After a well-received performance, popular platinum blonde actress Lana Turner (as Adriana Roman) announces she is retiring from the stage to start a new life with silver-haired millionaire Daniel "Dan" O'Herlihy (as Charles Winthrop). After the wedding, Ms. Turner gets to know heavily-accented step-daughter Karin Mossberg (as Lisa), who begins a romance with handsome medical student George Chakiris (as Johnny Allen). As it turns out, Mr. Chakiris is quickly revealed to be an LSD-peddling playboy. Chakiris introduces Ms. Mossberg to a psychedelic lifestyle, which irks her parents. After as boating mishap, Chakiris decides to use LSD to drive Turner crazy and gain control of the family's fortune...
Chakiris explains, "There are ways of dealing with cats like her," adding later, "Maybe there's no perfect murder, but I think we've figured a perfect freak-out." Possibly extending Anthony Perkin's "Psycho" performance, Chakiris is sometimes impressive. His efforts, however, are clearly wasted in this production. A long-time friend longing for Lana, Richard Egan (as Frederick Lansdale) hedges his bets and does little which can be criticized. In the other co-starring role, Mossberg is forced to walk the acting plank. Others try to act trippy. With generous close-ups, Pamela Rodgers does a dance in her panties...
Generally, contemporary filmmakers were unable to capture the 1960s counterculture, if they tried. Most of the films look like unintentional bad parodies. "The Big Cube" falls into this category. When a golden age movie star is added to the cast, the effect became even more ludicrous. Clueless about how to play her character, Turner sounds like both a girlish teenager and a melodramatic matron – even before they plan to drive her crazy. Decked out with outrageous hair and make-up (even for bed), she manages to look good and garish at the same time. After this trip, Turner found her footing again in "The Survivors" (1969-1970), an appropriate evening serial which unfortunately could not support its cost with high ratings.
** The Big Cube (4/30/69) Tito Davison ~ Lana Turner, George Chakiris, Karin Mossberg, Richard Egan
Chakiris explains, "There are ways of dealing with cats like her," adding later, "Maybe there's no perfect murder, but I think we've figured a perfect freak-out." Possibly extending Anthony Perkin's "Psycho" performance, Chakiris is sometimes impressive. His efforts, however, are clearly wasted in this production. A long-time friend longing for Lana, Richard Egan (as Frederick Lansdale) hedges his bets and does little which can be criticized. In the other co-starring role, Mossberg is forced to walk the acting plank. Others try to act trippy. With generous close-ups, Pamela Rodgers does a dance in her panties...
Generally, contemporary filmmakers were unable to capture the 1960s counterculture, if they tried. Most of the films look like unintentional bad parodies. "The Big Cube" falls into this category. When a golden age movie star is added to the cast, the effect became even more ludicrous. Clueless about how to play her character, Turner sounds like both a girlish teenager and a melodramatic matron – even before they plan to drive her crazy. Decked out with outrageous hair and make-up (even for bed), she manages to look good and garish at the same time. After this trip, Turner found her footing again in "The Survivors" (1969-1970), an appropriate evening serial which unfortunately could not support its cost with high ratings.
** The Big Cube (4/30/69) Tito Davison ~ Lana Turner, George Chakiris, Karin Mossberg, Richard Egan