MovieChat Forums > Bunny Lake Is Missing (1966) Discussion > Where's the suspense?

Where's the suspense?

posted 16 years ago by Readerman
8 replies | jump to latest

Don't understand anyone who says this reminds them of Hitchcock. Preminger is not in the same class. I've read the book and it's better than the film in that regard, though quite a bit different as other threads explain. Unless there is no child it's fairly obvious in the film who might have grabbed her. In the book, there are more suspects. Another problem is that Linley wasn't nearly hysterical enough for a mother who has seemingly lost her child. The character in the book in much more so. Noel Coward's character is just odd. And I can see why Keir Dullea never became a star. Not impressed with his performance here at all. Heck, even Hal outacted him in 2001.

[–] jamasian_man 15 years ago

There was a lot of suspense when Annie was trying to escape the hospital. Also when she was trying to stall her brother with childish games to stop him from killing her daughter.

[–] GeorgiaLass 15 years ago

Annie didn't act like she was desperate to find her daughter. The thing that sealed it for me was when Stephen was in the bathtub. Something just didn't seem right about that. Would you just sit around while your brother had a bath when your child was missing? I don't think so. His comments at that time were also telling.

I haven't read the book, but I couldn't understand why she was more serious about getting away with Bunny at the end. She just stayed and played childish games with a psychopath. You would have thought that she would have bashed him in the head or something.

[–] lastmidnite2 15 years ago

People comparing this trash to Hitchcock is insulting Hitchcock BIG TIME.

[–] onepotato2 15 years ago

People comparing this trash to Hitchcock is insulting Hitchcock BIG TIME.
by - lastmidnite2
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Agreed. This is a steaming pile of doodoo. Supremely belabored, talky, pointless, chitty movie. This is one of the worst movies I've ever seen.

[–] xylonian-1 14 years ago

I have always wanted to watch this movie but must admit now that I have, although it did have its moments, something seemed to be missing (other than Bunny Lake:)

Short and Mexican http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOG_veOyO9g

[–] orchidclub 14 years ago

***SPOILERS***

I thought it was fairly suspenseful, but I think what Preminger was trying to achieve here was more a sense of unease than anything. He wanted the viewer to feel unsure of who to believe, and to wonder if any of the characters are sane. And it works. After a while I thought, "Wow, everybody in this movie is f-ing nuts." The revelation of the kidnapper was a surprise to me, because on one hand perhaps Lynley *was* crazy, but I also felt there was a possibility that the landlord was the culprit (he was able to get into their apartment, after all). To find out that the situation was actually the reverse of what I initially suspected -- the brother being the insane one -- was rather shocking to me. What made it all the more disturbing was that Lynley knew he was crazy. If she didn't know, how would she have known to play games with him like he was a little kid to distract him from killing her daughter? Obviously this has happened before.

[–] Porn_Flakes 14 years ago

***SPOILERS***

The suspense, for me, only kicked in once it was revealed that the brother was stark raving mad. The music altered, the pace was more frantic and the brothers' behaviour made me uneasy. He turned from a seemingly caring, normal individual into a loony in a matter of minutes. I didn't find it all that believable, but there certainly was some suspense involved. Before the twist, the director seemed intent on making the film as light as possible, particularly in the case of the music, which I didn't really think suited the subject matter to begin with.

It was either brilliantly done, or really, really poop. Unfortunately, I can't really tell which!

[–] liscarkat (18460) 3 years ago

There was plenty of suspense throughout most of the film, when there was doubt about whether the child even really existed. Also, regarding the odd relationship between the adult sister and brother. Also, about whether the landlord or the old lady who ran the school were involved. As far as Ann's hysteria over her missing daughter is concerned, Lynley (following the script), was perfectly realistic.