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Family Plot on DVD (1976)

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Average rating: 65%
1313520111117
3.0
from 217 members
 
Starring: Bruce Dern, Karen Black, William Devane, Barbara Harris, Ed Lauter, William Prince, Cathleen Nesbitt, Marge Redmond
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Studio: UNIVERSAL PICTURES UK
Run time: 116 mins
Certificate: PG
Genres: Drama
Languages: English
Released: 21/04/2003

Brief synopsis of Family Plot

Hitchcock's diabolically funny and exciting movie about a search for a missing heir proved to be his final film. Starring Bruce Dern, Barbara Harris, William Devane, and Karen Black, Family Plot is the story of a cabbie (Dern) and a psychic (Harris) who team up to find a dead man who's not really dead in exchange for a $10,000 reward. In the process, their lives become intertwined with a larcenous jewel merchant and his beautiful "Woman in Black". Needless to say, there are kidnappings, murder attempts, laughs, and plenty of Hitchcock's famous twists before the Family Plot is finally revealed.

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Critics Reviews

Rating of 4 stars out of 5 Radio Times

Fifty years after he made what he regarded as his directorial debut, Alfred Hitchcock signed off with this gently twisting thriller in the mould of such playful pictures as The Lady Vanishes and North by Northwest. Belying a tight budget, Hitchcock coaxes along a deliciously contrived plot that sets kidnappers William Devane and Karen Black on a collision course with fake medium Barbara Harris and her partner Bruce Dern as they search for a missing heir. The performances are perfect, and it is to Hollywood's shame that it has not made better use of such gifted players since.

Time Out

With his last film, Hitchcock made a triumphant return to form in the comic thriller. His most relaxed, witty and... Read more on www.timeout.com

Rating of 2 stars out of 4 Halliwell's Film Guide

Talkative, complex, patchy, low-key but always interesting Hitchcock suspenser in an unusually friendly vein.

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Members Reviews

Reviews Voted Most Helpful

Rated - 3 starsWorth More Than Five Minutes

A customer from Wakefield England , 02/02/2005

I admit that the first five minutes are a little slow, but without them you would not get the gist of the plot.

There is a big jump in story line about fifteen minutes into the film where you would be forgiven if you thought someone had changed channels.

You almost forget about the couple at the start of the film, but then Hitchcock brings it all together in a rather excellent way.

Enjoyable.

  4 out of 4 people found this review helpful
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Rated - 2 starsPast his sell-by date

Paul Thompson from King's Lynn, Norfolk , 02/07/2006

Interesting to see at last Hitchcock's final film; overall it is too long and far too talky - comparisons with his earlier work are inevitable and Family Plot suffers in comparison - but there are good moments and the film holds up its interest. Unusually for Hitchcock the set pieces are noticeably weak - the downhill car-out-of-control sequence is particularly ludicrous, with the poor back drop (which should have gone out of fashion in the 50s) and feeble attempt at comedy detracting from the suspense - but the players (Karen Black, Bruce Dern, Barbara Harris and William Devane) all do well (although admittedly none of them are a match for Cary Grant or Eve Marie Saint). Two out of five for a maestro whose powers were clearly waning and whose time had long gone, but who could still produce an enjoyable and watchable film.

  1 out of 1 person found this review helpful
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Rated - 5 starsOne of the best

A customer from London , 13/11/2003

This is one of the best Hitchcock films. It's a supense revolving around the dissapearance of a missing heir and and diamond theft.

It is insanely funny for Hitchcock and most like a comic book humour, with two couples running around trying to solve the case.

  1 out of 2 people found this review helpful
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Rated - 1 starsNot Hitchcock's finest

Lynda from Berkshire , 23/11/2005

Dreadful, switched off after 20 mins

  1 out of 2 people found this review helpful
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Most Recent Reviews

Rated - 3 starsWorth More Than Five Minutes

A customer from Wakefield England , 02/02/2005

I admit that the first five minutes are a little slow, but without them you would not get the gist of the plot.

There is a big jump in story line about fifteen minutes into the film where you would be forgiven if you thought someone had changed channels.

You almost forget about the couple at the start of the film, but then Hitchcock brings it all together in a rather excellent way.

Enjoyable.

  4 out of 4 people found this review helpful
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Rated - 1 starsNot Hitchcock's finest

Lynda from Berkshire , 23/11/2005

Dreadful, switched off after 20 mins

  1 out of 2 people found this review helpful
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