Play Misty for Me

Plot synopsis:
Dave Garver (Clint Eastwood) is a KRML radio disc jockey who broadcasts nightly from a studio in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, often incorporating poetry into his program. He lives a rather freewheeling bachelor lifestyle. At his favorite bar, seemingly by chance, he encounters a woman named Evelyn Draper (Jessica Walter). Dave drives her home, where she reveals that their meeting was not accidental; she sought him out after hearing the bar mentioned on his radio show. He guesses correctly that she is the recurring caller who always requests the jazz standard "Misty". The two have sex.
A casual relationship begins between Dave and Evelyn. But before long, Evelyn begins to display symptoms of borderline personality disorder. She shows up at Dave's house uninvited. She also follows Dave from his home to workplace at all hours of the day and night. Evelyn phones Dave all the time to demand that he keep her company and not leave her alone for a single minute. The final straw comes when Evelyn disrupts a business meeting, mistaking Dave's lunch companion (Irene Hervey)—a representative who has come to offer him a career opportunity—for his date.
Despite his efforts to gradually and gently sever ties with Evelyn, her unbalanced feelings lead her to attempt suicide in his home by slashing her wrists. After Dave rejects her again, Evelyn breaks into his home where his housekeeper, Birdie (Clarice Taylor), finds her maniacally vandalizing his possessions. Evelyn stabs her with a knife and is subsequently committed to a psychiatric hospital.
During Evelyn's incarceration, Dave rekindles a relationship with his ex-girlfriend, Tobie Williams (Donna Mills). A few months later, Evelyn again calls the studio to request "Misty". She tells Dave that she has been released from the mental hospital due to good behavior and is moving to Hawaii for a new job and to give herself a fresh start in life. She then quotes an Edgar Allan Poe poem, "Annabel Lee". That night, while Dave is asleep, she sneaks into his house and tries to kill him with a butcher knife. He fights her, she flees, at first he thinks this is just a dream until he notices knife marks on his pillow case and Dave subsequently contacts the police.
Dave tells Tobie about Evelyn and cautions her to stay away from him until the woman is caught. For her safety, she goes home. There, she meets with a girl who answered her ad for a roommate: Evelyn, using the alias Annabel. Tobie eventually realizes that Annabel is Evelyn when she sees the fresh scars on Evelyn's wrists, but before Tobie can escape, Evelyn takes her hostage. Evelyn also murders McCallum (John Larch), a police detective who had come to check on Tobie.
At the radio station, Dave makes the connection between Tobie's roommate and the quote from "Annabel Lee". When he calls Tobie to warn her, Evelyn answers and says Tobie and she are waiting for him. Dave switches from a live show to taped music and rushes to the house, where he finds Tobie bound and gagged. Evelyn attacks again with the butcher knife, slashing Dave multiple times. He punches Evelyn, knocking her through the window and over a railing and she falls down the cliff onto the rocky ocean shore below. Dave and Tobie look down at Evelyn's dead body as Dave's voice on the taped radio show dedicates "Misty" to Evelyn one final time.

Tags: neo noir, murder, cult, flashback, insanity, romantic, revenge

Review:
Clint Eastwood made his directorial debut with this 1971 suspense/thriller, `Play Misty for Me,' in which he also stars as Dave Garver, a late night radio disc jockey for a small station in Carmel, California.
During his show, he opens the phones to take requests, at which times a frequent caller-- a woman named Evelyn (Jessica Walter)-- always asks for the same tune, `Misty.'  Her obsession, it turns out, is not with that particular record, but with Garver, who is currently sorting out a relationship gone bad with a young artist, Tobie (Donna Mills), but which may be on the mend in light of the fact that Tobie has just returned to town after a lengthy absence in the wake of their breakup.
In the interim, Garver has become entangled with Evelyn, a fan he soon discovers gives new meaning to the term `fanatic.'	Eastwood invades Hitchcock territory with this film, which it turns out was indeed a harbinger of the course his career would take from this point on, that of directing and starring in his own movies.
The directorial debut for Clint Eastwood was this classic suspense thriller that's both intelligent and shocking.Dashing California DJ has a one night stand with an obsessive fan, who will have his love at ANY cost!While a bit on the dated side, Play Misty for Me still works well as a steely, nail-biter of a film.
Also, being honest is the obvious thing to do here and, of course, that's not done either.Nevertheless, it's a taut thriller with Jessica Walter doing a great job playing a nutcase stalker "Evelyn Draper." I also enjoyed watching Donna Mills.
In the city of Carmel, the popular disc-jockey David Garver (Clint Eastwood) has one night stand with Evelyn Draper (Jessica Walter), a strange he met in a bar after his show.
