Review: Dark Places

A recently deceased inmate of an asylum was owner of a large estate where two suitcases full of money were secretly stashed. Enter Robert Hardy, who poses as a relative of said inmate to make claim on the estate. Local doctor Christopher Lee sends saucy sister Joan Collins to the estate to offer her services as maid. They’re a couple of rotten schemers looking for the money, and Collins has no problems doing whatever it takes to get the money. Unfortunately, none of the three bargained on Hardy being plagued by sinister nightmares/apparitions about previous events in the estate involving the dead ancestor (also played by Hardy), his wife (Jean Marsh), and his mistress/nanny (Jane Birkin). Herbert Lom turns up as the lawyer handing over the estate.

 

Ignore the rather impressive-looking roster here, because this bland 1974 film from Australian director Don Sharp (whose best film was “Rasputin the Mad Monk” with Christopher Lee) is a pretty dull supernaturally-tinged thriller. One of the more forgettable films in the long career of Christopher Lee, he’s among the few highlights here along with a perfectly cast Joan Collins and the always solid Herbert Lom. They’re good fun, even if the film isn’t.

 

Miscast lead actor Robert Hardy is dull and without much screen presence. Imagine Ralph Bates or Christopher Plummer in the role, they’d be a lot more interesting and dynamic company. It’s kind of a shame that former ‘It Girl’ Jane Birkin and veteran villainess Jean Marsh (i.e. The woman who scarred my childhood in “Return to Oz”) are relegated to rather useless flashback cameos, too. Also not helping things here is that Sharp directs things with a flat, neutered TV-movie style that just doesn’t engage you. It’s not scary or atmospheric or amusing or…much of anything as a result. That’s a very big problem, as the story cries out for a strong director with a real sense of visual style. Sharp has directed horror films before, but I wouldn’t say he’s put his own unique stamp on anything. It’s got a workable if not especially original horror-suspense premise to it that could’ve resulted in something rather fun if it had a director who cared enough to have fun with it. Aside from the barmy last 15 minutes Hardy wakes up, and screenwriters Ed Brennan (strangely his only credit, and he died the same year) & Joseph Van Winkle (“The Gatling Gun”) don’t deliver much beyond that basic premise and an admittedly clever late twist. There’s a lot of tedium in between.

 

The Gothic central premise is OK, Christopher Lee and especially Joan Collins are game as a pair of schemers, but director Sharp and lead actor Robert Hardy just aren’t up to snuff. It doesn’t add up to much of interest, certainly little of suspense or fright. You tend to twiddle your thumbs when you’re left with just Hardy on screen, which is quite a bit of the film. Ordinary in the extreme and a real waste of a great supporting cast.

 

Rating: C