Pretty Poison (1968)
89 mins | Drama | 18 September 1968
Director:
Noel BlackWriter:
Lorenzo Semple Jr.Producers:
Marshal Backlar, Noel BlackCinematographer:
David QuaidEditor:
William ZieglerProduction Designers:
Jack Martin Smith, Harold MichelsonProduction Companies:
Lawrence Turman Films, Inc., Molino ProductionsThe film was initially titled She Let Him Continue, after the 1966 Stephen Geller novel upon which it is based. It marked the feature motion picture debut of producing and directing team Marshal Backlar and Noel Black, who had recently been nominated for an Academy Award for their 1965 short film Skaterdater.
The 20 Apr 1966 Var announced that Embassy Pictures had acquired screen rights to Geller’s novel. Several months later, an item in the 3 Aug 1966 Var stated that Lawrence Turman would act as executive producer, and incorrectly identified Marshal Backlar as the director. By spring 1967, the project had moved from Embassy Pictures to Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corp., as confirmed in a 17 May 1967 LAT brief.
Principal photography began on 14 Aug 1967 in Great Barrington, MA, as stated in several DV production charts published that month. A 30 Aug 1967 DV item noted that local antique dealers wanted to deny filmmakers access to locations, but the city council overrode them. The production spent a reported $400,000 in Great Barrington.
The 13 Mar 1968 Var announced the title change to Pretty Poison.
The film opened on 18 Sep 1968 in Los Angeles, CA, and on 23 Oct 1968 in New York City. Following mixed reviews, Lorenzo Semple, Jr. received the Best Screenplay award from the New York Film Critics Circle, who also acknowledged Tuesday Weld as runner-up for Best Actress.
Lars McSorley served as unit publicity director, according to the 2 Aug 1967 Var, and an item in the 7 Mar 1968 ...
The film was initially titled She Let Him Continue, after the 1966 Stephen Geller novel upon which it is based. It marked the feature motion picture debut of producing and directing team Marshal Backlar and Noel Black, who had recently been nominated for an Academy Award for their 1965 short film Skaterdater.
The 20 Apr 1966 Var announced that Embassy Pictures had acquired screen rights to Geller’s novel. Several months later, an item in the 3 Aug 1966 Var stated that Lawrence Turman would act as executive producer, and incorrectly identified Marshal Backlar as the director. By spring 1967, the project had moved from Embassy Pictures to Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corp., as confirmed in a 17 May 1967 LAT brief.
Principal photography began on 14 Aug 1967 in Great Barrington, MA, as stated in several DV production charts published that month. A 30 Aug 1967 DV item noted that local antique dealers wanted to deny filmmakers access to locations, but the city council overrode them. The production spent a reported $400,000 in Great Barrington.
The 13 Mar 1968 Var announced the title change to Pretty Poison.
The film opened on 18 Sep 1968 in Los Angeles, CA, and on 23 Oct 1968 in New York City. Following mixed reviews, Lorenzo Semple, Jr. received the Best Screenplay award from the New York Film Critics Circle, who also acknowledged Tuesday Weld as runner-up for Best Actress.
Lars McSorley served as unit publicity director, according to the 2 Aug 1967 Var, and an item in the 7 Mar 1968 LAT identified Mundy Armon as actress Tuesday Weld’s stand-in.
As a teenager, Dennis Pitt was institutionalized for burning down his home and accidentally killing his aunt. Now years later, he is on parole working in a chemical factory in a small New England town. Living in a paranoic's world, he becomes convinced that the factory is polluting the river and poisoning the entire Eastern seaboard. One day he meets Sue Ann Stepanek, a pretty high school drum majorette, who complains of the restrictions placed on her by her widowed mother. Dennis then poses as a CIA agent on orders to destroy the factory, and Sue Ann delightedly agrees to help him. On the night they attempt to sabotage the factory and unexpectedly encounter the night watchman, Sue Ann knocks the watchman unconscious and drowns him. When Dennis becomes the prime suspect because of his record, Sue Ann consents to run away with him to Mexico, but they return home for her clothes and are interrupted by the arrival of Mrs. Stepanek. Realizing that Dennis is incapable of murder, Sue Ann shoots her mother and orders Dennis to dispose of the body. Instead, he calls the police. At the hearing, Sue Ann denounces Dennis and watches casually as he is accused of the murders. Dennis, hopelessly in love with Sue Ann and aware that no one would believe him if he told the truth, makes no effort to defend himself, although Azenauer, his probation officer, believes him innocent. Some time later, Sue Ann meets another young man and begins to complain about the trouble she is having with her new foster ...
As a teenager, Dennis Pitt was institutionalized for burning down his home and accidentally killing his aunt. Now years later, he is on parole working in a chemical factory in a small New England town. Living in a paranoic's world, he becomes convinced that the factory is polluting the river and poisoning the entire Eastern seaboard. One day he meets Sue Ann Stepanek, a pretty high school drum majorette, who complains of the restrictions placed on her by her widowed mother. Dennis then poses as a CIA agent on orders to destroy the factory, and Sue Ann delightedly agrees to help him. On the night they attempt to sabotage the factory and unexpectedly encounter the night watchman, Sue Ann knocks the watchman unconscious and drowns him. When Dennis becomes the prime suspect because of his record, Sue Ann consents to run away with him to Mexico, but they return home for her clothes and are interrupted by the arrival of Mrs. Stepanek. Realizing that Dennis is incapable of murder, Sue Ann shoots her mother and orders Dennis to dispose of the body. Instead, he calls the police. At the hearing, Sue Ann denounces Dennis and watches casually as he is accused of the murders. Dennis, hopelessly in love with Sue Ann and aware that no one would believe him if he told the truth, makes no effort to defend himself, although Azenauer, his probation officer, believes him innocent. Some time later, Sue Ann meets another young man and begins to complain about the trouble she is having with her new foster parents.
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