The woman, indeed a deranged obsessed fan, stalks David and threatens his life, his girl-friend Tobie Williams (Donna Mills), his friends and even his job.The debut of Clint Eastwood as director could not be better.
Too-careful shocker directed and starring Clint Eastwood involves a radio disc-jockey who gets seductive requests by telephone for the song "Misty"--he later meets the overly-friendly female fan and they share a fling, but she 'won't be ignored'.
A remarkable first directing job for someone who learned by watching and observing a never attended film school.Mr. Eastwood cast himself as a disc jockey who finds his number one fan, a silvery-voiced woman named Evelyn, frequently calling him on his show "play Misty for me." By chance, he happens to meet her and they have a brief, erotic affair.
However, Evelyn (played magnificently and memorably by Jessica Walter) soon makes it apparent that she does not intend their relationship to end after one night together, even when one of Mr. Eastwood's former flames (Donna Mills) re-enters his life.The most interesting character dynamic in "Play Misty for Me" is between, of course, Mr. Eastwood and Miss Walter.
By this time, most people had come to associate with him as sneering Man with No Name or the cop in Don Siegel's classic "Dirty Harry." But instead of playing a tough, iron-willed man, he made the daring but exquisite choice of playing the disc jockey as a restrained, troubled, nervous man who can't find a way to explain anything properly, least of all to an obsessive one-night lover.Like with that great 1987 thriller "Fatal Attraction," the movie takes a turn toward the thriller genre and in more ways than just psychologically.
To keep it in an almost docudrama fashion, he shoots the movie without any remarkable, saturated lighting and oftentimes keeps the camera hand-held to make us feel like we are actually there."Play Misty for Me" was Mr. Eastwood's first time directing a motion picture, and sadly, it does show sometimes.
Overall, the direction was controlled, confident, and far from the disappointment I feared it might maybe be.A very strong debut for Eastwood behind the camera, Play Misty for Me is a classic thriller story which functions very well with the aid of its central performances.
The experience gained in particular with Don Siegel and Clint Eastwood's talent enough to finish this movie with a good realization, a method acting and direction more than impressive and promising for a first film.And note the good jazz soundtrack in the movie supported by the long sequence in the music festival, it sound very Clint Eastwood.Although the story may lack depth and foundations, it easily gets trapped in the streets of this small California town and history experienced by these characters.
But that is indeed what happened; and his first effort both in front of and behind the camera was a winner: PLAY MISTY FOR ME Filmed in Carmel, California, 'Play Misty For Me' features Eastwood as a DJ at a local jazz radio station taking all-night requests.On a particular night he gets a call from a mysterious woman to "Play 'Misty' for me", referring to a classic Errol Garner song "Misty".
Furthermore, when Eastwood meets back up with an old flame of his (Donna Mills), Walter's fixation takes a turn towards the psychotic.At this time if you are thinking this sounds like Fatal Attraction starring Michael Douglas, you would be right.
There are a couple of awkward sequences that simply don't work at all in the film, but Eastwood recovers from such scenes and makes some very good and mature directorial choices as the film progresses.Featuring of a cameo role from Eastwood's mentor Don Siegel as his local bartender, 'Play Misty For Me', despite some slightly misogynistic overtones, is an incredibly suspenseful work of film-making and shows the first glimpse of just how good Clint Eastwood would become both in front of and behind the camera..
Thinking that his night of passion with Evelyn is purely a one off, he starts to become concerned as Evelyn refuses to leave him alone, and things are about to get very out of hand and become very disturbing for all involved.This was Clint Eastwood's first stab (hrr hrr) at directing and it proved to be a very commendable effort as he directs himself in the picture, polishes the production across the board, and then wrapped the film on time and under budget, quite an achievement and it's no surprise that he went on to be a big hitter from behind the camera right up to this present day.Play Misty For Me is a truly tight and engrossing picture, and certainly more of a character study than its slasher shell would suggest.
Eastwood (playing against type) plays Garver perfectly weasel like, and it's because of his selfish sexual proclivities, and all round disdain for his actions, that the maelstrom that comes his way is kind of like the reckoning.The picture firmly belongs to Jessica Walter, her turn as the irrational psychotic in waiting, Evelyn, is truly magic, lacing sympathetic sadness with outright moments of terror, believable to the point of forcing the audience into an uneasy understanding.
It's a mystery (and a crying shame) that Walter didn't go on to be a big star because the marker for major talent was right here.Edgy and darkly fascinating, Play Misty For Me stands up today as a right on the money thriller, and not even the sight of Clint in his over large white underpants can dim the films appeal, 8.5/10..
