that's
just my theory.]
[Editor's footnote's footnote: The title of the movie actually refers
to the unflattering nickname the Jean Seberg character has thought up for
her hubby Kirk Douglas.]
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