She Waits (1972 TV Movie) User Reviews (16)

Helen Keller, one of the men from U.N.C.L.E., and a ghost. How can you go wrong?

[lee_eisenberg · 5/10 · 12 June 2005]

Mostly, "She Waits" is your average woman-goes-to-house-and-strange-things-start-happening story, but it's kept afloat by the good performances. Patty Duke plays Laura Wilson, who goes with her husband Mark (David McCallum) to his childhood home, where his first wife died. His mother Sarah (Dorothy McGuire) contends that his first wife never left the house and is waiting to get him back. You can probably guess what starts happening thereafter.

Overall, the movie has everything that we would expect in such a movie, namely the eerie house and overpossessive mother. Most of the dialog is routine, but there are some good lines. For example, housekeeper Mrs. M (Beulah Bondi) says of Los Angeles: "What self-respecting ghost would want to live here?" Lew Ayres (yes, the "All Quiet on the Western Front" star who later became a conscientious objector) plays the doctor.

Nothing new, but innocuous.

Nice little melodramatic TV chiller

[Bloodwank · 6/10 · 23 April 2012]

While falling very much on the melodrama side of things as opposed to aiming for much in the way of overt shocks or scare tactics, She Waits holds together pretty well in its way, building pleasurably to a suitably fraught final block. The plot is simple, David (Ilya Kuryakin) McCallum takes his lovely new wife home to see his mother and work through some of his own issues, only for said mother to stir up the past and his wife's own neuroses into a foaming brew of the possibly supernatural. Actually for much of the time the film could simply be called something like The Menace of the Meddling Mother In-Law, as generally the point of whether or not something paranormal is going on is kept ambiguous, while the fact that the mother is doing no good is beyond question. Still, a quality turn from Dorothy McGuire keeps her character interesting if not beyond cliché, one gets the feeling of genuine fear and torment roiling away inside her, the feeling that she really is doing what she thinks best and exists in a sphere of isolation permitting no outside force to change her mind. It's a decent performance and she has great chemistry with Patty Duke as the beleaguered new wife Laura. Duke captures very well a sense of restless curiosity, steady mounting insecurity and eroding personality, malleable mind within fragile beauty. David McCallum on the other hand is very much a weak link, his acting borders on the somnambulant for most of the film, only developing a noticeable pulse and positive action in the final block, in which he does redeem himself somewhat. The scares are too thin on the ground and the details of the plot are left rather undeveloped, not that I mind having the nitty gritty left to the imagination but I definitely prefer to have a few more hints. Still, there are a few chills and the flowing camera-work gives a nicely foreboding atmosphere to the dark and daunting house in the the majority of the films action is set. Overall I'd say this is a worthy little diversion for fans of this sort of film, though it lacks much in the way of spectacle or thrills and isn't even all that tense, it keeps fairly compelling with its drama and is an admirably sincere and serious entry in a genre which was well on its way to collapsing into the swamps of camp long before this film was made. A fair 6/10 from me, though definitely a film for those already predisposed to enjoy it.

"She's here, and she's waiting!"

[mark.waltz · 5/10 · 25 June 2020]

The death of an evil wife drove David McCallum out of his ailing mother's house, not surprising since he killed her! Mom Dorothy McGuire made it appear to be suicide, but that doesn't stop the wife from returning from beyond the grave, especially when McCallum and his new wife, Patty Duke, show up. McGuire orders McCallum not to spend any nights there, afraid that the dead wife will seek revenge as she feels her presence every where she goes in the house. The deceased Elaine makes her next move for revenge simply by taking over Duke's body so she can kill her husband.

A decent, but predictable B feature, the type of film that Universal would make on their B lot in the mid 1940's, and Beulah Bondi, who appeared in several Universal horror films, shows up as McGuire's housekeeper. It's very moving to see this veteran character actress, best known for playing lovable mothers to the likes of Jimmy Stewart and Fred MacMurray, late in age, and still able to hold her own. She looks even younger than she did in much of the old lady make-up that she had worn 30 years before, and is quite a different presence here. Lew Ayres plays McGuire's doctor, disbelieving in McCallum's claim that Elaine has returned somehow, so this film has an incredible cast of young favorite of the time and veterans from the 30's and 40's.

This is intriguing in many ways, but it is very predictable and often slow, appropriately moody however for the type of story that it is presenting. McGuire is alternately vulnerable and strong, a far cry from her noble mothers from just a decade before. This could make a nice companion piece with her 1946 chiller "The Spiral Staircase" with her the equivalent of the Ethel Barrymore character. The score is spooky and the sets very pretty, but it is your typical movie of the week that most of the original viewing audience had probably forgotten about the next morning.

Ah, the 70's

[BandSAboutMovies · 6/10 · 5 March 2018]

Laura Wilson (Patty Duke, Valley of the Dolls, The Swarm) and Mark (David McCallum, Illya Kuryakin on The Man from U.N.C.L.E. and better known to today's TV audience as Dr. Donald Mallard on N.C.I.S.) haven't been married long. And on their first trip to meet his mother (Dorothy McGuire, The Greatest Story Ever Told), she learns that maybe this marriage wasn't the best of ideas. Mom has been ready to go nutzoid ever since Mark's first wife Elaine died and she's convinced that her ghost is inside her home.

