We meet down-on-his-luck architect Edward Shaw (Keith Andes) in his ratty room in a run-down boarding house. He is visited by Sam Pearson, the lawyer for a wealthy couple who are interested in a partnership with him. Gus Hillman would put up the money to buy properties, Edward would oversee building houses on the lots, and Doris Hillman (Angela Landsbury) would sell them.
Edward meets Doris at her home one afternoon. She's sunbathing on an inflatable in a small pool in the backyard. Doris doesn't waste any time mentioning that her husband is frequently out of town for long stretches of time, and that they have a lot of money to throw around. She also makes some nonsense excuse to pull her bathing suit top down (and cover herself with a towel). They discuss the business proposition and he leaves.
They meet again at "a friend's apartment", alone, for a couple of drinks and to "talk business". You can tell the business Edward is interested in as he blatantly leers at her. Drinks are poured and Doris declares "Mmm! I feel just luscious!"
This is where Doris starts talking about getting some life insurance on Edward ... to protect their investment ... and Edward balks. "Is $250,000 too high?" "Not if you're a mountain goat!"
And it becomes painfully / hysterically obvious where all this is going! But it's entertaining!
My favorite scene comes up right after this. Edward is brooding on the porch of the ratty boarding house when Doris comes up in her convertible. She awkwardly leans over the passenger side and they passionately kiss WHILE NEGOTIATING AN INSURANCE POLICY! Kiss-Kiss-Smooch-Kiss-"How about $225,000?"-Kiss-Kiss-"No, $150,000!"-Smooch-Kiss-Kiss-"$200,000?"-Kiss-Kiss-"$175,000!"-Kiss-Kiss-Kiss-Kiss! It is the most bizarre and awkward thing I've seen in a long time!
Then we find out that Doris has a rather interesting past, and Edward -finally- gets suspicious about the Hillmans' intentions. When Edward reports his suspicions to the police (who can do nothing without any hard evidence) an officer asks, "Where can I get in touch with you?" and Edward replies "Rap twice on my coffin!"
There's a lot of silliness here. The Hillmans have a cabin that sits on the top of a mountain, and there is a door that literally opens onto a sheer drop off the edge. There is some nonsense about a framed $1000 bill. And there is a fight scene towards the climax where the elderly Mr. Hillman comes after Edward with a KARATE CHOP!
The sets are dirt cheap, the story isn't terribly new or clever, and Keith Andes desperately overacts as if this were "Casablanca" ... but it's interesting to see Angela Landsbury when she was a young hottie, and some scenes / plot devices are just plain old bizarre.
Recommended!
Edward meets Doris at her home one afternoon. She's sunbathing on an inflatable in a small pool in the backyard. Doris doesn't waste any time mentioning that her husband is frequently out of town for long stretches of time, and that they have a lot of money to throw around. She also makes some nonsense excuse to pull her bathing suit top down (and cover herself with a towel). They discuss the business proposition and he leaves.
They meet again at "a friend's apartment", alone, for a couple of drinks and to "talk business". You can tell the business Edward is interested in as he blatantly leers at her. Drinks are poured and Doris declares "Mmm! I feel just luscious!"
This is where Doris starts talking about getting some life insurance on Edward ... to protect their investment ... and Edward balks. "Is $250,000 too high?" "Not if you're a mountain goat!"
And it becomes painfully / hysterically obvious where all this is going! But it's entertaining!
My favorite scene comes up right after this. Edward is brooding on the porch of the ratty boarding house when Doris comes up in her convertible. She awkwardly leans over the passenger side and they passionately kiss WHILE NEGOTIATING AN INSURANCE POLICY! Kiss-Kiss-Smooch-Kiss-"How about $225,000?"-Kiss-Kiss-"No, $150,000!"-Smooch-Kiss-Kiss-"$200,000?"-Kiss-Kiss-"$175,000!"-Kiss-Kiss-Kiss-Kiss! It is the most bizarre and awkward thing I've seen in a long time!
Then we find out that Doris has a rather interesting past, and Edward -finally- gets suspicious about the Hillmans' intentions. When Edward reports his suspicions to the police (who can do nothing without any hard evidence) an officer asks, "Where can I get in touch with you?" and Edward replies "Rap twice on my coffin!"
There's a lot of silliness here. The Hillmans have a cabin that sits on the top of a mountain, and there is a door that literally opens onto a sheer drop off the edge. There is some nonsense about a framed $1000 bill. And there is a fight scene towards the climax where the elderly Mr. Hillman comes after Edward with a KARATE CHOP!
The sets are dirt cheap, the story isn't terribly new or clever, and Keith Andes desperately overacts as if this were "Casablanca" ... but it's interesting to see Angela Landsbury when she was a young hottie, and some scenes / plot devices are just plain old bizarre.
Recommended!