"What Ever Happened to Aunt Alice?" is certainly a guilty pleasure in the tradition of such films as "What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?", "Who Slew Auntie Roo?" and "Hush, Hush, Sweet Charlotte". All three were old lady thrillers--an odd genre in the 1960s and early 70s that featured old women doing VERY bad things. And, as I said, they are all guilty pleasures--films that were never meant to be deep and intellectual--just kitschy entertainment.
The film begins with Clare Marrable (Geraldine Page) bashing her servant over the head and burying her in her yard. Considering she lives in the middle of the Arizona desert, it's not surprising she's not been caught. You soon learn that nasty Clare has made a habit of this sort of thing--she kills off her servants and steals their savings. While you cannot get rich that way, Clare deals in volume--and obviously she is out to add to her growing collection of bodies in the yard. The next one, it seems, is Mrs. Dimmock (Ruth Gordon)--though you aren't terribly sure who is actually hunting who.
The film has quite a bit going for it. Geraldine Page's performance is ridiculously florid and over-the-top---and her scene stealing actually adds to the fun. The plot is also really cool. However, the film also has TONS of plot holes--tons. They are especially apparent during the huge (and very violent) confrontation scene between Page and Gordon---and the scene was VERY awkward and ridiculous. Overall, while certainly not a great film, it is VERY entertaining...in a low-brow sort of way.
The film begins with Clare Marrable (Geraldine Page) bashing her servant over the head and burying her in her yard. Considering she lives in the middle of the Arizona desert, it's not surprising she's not been caught. You soon learn that nasty Clare has made a habit of this sort of thing--she kills off her servants and steals their savings. While you cannot get rich that way, Clare deals in volume--and obviously she is out to add to her growing collection of bodies in the yard. The next one, it seems, is Mrs. Dimmock (Ruth Gordon)--though you aren't terribly sure who is actually hunting who.
The film has quite a bit going for it. Geraldine Page's performance is ridiculously florid and over-the-top---and her scene stealing actually adds to the fun. The plot is also really cool. However, the film also has TONS of plot holes--tons. They are especially apparent during the huge (and very violent) confrontation scene between Page and Gordon---and the scene was VERY awkward and ridiculous. Overall, while certainly not a great film, it is VERY entertaining...in a low-brow sort of way.