Two on a Guillotine (1965)

Thanks for the memories!

Save your money for something good and enjoyable

I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.

A Surprisingly Unforgettable Movie!

Although it suffers from excessive length and too much inconsequential dialogue, "Two on a Guillotine" is a reasonably polished and interesting production. It's true, as more than one contemporary reviewer commented, that the film would be considerably improved by tighter editing, including the elimination of the long, unimportant and unnecessary fun-fair and rock 'n roll sequences. There are a number of holes in the plot too, though once it actually gets underway, the story moves so swiftly and with such suspenseful atmosphere that few viewers are likely to notice.Conrad's direction shows skill and flair. Although over-fond of close-ups, he can also build up tension with fluid camera movement and shrewd cutting when the occasion demands. Leavitt's photography, aided by somber lighting, and Loel's spooky, musty sets also contribute greatly to the increasingly claustrophobic mood. Acting is solid too. The one player I didn't like was Dean Jones. He seems too flip and obviously immature (in manner anyway) to capture much audience sympathy or interest. Fortunately, the weight of carrying the film falls chiefly on the attractive shoulders of Connie Stevens. She has a non-singing role here (she does have one song actually but it is not exactly presented on camera). Although handed more dialogue than she can handle effectively, Connie can look adequately frightened and in need of protection. And she can even scream convincingly. She also brings off the difficult feat of making each of her dual roles into a different personality (aided, of course, by realistic make-up).Cesar Romero makes the best of one of the smallest parts of his career, though he is not helped by the theatrical hamminess he often affects in ill-advised close-ups.As to the rest: The ever-reliable John Hoyt, whose precise manner of speech makes him ideal for the role of the lawyer, is confined, alas, to only the one scene. Virginia Gregg has a sizable role; and Parley Baer puffs away competently enough as a publicity agent; but the best performance in the movie comes from Connie Gilchrist whose talkative and slow-witted housekeeper figures in at least one very amusing episode.Yes, the script does display some occasional flashes of wit which, together with Miss Gilchrist's jest, add up to a fair stretch of welcome comedy relief.Max Steiner was obviously impressed by the rabbit. He has composed an engaging little tune for the rabbit to accompany him/her as he/she hops from place to place. It's unusual to find a musician of Steiner's standing associated with a small-budget program picture like this, but his score is well up to his customary artistic heights. I also particularly admire his attractive yet suitably haunting romantic theme. Indeed, the atmosphere of "Guillotine" throughout is considerably enhanced by Steiner's music (which turned out to be his last contribution to the movies. A fitting conclusion to an illustrious career).

This is one of those films from 1965 that my friends and I went to in our small-town movie theater. I remember it as being full of those jump-out-at-you moments with people in the theater screaming. Connie Stevens is the heir to her father's estate but must stay in the old house for seven days. He is one of the great magicians of his time and has promised, upon his death, to return to the house. The house itself is great fun, full of remnants of his magic world. There is a cabinet that opens when a switch is flipped, allowing a skeleton on a wire to come face to face with the unwary victim. The guillotine in question is part of the act that killed the man's wife and assistant. Stevens then was farmed out and never saw her father again. She also never knew what happened to her mother. It's full of fun stuff with a plot that shouldn't be too closely evaluated. There are two characters that are left out of the will who become suspects. What they really know is always in doubt. Connie Stevens was a cute TV star at the time and well worth watching and makes a good victim. She is stubborn on the one hand and terrified on the other. She can also scream with the best of them. Dean Jones (a long time Disney staple) plays the love interest.

Not bad, lots of fun. Nice job by Dean Jones. I give it 6 stars Connie Stevens is very good and she looks great. Good movie for late at night. Nice to see the Joker out of makeup. Not too long, smart ending. Enjoy it.

Okay, it's not as classic as "House on Haunted Hill", but it's close.Dean Jones, one of the most unappreciated actors in Hollywood, does a nice turn as the newspaperman trying to romance Connie Stevens in her inherited old horror of a mansion. There's lots of visual tricks and screaming women and surprises behind opened doors, as Connie tries to spend 7 days in the house to fulfill her dead father's will. Connie plays a dual role of mother and daughter. There's also a magician's guillotine that figures prominently in the plot. Virginia Gregg and Parley Baer play the old family retainers; Virginia is great as usual as the alcoholic housekeeper.This is a hard to find movie; no one lists it for sale, so your only chance of seeing it is to catch it on cable, more than likely late at night and in the summer. TBS and WGN have both shown it in the last few years, but they show it with several scenes cut out of it. I'd love to see this brought out in a restored widescreen version. It's a movie that's really fun to watch. UPDATE: Warner Archive now offers this film in a widescreen, restored DVD release, as of 6/22/10. Run over to their site and order it! The picture is sharp and clear, and appears to be uncut.