Product Details

• Actors: Clint Eastwood, Jessica Walter, Donna Mills, John Larch, Jack Ging
• Directors: Clint Eastwood
• Writers: Jo Heims
• Format: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, NTSC, Widescreen
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono)
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: R (Restricted)
• Studio: Universal Studios
• DVD Release Date: September 18, 2001
• Run Time: 103 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (135 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00005LC4R
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #19,440 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• Learn more about "Play Misty for Me" on IMDb

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Clint Eastwood (making his very assured directorial debut) is a poetry-spouting stud-muffin DJ stalked by a maniacally amorous fan after a misguided one-night stand in this enjoyably schlocky, undeniably effective film about good intentions gone murderously wacky. Although many of the very '70s trappings presented here may ultimately be too dated to be taken seriously (including a very self-indulgent jazz number and a hilariously gooey seduction number between Eastwood and Donna Mills), the core premise of infatuation taken out of bounds remains uncomfortably plausible--and was influential enough to be appropriated by one of the biggest hits of the '80s. (Here's a hint--it starred Michael Douglas, Glenn Close, and a very unfortunate bunny rabbit). A well-staged and occasionally very frightening thriller worth watching for Jessica Walter's peerlessly unhinged performance alone. Frequent Eastwood collaborator Don Siegel (director of Dirty Harry, Coogan's Bluff, and The Beguiled, to name but a few) has a nice cameo as Murphy, the mustachioed, chess-playing bartender. --Andrew Wright

Product Description

Clint Eastwood, Jessica Walter. A DJ of a popular late-night radio program gets frequent calls on his "request line" from a sexy-sounding woman asking him to play the song Misty for her. One night he unknowingly picks her up at a local bar and shuffles her off to his apartment for a one-nighter," totally unaware she is really a psychopath. 1971/color/103 min/R/widescreen.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

38 of 39 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Into The Mist May 22, 2003

By Thomas Magnum HALL OF FAMETOP 1000 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:DVD

Play Misty For Me is Clint Eastwood's directorial debut and it is an entertaining thriller about obsession that is a precursor for films like Fatal Attraction. Mr. Eastwood plays against type as a DJ Dave Garver, who works at a jazz station in Carmel, CA (The town where Mr. Eastwood would become the real life mayor ). Mr. Eastwood is usually the strong, silent type who seeks revenge or is an enforcer. In this film, he is a sensitive ladies man, who reads poetry on the air and plays jazz music. He is also the victim. He has what he thinks is a one-night affair with Evelyn Draper played by Jessica Walter. Evelyn claims that there's no strings attached, but that turns out to be the farthest thing from the truth. She stalks Garver, showing up unannounced at his home, at a bar he frequents and in one instance tries to kill herself in his bathroom. In the meantime, Garver is trying to get back together with his former girlfriend Tobie played by a young Donna Mills. Evelyn trashes Garver's house and almost kills his housekeeper, Birdie (Clarice Taylor) and is taken away by the police and put into an asylum. Garver thinks it's over, but Evelyn gets out of the asylum and there is one last chilling scene involving scissors and a knife. Mr. Eastwood uses the natural beauty of the Monterey Peninsula to great effect in the film, with wide shots of the rolling surf and picturesque sunsets. There is one odd montage in the middle of the film which is like a music video set to Roberta Flack's "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face", in which Tobie & Garver roam through the landscape and end up in a secluded pond. The use of the two year old song in the film actually propelled it to number one on the charts and made a star out of the relatively unknown Ms. Flack. There is also a scene from the Monterey Jazz Festival with actual performances by Johnny Otis and Cannonball Adderley. The actors all give credible performances. Even though Mr. Eastwood is playing the sensitive type, he still exudes his famous cool. Ms. Mills is luminous and she is just fragile enough to be a victim. Ms. Walter is perfect as Evelyn. She plays the part of a psychotic, unhinged, scornful woman just enough over the top to be scarily believable, but not too over the top to become cartoonish. The film is a strong debut for Mr. Eastwood as a director and despite some dated material, the film holds up as an effective thriller.

