Natale con i tuoi

A really entertaining proto-slasher with an all star cast that tells the story of a dying man who summons his daughters back home for Christmas when he thinks his new wife might be poisoning him. Someone in a yellow raincoat and carrying a pitchfork doesn't want that secret getting out and, one by one, the daughters are terrorized and murdered. Acting is better than most films like this thanks to the great cast and the rainy atmosphere helps a lot in keeping things creepy. The only downside is that, given its TV movie origins, it can't embrace the slasher aspects as much as if it had been a theatrical release so all the horror scenes are kept in PG territory.

"Home For The Holidays", originally a made-for-television horror movie, is a neat little horror mystery that came a little before it's time. The plot centers around the Morgan family. Benjamin Morgan (Walter Brennan), an dying man, summons his four estranged daughters back home on Christmas Eve. The sisters include Alex (Eleanor Parker), the oldest of the group who is already staying at her father's house; Frederica (Jessica Walter, of "Play Misty For Me"), a pill-popping alcoholic who blames her father for their mother's suicide; Joanna (Jill Haworth), a somewhat stuck-up party girl; and Christine (Sally Field), the innocent one, and the youngest of the family. When the girls arrive, their father reveals to them that his current wife, Elizabeth (Julie Harris, of "The Haunting"), who was suspected of her previous husband's death, is poisoning him slowly, and that he essentially wants his daughters to murder her. But it seems that the Morgan sisters have a surprise visitor - and it's not Santa Claus. A pitchfork wielding maniac in a rain slicker begins to stalk and murder the sisters - but who could it be? With the phones dead and the roads washed out due to a heavy rainstorm, the sisters are trapped there while the unseen killer begins to pick them off one by one.

I was really surprised at how good this film turned out to be. Originally aired on ABC in late November 1972, "Home For The Holidays" is a solid and suspenseful little made-for-TV movie. Probably the very first holiday-horror film, this one predates "Black Christmas" and all the other Christmas-set horror films that followed. The story is absolutely wonderful. Not only is it original (especially if you consider the time it was written), but it also provides a good amount of shocks and some great mysteries for the audience to try and solve themselves, along with a solid sustainment of suspense. It's no surprise that the writing is so good though, considering the film was written by Joseph Stefano, who wrote Alfred Hitchcock's 1960 film classic, "Psycho". The script is excellent and there are some great horror set-ups (including a pretty lengthy chase scene with Sally Field through the woods), plus some nice plot twists that will keep you guessing.

The cast is made up of mostly female actresses, and they really are all great. Sally Field pulls off the innocent youngster of the girls (and the main heroine) well - her performing skills were wonderful, even in her early career. The great Julie Harris plays the mysterious, 'wicked stepmother', and does it precisely. We aren't sure if we should consider her a suspect or not, although quite a few things are pointing in her direction. Jessica Walter is the frantic, pill-popping sister who resents her father, and is also very good. All in all, the cast is great, and there are very few corny moments. Atmosphere is a big part of this film as well. The setting is a secluded mansion, perfect place to set a murder mystery. While the film takes place during Christmas, there are rainstorms rather than snowstorms - a bit of an edgy but nice decision from the filmmakers, the thunder and lightning add to the spookiness. The only real holiday scenery that we get is a grand Christmas tree in the center of the coiling staircase, and a wreathe on the front door - like in "Black Christmas", it is obvious that it is Christmastime, but the theme isn't too overdone. There are a couple of murders in the film, but keeping in mind that this was a television film, there is very little in the way of violence - not that it's a bad thing, this film is creepy enough without showing too much. The suspense factor is really the kicker for this one.

Overall, "Home For The Holidays" is a good old-fashioned murder mystery set during Christmas. It's suspenseful, spooky, and really well-written (plus the cast is really excellent as well). If you enjoy old fashioned murder/mystery films (and would be interested in seeing a young Sally Field chased by a pitchfork-wielding murderer), this one will keep you guessing the killer's identity until the final revelation. If you can manage to get a hold of the out-of-print VHS, I'd really recommend it. This holiday horror film is worth a look. 8/10.

Well-done made for TV thriller is a little known but worth wild movie.

Sisters are summoned home by their bed-ridden father because he believes his new wife is trying to murder him. Now it seems that the whole family just may be on the murderer's hit list.

Thanks to its great cast, this becomes a surprising good thriller, especially considering it was made for TV in 1972. A well-mounted mystery with some good suspense and set-ups. Aided along by a fairly moody atmosphere; this Christmas there's no snow, just heavy rainstorms.

Sally Field, Jessica Walters, and the great Julie Harris turn in the best performances for this one. The subtle music score is nicely done, as is the whole movie. In fact, my only real complaint about this movie is the camera operator's apparent obsession with 'zoom' shots!

All around, this is a pretty decent little thriller that's worth a rainy night watch.

*** out of ****

This is a neat little thriller by the prolific producing team of Spelling-Goldberg. It's written by the screenwriter of "Psycho"! When Christmas comes and a glut of weepy or cheerful specials are filling the airwaves, sometimes a dose of morbid, downbeat drama can be a nice change! Ever-cranky Brennan plays a father who is dying (and suspects his second wife, Harris, of doing him in.) He sends for his four daughters (Parker, Walter, Haworth, Field) to come to his aid. At 50, 32, 26 and 26, these ladies are the least likely sisters one could imagine! In fact, Parker had played Field's mother only two years prior. The ladies don't even look like they could be related. It matters little, though, once the drama sets in and the acting begins. Brennan apparently would have preferred sons as each lady has a male nickname: Alex, Freddie, Jo and Chris. Parker, still lovely when lit correctly, does a great job in her role. Harris matches her and gives a good performance in a difficult part. Walter is a touch over the top, but is fine and Field is charming...though eventually she gets to scream her head off. The film is very simple, made during a time when TV movies didn't feel the need to pad out to fill two hours if the material didn't warrant it. The movie, sans commercials, runs 78 minutes. The result is a pretty tight little story that builds to some genuine suspense. The climactic thunderstorm goes a long way in providing the right atmosphere.

Written by Psycho's Joseph Stefano, Home For the Holidays involves a bunch of sisters reuniting at their ill father's home while someone's out there in a raincoat and pitchfork killing anyone in sight. Could it be their stepmother who might also be poisoning their father?

An early attempt at a slasher movie with an all star cast and network TV standards. Don't expect a lot of blood, because they weren't allowed to go very far on TV back when this was made, but it's nice to see the likes of Sally Field, Julie Harris, Jessica Walter, and Eleanor Parker in a film of this sort.