A Taste of Evil (1971)

Such a frustrating disappointment

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

It's entirely possible that sending the audience out feeling lousy was intentional

There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

A decade in boarding school hasn't made troubled heiress Barbara Parkins forget the brutal rape she suffered as a child. Her now widowed mother (the legendary Barbara Stanwyck) has remarried, but Parkins doesn't like her new stepfather (William Windom), a drunk she suspects was the rapist. With the help of doctor Roddy McDowall, her mother and handyman Arthur O'Connell, Parkins tries to put her past into perspective but the past is far too complicated... Actually extremely convoluted with a string of bizarre twists that might have you shaking your head.There's not just a taste of evil, but a twist of lemon squeezed on the wound. Stanwyck takes the bizarre part and runs with it, even knowing that it's another hag horror. Certainly, she's fantastic looking at 64, with tight smooth skin looking very natural and the white hair her crowning achievement along with that sensational raspy voice. Parkins is the perfect damsel in distress, and O'Connell pulls a few surprises out of his theatrical bag of tricks as well. The plot twists are bizarre and unbelievable but I just dare you to switch it off. Think of this story as the continuation of Stanwyck's "Double Indemnity" character had she lived, close to 30 years older but just as evil as ever.

A Taste of Evil (1971) ** (out of 4) Disappointing made-for-TV movie is pretty much a remake of Hammer's SCREAM OF FEAR. In this film, a young girl is raped and years later she (Barbara Parkins) returns home only to fear that someone is trying to drive her crazy. Her mother (Barbara Stanwyck) is trying to figure out if her daughter is crazy or perhaps there's someone really after her (and especially since the rapist was never caught). A TASTE OF EVIL comes from writer Jimmy Sangster who also wrote the previously mentioned Hammer movie so it's clear that he knew what he was doing. The biggest difference in the two films is that the original was actually quite eerie and that's certainly far from the case here because this entire film is just downright boring and doesn't feature a single character that you really care for. Director John Llewellyn Moxey had previously made THE CITY OF THE DEAD but he doesn't bring any of the same style or beauty to this thing. The entire movie has a very slow pace as if the director wasn't sure what he wanted to do with the material or perhaps he just knew the material wasn't all that good. Parkins is pretty good in the role of the daughter but the screenplay doesn't give her much to do outside of screaming and running around. Stanwyck is always watchable but this here certainly wasn't among her best work. Roddy McDowall was fun to see in his supporting role as was William Windom. Another problem with the film is that there's simply nothing going on that ever really keeps the viewer interested. The story is decent but nothing much is done with it and this is especially true if you've seen the original version, which was one of the best thrillers from the studio.

Although I've only seen this film once, it lingers in my memory: I saw it at age 1O in 1971 when it was originally broadcast on television. Although the rest of the cast, i.e. William Windom, Roddy McDowall & Barbara Perkins, etc. did fine jobs with their roles, it's Stanwyck's playing of Miriam Jennings which lingers in my memory: talk about an unsympathetic role for an older Hollywood star to take! If fans of Davis and Crawford doing their bits in the macabre thought Stanwyck stopped with THE NIGHT WALKER, think again! This is definitely her tour-de-force in the thriller genre. Although it probably looks a bit tired and dated today, I remember the diabolical twist as being memorably sadistic and cruel plus there was a helping of LES DIABOLIQUES in the plotline. The atmosphere was creepy - thunder and lightning and all - and I remember sinister Barbara dismissing her gardener (Arthur O'Connell) thusly: "You have until noon"...

TASTE OF EVIL is a wonderful suspense film from two horror masters. The director John Llewellyn Moxey, who directed such great horrors as: Desire the Vampire, Killjoy, No Place to Hide, Home For the Holidays, and the famous TV film The Night Stalker, all made-for-TV movies. The other horror master, writer Jimmy Sangster, who wrote excellent horror for: the TV film GOOD AGAINST EVIL, TV film SCREAM PRETTY PEGGY, many Hammer Horror films and the most famous and scariest KOLCHAK: THE NIGHT STALKER episode, HORROR IN THE HEIGHTS. I'm glad I have this film, it is fantastic!SUMMARY: At a young age, Susan Wilcox (Barbara Parkins), is traumatically raped and goes into shock. She is taken to a mental institution. Many years later, her mother Miriam Jennings (Barbara Stanwyck) takes her home to their gigantic mansion. While home, Susan sees her stepfather, Harold Jennings (William Windom), dead and his dead body floating around the house. However, Harold seems to be on a business trip and phones home everyday. Is Susan going crazy and why are there more dead bodies piling up? What is the secret of Susan's homecoming?I love the setting in the creepy old mansion. The dead bodies give me the creeps. I really love this movie. The acting is so-so, Barbara Parkins does the best. RECOMMENDATION: Scream, Pretty Peggy. *** 1/2 stars, 9/10. SEE THIS MOVIE IF THE CHANCE COMES UP!!!!!!