My Blood Runs Cold

Well, not any more.

You can tell by the production values in "My Blood Runs Cold" that Troy Donahue's stock had taken a nosedive at Warners. It's in black and white, is directed by William Conrad, a serviceable but by no means A list director, and it makes use of the Doheny Mansion, a common setting for lots of movies. The film was made in 1965; by 1966, Warner Brothers had dumped him.

Here, Donahue plays a mysterious man named Benjamin Gunther. In another life, he was in love with Barbara Merriday, the great-great grandmother of Julie Merriday (Joey Heatherton). He believes that Julie is a reincarnation of Barbara, and that they are meant to be together. He gives her a necklace with Barbara's picture in it, which looks just like Julie, and takes her to a cave where the lovers would meet. However, the two were separated by Barbara's father, and she would up marrying Merriday.

Julie finds herself drawn to Ben in spite of herself; her father (Barry Sullivan) and boyfriend (Nicolas Coaster) disapprove.

Are Julie and Ben intended to live Barbara and Ben's love story? And will they meet the same sad ending this time too? Troy Donahue by 1965 was 29 and, due to his drinking, was looking bloated and pasty. For a time he was a huge heartthrob, and this film was intended to appeal to young people, despite the fact that Donahue wasn't playing his usual nice guy.

Donahue possessed, in the beginning anyway, striking looks and a good speaking voice. But he comes off as wooden; he wasn't an unlikeable actor, he just didn't have much range. Joey Heatherton was better, even in baby doll pajamas. Jeannette Nolan, as her aunt, is the best in the cast.

"My Blood Runs Cold" is an entertaining film, probably not for the reasons it was intended, but nevertheless, viewers who don't take it too seriously will enjoy it.

If you go in with your expectations adjusted to the fact that the stars of this are Troy Donahue and Joey Heatherton, hardly renown for their thespic abilities, then you should enjoy this rather overwrought drama that wants to be a thriller but isn't very chilling at all.

Troy shows up out of the blue when heiress Joey almost runs him down and is transfixed from the beginning telling her she's the reincarnation of his long lost love, Joey's great, great grandmother. This gives her understandable pause until he shows her a locket of the woman that Joey is a dead ringer for, apparently they had bottle blonds in the 17th century! It doesn't get any more believable from that point on but if you like 60's potboilers this has its charms.

Jeanette Nolan as Joey's aunt who knows most if not all the secrets gives the best performance and her hairpieces have to be seen to be believed! One is so mountainous that it's bigger than her head!

A great deal of fun in an over the top ridiculous kind of way.

Cookie Cutter Supernatural Thriller that Reeks of Anthology TV, like "The Twilight Zone" or "Thriller". Popular Shows in the Late Fifties and Early Sixties.

Troy Donahue who was Almost but Not Quite a Major Hollywood Star that Shined for a Few Films and then Burned Out on TV Gigs and Booze. William Conrad Directs without much Enthusiasm and the Movie Suffers from Bland Cinematography, Sets, and Dialog and is only the Least Bit Interesting Outdoors.

Joey Heatherton was a Cutie that Never Attained a Long Career but was a serviceable Actress with a High Pitched Voice and a Highly Curvaceous Body. Barry Sullivan Chews the Scenery Playing the Domineering Father and Cutthroat Capitalist. He Thrashes about and Yells a lot, but is still Upstaged by Jeanette Nolan as a Sympathetic and all Knowing Aunt. Nicolas Coaster is the Third Wheel of the Reincarnation Romance between Troy and Joey and it's a Pretty Good Performance.

But its all so Routine without as much as a Boo and the End Chase Scene goes on Forever where Nothing much Happens and is very Predictable.

Overall, the Movie Barely makes Passable Entertainment, with just Enough Talent hanging around the Set to make this Watchable, but In the End it is a Styleless and somewhat Silly Misfire.

This silly potboiler starts out promisingly enough to get you hooked, but sadly veers off track toward the end. However, the plot is not the reason to watch this film. It's the 1965 trappings - the cars, the clothes, the sharp-focus black & white photography - that keep you glued to this picture. It's an inadvertent but accurate time capsule. Viewers with a camp sensibility will have a field day with Jeanette Nolan's hairdos alone. Each scene she's in brings yet another mind- blowing creation which we're supposed to believe she whips up on her own. Joey Heatherton sports a few odd coifs herself. Joey was a fine 60's-style sex kitten and her look is immortalized here. Troy Donahue's acting skills, which were passable in previous films, here prove why his career didn't last much longer. Nice scenery along California's 17-mile Drive. Watch this film for a guilty wallow in 1965 mindset.

Young 21-year-old Julie (Joey Heatherton) is dating old but dependable Harry (Nicholas Coaster). Then she meets young hunky Ben (Troy Donahue) who seems instantly smitten with her. It seems he thinks she's the reincarnation of a woman he loved in another life! He knows a lot about her family that there's no way he could have known. Is it true?

Obscure little thriller. The basic plot is interesting and it moves quickly enough. Donahue and Heatherton are certainly an attractive couple and shown in their bathing suits often. But this movie has problems. It's flatly directed and Barry Sullivan and Coaster are dreadful in their roles. Donahue and Heatherton are bad too but Donahue tries and is actually very good at times. Old pro Jeanette Nolan however is superb as Aunt Sarah. The ultimate resolution was disappointing but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't entertained. I give it a 6.