That scene and the one with Donna Mills that is, in fact, a music video for Roberta Flack's song The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face may seem like intermissions, but I think they prove again and again that Clint Eastwood wasn't afraid to follow his artistic instincts - he knew what he was doing.
Play Misty For Me (1971) Plot In A Paragraph: A brief fling between a DJ (Eastwood) and an obsessed female fan takes a frightening turn when another woman enters the picture.In his directorial debut, Clint sets the action in Carmel (the town he would later become Mayor of) and keeps the tension on a knife edge.
Disturbing and atmospheric urban thriller has Eastwood in his directorial debut playing a late-night DJ who picks up Jessica Walter for a casual fling then discovers she's an obsessed fan who proceeds to destroy his life, in an escalating campaign of terror.
A low pace, as usual with Eastwood, but very much like a Hitchcock movie, not better, not worse, about a stalker, here a female (played expertly by Jessica Walter) stalking a male, played equally well by the director himself, and his ex-girlfriend (Donna Mills).The best thing with the DVD is the extra material, which is amazing, just as one would love to have with all DVDs. All the actors still alive (Don Seigel passed away years ago) are interviewed, Clint tells why he choose just them - many without an audition or anything, the producer tells about his friendship with Clint, and so on.If you find it on DVD, buy it, as the film is OK, as a run of the mill Hitchcock (which ain't bad) and interesting, and the extra material is just amazing!.
Clint Eastwood starred in his directorial debut, 'Play Misty for Me', but his role is thankfully self-effacing and (very) laid back; there's some nice cinematography (especially the shots of the Californian coastline), the use of music is interesting and overall this film is surprisingly accomplished for a rookie's work.
Clint Eastwood takes a break from Dirty Harry's and other violent types to make a vulnerable guy who fears for the attacks of a flame of one night stand, an obsessive fan (Jessica Walter) of his radio program that loves this guy so much that she can't stand the possibility of not be with him.
Play Misty for Me starts off as a simple movie, basically becoming a romance movie, quickly turning into a thriller and almost a horror movie.Clint Eastwood plays Dave Garver, a local radio DJ whose job interferes with his personal life often.
Jessica Walter plays Evelyn Draper, a fan of Dave's who becomes a one night stand for him and eventually she puts herself in the position of his lover and his crazy, obsessed stalker.
One of those fans is Evelyn Darper, Jessica Walters, who's obsessed not only with Dave but with a song that she calls and requests him to play for her almost every night "Misty".
While there were a few suspenseful and interesting scenes and a good performance by Jessica Walter (though I kept giggling when her mannerisms reminded me of her character from Arrested Development), it was dragged down by bad direction, bad dialogue, bad fashion and a needlessly long running time.Clint Eastwood made a lot of ...interesting...
Storywise, it could have been shorter and I didn't find any of the supporting characters very interesting.Like I said, Jessica Walter's character, and the obsessive relationship she develops with Clint Eastwood are engrossing, and their scenes together are pretty good.
Now I've watched PLAY MISTY FOR ME, a 1971 thriller directed by and starring Clint Eastwood, and I realise that FATAL ATTRACTION is nothing more than a rip-off.PLAY MISTY FOR ME gets there first, and arguably does it better, giving the story more 'meat'.
JESSICA WALTERS is very convincing as an obsessed ex-fan of DJ CLINT EASTWOOD, the woman who always asked him to PLAY MISTY FOR ME.
But when Dave wants to call it quits with the feisty fruit-loop, preferring to rekindle his relationship with much saner old flame Tobie (Donna Mills), crazy Evelyn dials the lunacy up to eleven.Eastwood's directorial debut, Play Misty For Me shows the actor to be so much more than a squint, some stubble and a grimace: his first feature film at the helm is a very accomplished thriller that delivers solid storytelling, a superb villainess (Walter is truly frightening in a performance that rivals those of Glenn Close and Kathy Bates in the aforementioned classics), some terrific suspense, and even a spot of rather nasty violence, with a frenzied knife attack on Dave's house cleaner every bit as cringe-worthy as the hobbling scene in Misery.Admittedly, the film does lose some momentum in the second act, where Clint gets a little self-indulgent, with a romantic montage scene that plays out to Roberta Flack's 'The First Time I Ever I Saw Your Face' in its entirety (great song, mind you), followed by some musical footage from the Monterey Jazz Festival.
