Once You Kiss a Stranger...

Overbaked nonsense from Warner Bros. is one steaming pile of clichés. Pro-golfer Paul Burke, separated from his wife and troubled by his perennial second-place status on the golf course, meets up with seductive woman-child Carol Lynley; she murders his main opponent and then blackmails Burke with the proviso he kill her psychiatrist in return (seems Carol has just been released from a mental institution and is due back for another stay at any moment). The tacky screenplay was "suggested by" Patricia Highsmith's book "Strangers on a Train", first filmed by Warners in 1951. This quasi-remake actually has an interesting set-up, but Burke looks dumbfounded throughout and overripe vixen Lynley is just ludicrous (the actress probably thought this kitten-with-claws number would showcase her haughty appeal, but instead she's cruelly exposed and completely without substance). This has to be one of the worst-edited films from a major studio I have ever seen, with redundant, laughable shots of streetlights changing and Carol Lynley going crazy with a reel-to-reel machine. The filmmakers know nothing about the world of pro-tournament golf, and even less about murder investigations and police business, giving this dunderhead opus a campy undermining which may play with fans of second-string cinema. *1/2 from ****

This movie can be a lot of fun, just don't take it too seriously. Several scenes border on camp, but I loved it anyway. Several late 1960's location shots of Los Angeles & Malibu (When it was still pretty, not like today, UGH!) also add to the ambiance. Carol Lynley sleeps with a golf pro to blackmail him into murdering her shrink. This movie is worth watching just to see Carol chase an elegantly dressed Martha Hyer on the beach while Carol tries to run her over with a dune buggy. (Those were the days! Try driving a dune buggy on a beach in California today!) This movie also boasts being way ahead of it's time with Carol owning her own VCR! (IN 1969!) Wow! She even caught her sexcapade on tape and this was years ahead of Rob Lowe. If this wasn't enough she visits her aunt and shows her the meaning of elderly abuse. They don't make 'em like this anymore, movie was panned at the time, but I think it's a lot of fun. Lush 60's sets and clothes, Los Angeles looking a hell of lot better than it does now, women slapping and trying to kill each other, cool 60's convertibles, what more could you ask for.

Paul Burke is a professional golfer who always comes in second to Phillip Carey. He's also got a shaky marriage to Martha Hyer. Carol Lynley is a sociopath who is worried that her aunt and psychiatrist Whit Bissell are going to send her to another insane asylum. So she seduces burke, kills Carey and now expect him to kill Bissell.

In other words, it's a variation of Hitchcock's STRANGERS ON A TRAIN. It's well performed by the cast -- Miss Lynley seems particularly creepy to me since she speaks exactly like a woman I knew; when I mentioned this to a common friend, the friend thought it made a lot of sense. However, despite the addition of sex to the plot, there isn't much added to the story except for color photography.

This uneven variation on Alfred Hithcock's "Strangers On A Train" stays on the right track when its focus is on Carol Lynley: right from her striking Ursula Andress-like entrance from the sea in a tiny bikini, shooting a speargun at a little girl's beach ball (!), she creates a fantastic, psychotic character who taps into the secret male fantasy of being killed by a sexy, strong and crazy woman: it's probably a career-high role for her. Unfortunately, the film gets derailed by much less exciting scenes featuring the other characters, who are bland, as well as a tad too much golf. **1/2 out of 4.

While I think that Alfred Hitchcock's reputation is a bit bigger than life, he really did make some terrific films. One of his better ones was "Strangers on a Train"...a classic is every way. So, in light of his reptuation, the ubiquity of this movie on TV, and how famous this movie is, you wonder WHO thought it was a good idea to remake the film! Yes, some lunkhead decided it was a good idea to remake such a famous film...and the results, predictably, are inferior in almost every way.

When the movie begins, it's obvious that the movie is going to be anything but subtle or clever. The script and director establish VERY early on that Diana (Carol Lynley) is a sadistic nut! I am almost surprised they didn't just have her act just like Cruella De Ville...it was THAT unsubtle and silly. And, more importantly, this isn't handled with the deftness Hitchcock used in his version. Yes, Diana is vicious and evil....and about as obvious to everyone as can be. In contrast, Robert Walker in "Strangers on a Train" SLOWLY was revealed to be disturbed...and it's one of his best acting roles. As for Lynley....well, she's pretty.

If you care, and I certainly didn't, the film is mostly the same story but with a HUGE twist...the innocent man is a pro golfer instead of a pro tennis player....what a HUGE change! Well, I hope you're picking up on my sarcasm here!!!

Overall, a terrible film when you can't help but see how inferior it is in every way to the source material. I cannot think of a good reason to watch it other than to admire Ms. Lynley in a bikini (she looked far nicer than Walker would have in a bikini) or if you want to see a ham-fisted version of an excellent original.