The Failing of Raymond

One of my sci-fi/horror/fantasy reviews written 50 years ago: Directed by Boris Sagal; Produced by George Eckstein, for Universal TV, telecast by ABC-TV. Screenplay by Adrian Spies; Photography by Ben Colman; Edited by John Kaufman Jr.; Music by Patrick Williams. Starring: Dean Stockwell, Jane Wyman, Dana Andrews. Paul Henreid, Tim O'Connor, Murray Hamilton, Priscilla Pointer, Katy Sagal, Ann Doran and William Katt.

Boris Sagal tries his hand at psychological horror, and the result is a stylish, no-blood switch. Escaped nut Dean is obsessed with killing the teacher, Miss Bloomquist, who caused him to flunk out of high school. Sagal uses a smeared lens soft-focus for scary, lengthy flashbacks, in which the clock ticks away test time with ominous regularity. The "ancient mariner's rhyme" theme of man unable to change his destiny is well-integrated into the plot.

The plot for this made for TV film is very strange. Raymond (Dean Stockwell) failed an exam ten years ago and now, after having escaped from the mental institution, he returns to take his old teacher, Ms. Bloomquist (Jane Wyman) prisoner and forcing her to relive his moment of failure. In other words, she MUST pass him or die...or he might just kill her regardless!

The film has a lot of good and a bit of bad. Dean Stockwell is the best thing about the film--he's great as the deranged ex-student. The plot is also bizarrely original. But it also suffers a tad from too much exposition when the film begins. Instead of naturally giving backstory slowly and naturally, it's very forced--as if they are explaining things to the audience. The ending, also, is a bit of a letdown. Overall, it's worth seeing even if it is a mixed bag.

FORGET you're even watching a film, this one so draws you into a no-going-back plight of both teacher and student. Can't-wait-for-it-to-end, just for some kind of relief, yet you keep wanting just a little more, before what SEEMS the inevitable outcome. Only then, by this time, your emotions might barely make the escape from the strange twist ending.

Hardly disappointing is the respect and appreciation one comes to find for the dedicated teacher. Particularly at the end of this teacher's career!.. Raymond (played by Dean Stockwell) is excellent in his almost hypnotic portrayal of a student, hurt by his 10 year trial of utter frustration at failing in Ms Bloomquist's class... Mary Bloomquist (played by Jane Wyman) is just incredible as she carefully weighs the psychology needed to balance her own silent-fears with the integrity of her role as Teacher (with a capital T) when facing her "now-again-student" who demands his own resolve: HER LIFE, on this fateful "last-day" of her career. Small clue will not spoil: Neither the police, nor ANY OTHER outsider will bring this to a close. An absolute "must-see," by everyone at one time in their life. Don't miss the classroom scene in the end. It contains some of the very best acting and play on the emotions you will ever experience in film. (oh yeah, it's a film.. but you were THERE!!!)