Family Plot (1976): Hitchcock's Last Film

What a mediocrity. It's shocking that Alfred Hitchcock went out on such a lame, superficial note. "Family Plot" was his last film, and it was far beneath him. It's hard to believe that this is the same man who directed "Psycho" (1960).

In "Family Plot," Barbara Harris (who also starred in "Freaky Friday" that year) plays a fake psychic trying to track down the bastard son of a rich woman. She and her boyfriend (a wacky, funny performance from Bruce Dern) stumble into some mild danger. It turns out the bastard son (William Devane), who doesn't realize that he has links to an aristocratic family, is a criminal.

He and his wife (a bland, whiny Karen Black) specialize in kidnapping semi-prominent people (a bishop, for example) to gain ransom money. It's all very light-hearted, and it plays like a 1970s TV show. Frequently I thought I was watching an old episode of "McMillan and Wife." It's not terrible, and there are some cool moments. But for the most part, this is devoid of artistry and isn't even very much fun. Not recommended.

Just FYI -- Other films that came out in 1976: The remakes of "King Kong" and "A Star is Born," "Carrie," "The Omen," "Taxi Driver," "Marathon Man," "Network," "All the President's Men," and "Rocky," which won the Oscar for Best Picture. I would have voted for "Network" as Best Picture -- it was also nominated. But "Rocky" was a fine choice.