El retrato de mi madre

PICTURE MOMMY DEAD had the potential to be more than a little potboiler. Photographed handsomely in Pathe color amid elaborate settings, its look is far beyond that of the average programmer.

But two things defeat it: an absurd plot and a dreadful performance by Susan Gordon in the central role as the traumatized victim of a horrible murder scene.

The adults are a little over-the-top in performing--especially Don Ameche, Martha Hyer (looking very glamorous), and Maxwell Reed. No doubt they knew the melodramatic material was so overly meller that it didn't matter much. Hyer at least is convincing as a greedy woman who has only one objective: to get her hands on as much estate money as possible after the death of the girl's wealthy mommy and especially a glittering diamond necklace.

Zsa Zsa Gabor flits about once in awhile when flashbacks permit the girl to remember a few events as they unfolded in the past. She's every bit the glamorous creature she always set out to be, and mercifully is not burdened by too much dialog.

Most surprising is that this wasn't photographed in low-budget style in B&W. Instead, the sharp color photography puts it on a higher level than the script would suggest.

The story lacks credibility as it goes along, becoming more and more improbable by the time it reaches a predictable conclusion.

Summing up: Watchable, but hurt by a central performance that is cringe worthy.

This is one of schlock producer Bert I Gordon's best films. After watching her mother Jessica (Zsa Zsa Gabor) die in a mysterious fire, young Susan Shelley (Susan Gordon) is sent to a convent/mental hospital where she remains for three years. In the meantime, her father Edward (Don Ameche) has married Susan's former governess, Francene (Martha Hyer) who is also his former mistress. After Susan's release from the hospital, she returns with her father and stepmother to the family estate. Immediately, the familiar surroundings bring back visions of her dead mother, as well as a gnawing suspicion that it was she herself who is responsible for her mother's death. Meanwhile, the money-hungry Francene, who has exhausted her husband's share of his late wife's bequest, begins a campaign to return Susan to the hospital for good--thereby gaining the half million dollar inheritance held in trust for her. Enlisting the help of Susan's cousin Anthony (British actor Maxwell Reed and former husband of Joan Collins), Francene also seeks to learn the whereabouts of a magnificent diamond necklace she is sure Susan has hidden. An atmospheric production, filmed at the old Doheny estate in Beverly Hills, the scene of many subsequent films, an attractive musical score by Robert Drasnin, and fine acting by all (including Miss Gordon, the director's daughter) give this murder mystery spice. And the beautiful Martha Hyer gives it class. Look for screen veterans Signe Hasso (as a nun) Wendell Corey (as the family lawyer) and Anna Lee (as a friend of Jessica). A very good novelization of the screenplay was written by screenwriter Robert Sherman. Incidentally, the pressbook synopsis has a different ending!

One of those low budget films that had lots of style. Filmed at the famous Doheny Mansion in Beverly Hills, opening scene has a horrendous bedroom fire consuming the dead body of Zsa Zsa Gabor. I first saw this in the 70's and being a teenage pyro I was fascinated by the fire sequences. Teenage girl Susan Gordon (Producer Bert Gordon's daughter) gets let out of a convent 7 years after her mother (Zsa Zsa) gets crispy in the previously mentioned fire. Seems the girl still has some issues and things get wierd after her dad (Don Ameche) brings her back to the house where it happened! (How tacky is that?) Enter her old nanny (Martha Hyer) who just wed Daddy Don Ameche. Seems Martha wants to get her hands on an old Diamond necklace Zsa Zsa reported missing before the fire. Seems Martha is a bit of a tramp and will let anyone grab a hold of her Double D cups that will tell her where the jewels are hidden. Dig the crazy scene where Susan scratches a portrait of Zsa Zsa and the picture starts to bleed! They don't make 'em like this anymore. Wendell Corey makes a rare appearance (right before he died) as a surly character who likes tormenting Susan with remarks about the fire like "it must be what hell is like" just to watch Susan twitch out big time. Great bit of film noir (even in color) this movie has lots of shadows, great photography & direction, even the scene where the bedroom is ablaze is photographed in an almost beautiful way with the flames towering up expensive drapes and ashed slowly cascading down. Great fun, it's on video I hope they put this film on DVD. Of course, anything with Zsa Zsa Gabor is a hoot, even though here she is essentially playing herself.

34 years have not dimmed the memory of this super low budget thriller. The special effects remind me of a Mario Bava film because maximum use is made of camera angles and light and shadow. Mind you, I only saw this shocker once at a remote air base but, along with the early Dario Argentos (Bird, Cat & Flies), What's the Matter with Helen?, Who Slew Auntie Roo?, and Romero's original Night of the Living Dead, this flick hit my funnybone and I remember its twisted plot and shocking ending as fondly as I remember those schlocky Bill Castle masterworks, Homicidal and Strait-Jacket. Seriously, the film is a fun ride and if you like Grade B thrillers, you'll get a big kick out of it. So, please, put it on DVD before the film stock dissolves!

WOW I have been trying to remember the name of this movie for a very long time... today I goggled the famous "the worms crawl in, the worms crawl out"... and found the title of the movie "Picture Mommy Dead". I re-watched this movie today after I found the movie title again and I must say it is pretty good old film.

I recalled that as a kid this movie scared me... but after re-viewing it as an adult I find it a good mystery/thriller film.

The movie is worth watching if you like older "whodunnit" types of movies. Nobody will ever find out Daddy.

The Hearse Song is the creepiest part of this film -- the part I remembered for years.

7/10