Review of Play Misty for Me (1971) by Elizabeth L — 05 Mar 2009

Clint Eastwood playing a laid-back all-night DJ at at a laid-back jazz FM station in Carmel California? Not what the public expected but for his first film as a director, Eastwood chose to direct a very suspenceful thriller.

Jessica Walter, a popular TV actress at the time, delivered a terrific performance as the mentally unstable fan who inserts herself into Eastwood's life. Eastwood's character is very cool and self-assured and simply expects Jessica Walter to "go away" when he rekindles his romance with Donna Mills.

I get the feeling that Eastwood is not 100% sympathetic with his smooth-talking DJ who is completely into the sexual revolution's concept of "Free Love" but not at all interested in the consequences of his actions.

Ultimately, we side with Eastwood's character because Walter goes so far off the deep end (and threatens Donna Mills!) and Eastwood's character does learn a valuable lesson about the consequences of his actions that Michael Douglas' character did not seem to learn in FATAL ATTRACTION in 1987.

Great soundtrack for jazz fans. Terrific photography of the California town of Carmel, Eastwood's home.