Rent Family Plot (1976)

The Long Goodbye. - Family Plot review by Steve

Alfred Hitchcock said farewell to Hollywood aged 77 with this rapid paced and suspenseful comedy thriller, which leaves an evocative flavour of '70s west coast America.

The labyrinthine plot- from a novel by Victor Canning- originates in the deep history of Californian aristocracy and then resurfaces in a present day crime located in a Los Angeles of charlatans, unreliable chauffeurs and dangerous heavies; it's pure Raymond Chandler.

And the Master tells the story with a typical lightness of comedic touch. Bruce Dern and Barbara Harris make for a wonderful pair of screwball leads. Her funny, adorable performance steals the film. It's a big shame that she didn't work with the Master again.

Karen Black is top billed and gets a nice in joke. She's a brunette but wears a blonde wig... So the last Hitchcock blonde is a fake! His departing shot in pictures is of Harris looking into the camera and winking. This wasn't intended to be his own final fade out, but given that it was, it's a sweet and felicitous goodbye.

Lighthearted Farewell - Family Plot review by griggs

Hitchcock’s final film is a lighthearted caper packed with his usual tricks—mistaken identities, double-crosses, and an elaborate chase. The story is interesting enough, but the whole thing feels oddly small-scale, like an extended Murder, She Wrote or Columbo episode. The 1970s colour saturation only adds to that made-for-TV aesthetic. While it’s entertaining in parts, it lacks the tension and sharpness of his best work, and you never feel thoroughly captivated. The performances are decent, and there are flashes of Hitchcock’s wit, but it never truly soars. A curious farewell but not a particularly grand one.

Twisty comedy thriller - Family Plot review by NO

Excellent good send off for Hitcocks last film.Dern & Harris make a great comedy duo.Black is he r usual dark self.This film should be more widely known.