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Eastwood's Debut Behind The Camera April 23, 2001

By Reviewer

Format:VHS Tape

Clint Eastwood made his directorial debut with this 1971 suspense/thriller, "Play Misty for Me," in which he also stars as Dave Garver, a late night radio disc jockey for a small station in Carmel, California. During his show, he opens the phones to take requests, at which times a frequent caller-- a woman named Evelyn (Jessica Walter)-- always asks for the same tune, "Misty." Her obsession, it turns out, is not with that particular record, but with Garver, who is currently sorting out a relationship gone bad with a young artist, Tobie (Donna Mills), but which may be on the mend in light of the fact that Tobie has just returned to town after a lengthy absence in the wake of their breakup. In the interim, Garver has become entangled with Evelyn, a fan he soon discovers gives new meaning to the term "fanatic."

Eastwood invades Hitchcock territory with this film, which it turns out was indeed a harbinger of the course his career would take from this point on, that of directing and starring in his own movies. With this one, it's apparent that he had that special touch from the beginning; he knows unequivocally what he likes, what works and how to deliver it. The only weakness in the film (if you can even call it a weakness), would be the use of longshots during a couple of scenes between Garver and Tobie that take place on the coast. It adds a scenic vista for a backdrop, but listening to the dialogue with the actors in the distance gives it a dialogue-added-later feeling. It's a minor flaw, however, that takes nothing away from the overall impact of the film, especially as Eastwood establishes a deliberate pace that allows the tension to mount throughout.

It would seem that for an actor to direct himself would be a monumental undertaking, especially the first time, but Eastwood proves here what has been corroborated over the years and with his films since, that he is his own best director. And it's a club to which few actor/directors belong, which puts him in the elite company of Welles, Branagh and most recently, Ed Harris (with "Pollock"), just to name a few of the select. As Garver, a minor celebrity whose biggest fan turns out to be his worst nightmare, Eastwood is thoroughly convincing, and though this may not be one of his most memorable roles, it is certainly well acted, and delivered with that subtle Eastwood charm.

Jessica Walter combines just the right amount of beauty, charm and menace for her role of Evelyn, which just may be her most memorable performance ever. She creates a character who is smoothly confident, if slightly vulnerable, and prone to instantaneous bursts of psychotic anger. It's an honest portrait of an extremely disturbed individual with the ability to conceal the true nature-- and danger-- of her mental state. Exceptionally well realized by Walter, Evelyn could be the older sister of Stephen King's Annie in "Misery," a role for which Kathy Bates received an Oscar for Best Actress some twenty years after Walter inhabited the body of Evelyn.

The supporting cast includes John Larch (Sergeant McCallum), Jack Ging (Frank), Irene Hervey (Madge), James McEachin (Al Monte), Clarice Taylor (Birdie) and Don Siegel (Murphy). A film that will have you on the edge of your seat by the end, "Play Misty for Me" withstands the test of time and works every bit as well today as when it was originally released. A tale from the dark side, it's engrossing entertainment that may give you second thoughts about that casual acquaintance you've just invited to your house for dinner. Eastwood chose a perfect setting for his film, using one of the most beautiful spots along the California coast as a background against which to contrast the grisly events of the story. It all adds up to a wild ride for the audience, and an auspicious debut for Eastwood as the Man Behind the Camera.

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Fatal Attraction before Fatal Attraction November 11, 2004

By C. Baker VINE™ VOICE

Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase

Play Misty for Me is Clint Eastwood's first movie as a director/actor and he does a fine job with it. Released in 1971, this movie is Fatal Attraction before fatal attraction.

Eastwood plays a local popular disk jockey in a relatively small town who is a bit of playboy as well. His girlfriend, whom he loves, left him because he can't keep it in his pants long enough. One night Eastwood runs into an attractive woman in a bar played by Jessica Walter and of course he winds up in bed with her. The problem for Eastwood is the woman becomes more and more crazily obsessed with him and can't get rid of her. She shows up at not only is house unexpectedly, but other places as well. Things really start to boil over when his girlfriend comes back to town and he wants get back with her. The crazy fatal attraction just gets even crazier and scarier at this point.

Overall, this is a well done, entertaining, and at times, suspenseful movie. Eastwood did a fine job in debut as a director.