Clearly it's special because this was Clint Eastwood's first directorial debut, yet still this film was significant for the fact that it was really the first to introduce the stalker and love obsession genre as it was not 1987's "Fatal Attraction" but 1971's "Play Misty for Me" that started the genre.The film is well written as director Eastwood stars as Dave Garver a coastal California man who earns a living working as a late night radio DJ.
And this is exactly what Dave thought it was just a one night stand, yet Evelyn pushes for a torrid affair only Dave wises up and sees that she's to obsessed and he ends it.Then to add more drama Dave's ex flame Tobie(played by sexy and attractive future soap star Donna Mills)has returned back to the West Coast, and gradually the two rekindle their old love making ways.
Clint shows some definite skill in his first effort behind the camera, and the film is generally compelling.Jessica Walter, who plays the obsessed fan, often calls Clint while he's on the air and requests a song titled "Misty".
It takes that obsession to a dangerous level about 17 years before the better-known "Fatal Attraction" with Michael Douglas and Glen Close.The whole movie is so realistic - no Hollywood sets - real interiors, real exteriors and no computer generated special efx.Clint Eastwood is NOT super human Dirty Harry here - instead he's a very believable DJ - low key and not that witty or clever - just a real guy trying to have a real life.
"Play Misty for Me" was a very good choice of film for Clint Eastwood to direct.
Jessica Walters gives the best performance in this film as the woman who threatens Clint Eastwood's life.
A brief fling between a male disc jockey (Clint Eastwood) and an obsessed female fan (Jessica Walter) takes a frightening, and perhaps even deadly turn when another woman enters the picture.I appreciate that Eastwood's directorial debut was a thriller, rather than a western or drama or action film.
This was a brilliant movie.Jessica Walter's amazing psychotic performance was absolutely frightening and so very real.It was the original stalker movie before Fatal Attraction.And great to see a young Donna Mills I barely recognized.Great Directional debut by Clint Eastwood, Fantastic work !I read somewhere Clint gave up his Acting fee for the movie to be only paid as a Director.Overall the film was a great financial and critical success, with exposure of Robertas Flack song "The first time I saw your face" going to Number 1 from the movie..
Secondly, it was way ahead of its time in terms of plot, and pre-dates several films on the same theme (Fatal Attraction, The Crush, Swimfan, etc.) Play Misty For Me is thankfully low-key in approach and refuses to descend into a crude bloodbath of gore; this is actually a good thing, as the credibility is kept in check and makes the suspense real, as opposed to contrived and artificial.California DJ Dave Garland (Clint Eastwood) is likable but no saint; he spends his nights playing music over the airways, drinking at a local bar, and wooing an endless stream of female fans.
One evening, Garland picks up an attractive middle-aged woman called Evelyn (Jessica Walter), who has long been a fan of his show and who regularly phones in requesting that Dave should play her favourite song "Misty".
Like a two act play, the film is cut straight down the middle by the love scenes between Eastwood's character "Dave Garver" and his girlfriend Tobie (in some surprisingly explicit scenes for the time, this must have been a pretty heavy "R" rating in 1971), along with Roberta Flack's song "First Time Ever I Saw Your Face."The first half of the film I thought was superb, amazingly good...
Play Misty for Me represents the successful 1971 directorial debut of Clint Eastwood, who also starts in the film.
Beautiful shots of the the Northern California coastline and the Monterey Jazz Festival add to the mood of the film.Play Misty For Me adds another great movie to Clint Eastwood's fine body of work over the years.
"Dave Garver" (Clint Eastwood) is a disc-jockey for a radio station in the small city of Carmel, California who works during the night playing jazz music for his listeners.
Give Clint credit for not making a western his first time behind the camera, and for making one of the earliest and best music videos out of Roberta Flack's haunting ballad, "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face." Also, praise the laconic star for making the film less a showcase for himself than for Jessica Walter who delivers an Oscar worthy performance as the homicidal Evelyn, whose stalking of mellow DJ Dave Garver begins when she repeatedly requests Errol Garner's "Misty" on Garver's late night radio show.
Clint Eastwood is a genius, and Evelyn Draper (Jessica Walter) is the original Fatal Attraction.
Clint Eastwood plays the role of Dave Garver, a local disc jockey, that attracts the attention of an amorous fan, Evelyn Draper (Jessica Walter).
In fact, she isn't going anywhere...Donna Mills plays his girlfriend, and there is a memorable love scene between them played to the classic song "The first time ever I saw your face." Though an interesting directorial debut for Eastwood, this suspense film is undermined by a highly unsympathetic lead character.
Clint Eastwood's directorial debut is not at a bad thriller, setting the template for "crazy female stalker" movies like FATAL ATTRACTION and THE HAND THAT ROCKS THE CRADLE.