Everywhere Laura goes, she starts hearing Elaine's favorite song and even her voice. Is she trying to possess her? Or she just being ridiculous, as the family doctor suggests? The movie never really gives in the whole way to the supernatural. It's more about Mark shutting himself off and not dealing with the past.

The family maid thinks that Mark's mother is getting worse and worse, with Laura in danger of the very same insanity. And what's the deal with Mark's friend David (James T. Callahan, the dad from Charles in Charge)? And can you talk a ghost out of possessing someone just by, well, talking to them?

Director Delbert Mann (Marty) puts together a competent story, written by Art Wallace, who was the main writer for TV's Dark Shadows. It fits into the 70's well, where possession and Satan and old ghosts of murdered wives were around every corner. It's slow moving, but if you understand that going in and know the conventions of TV movie horror, you'll find some good in this film.

She Waits . . . for this to turn into "Rebecca," but in vain

[Putzberger · 6/10 · 17 February 2013]

A wealthy man, whose first wife died under mysterious circumstances, brings his perky but insecure new bride to his family home, which is dominated by a crazy old woman. Yep, it's deja vu all over again! But to avoid being sued by Alfred Hitchcock or Daphne du Maurier, the filmmakers give the second wife a name, make the old housekeeper sensible while assigning the husband's mother the eccentric-crone role, and hint at real supernatural involvement in all the strange goings-on. But all the cosmetic changes can't mask the basic structure of "Rebecca," although this is an above-average ripoff thanks to the presence of an Oscar-winning actress, Patty Duke, in the Mrs. De Winter role, and an Oscar-winning director, Delbert Mann ("Marty," "The Dark at the Top of the Stairs"), who wrings as much atmosphere as he can out of an over-orchestrated soundtrack, a wind machine and an oft-recycled set (I believe this particular house was reused in "The Devil's Daughter" and might have served as "The House That Would Night Die," appropriately enough). Throw in slumming Hollywood vets Beulah Bondi and Dorothy McGuire as the requisite old women, ever-earnest Lew Ayres as the requisite crusty old doctor, and aging pretty boy from U.N.C.L.E. David McCallum as the requisite moody, mysterious husband and you've got an adequate low-rent chiller, although most of the people involved deserved better.

As our film opens, kooky old McGuire is wandering her dark, empty house, calling out for a ghost named "Elaine" until older but stabler Bondi ushers her back to bed. Not long after, the newlywed McCallum and Duke show up unannounced. Omigosh, you wonder, is Patty going to start acting funny? Well, duh. But since Patty Duke could act, it's actually kind of compelling to watch, and the transitions imposed upon her character give her the chance to show off some range and depth. But while we buy Patty's transformation, we never buy McCallum's love for her since he lets his floppy hairstyle do most of the acting for him. The old folks are along for the ride and royalties and it's nice to see them getting some work. You know where it's going, but you don't mind the ride.

A Bit Dry

[glenmatisse · 4/10 · 14 October 2020]

A newlywed accompanies her husband to visit his ailing mother at their estate and learns that not only did her husband's previous wife die mysteriously but his mother thinks her spirit is still haunting the place.

Patty Duke seems incapable of phoning in a performance and she's always great to watch, but this definitely feels like a safe TV movie. Not a scare or intense moment in sight, but I've seen worse. Might be best to have it on in the background while you're doing something else.

Subtle chills in an old-fashioned whodunit

[Leofwine_draca · 6/10 · 18 December 2016]

A slow-moving but suspenseful American television movie for fans of old-fashioned horror suspense yarns without the slick special effects and gory deaths that modern genre offerings give us. Filmed on mainly one location, with a small cast and a predictable plot involving possession, SHE WAITS is a surprisingly effective outing for the genre which has plenty of creepy atmosphere to please the horror fan. For once the house in which the film is set actually does look haunted, and there are plenty of uncanny moments with doors creaking open of their own accord and sudden, jarring strings on the soundtrack to help raise the hairs on the back of your neck.

The movie starts off very slowly and gets more involved as it goes along, ending with an insane turnaround with lots of plot twists and a whodunit aspect as the method of Elaine's death becomes clear and the finger of suspicion is pointed at one of the people gathered in the house on a climatic night. Before all this, SHE WAITS keeps us watching with some well-grounded fear sequences like when voices are heard talking from an empty room, or a music box keeps on playing a creepy old-fashioned tune over and over. The last fifteen or so minutes of the film are those in which the "possession" occurs and are extremely taut and gripping, with an unexpected revelation.

The best efforts of a familiar cast also help us to keep watching through the slow bits. Patty Duke (a familiar face in the television movie realm) takes the lead role and portrays her possession realistically, and doesn't overdo it like some could. David McCallum seems an odd casting choice for the role of the subdued husband who takes a backseat in the action and remains calm, even when about to be shot! However McCallum pulls through and puts in a sturdy, if undemanding, performance. Famous faces like Lew Ayres and Dorothy McGuire fill out the rest of the cast and put in strong support, whilst James Callahan is good value as the family friend with a dark secret.

When released on video in the UK (on the Cougar label), this was bizarrely renamed NIGHT OF THE EXORCIST , despite the fact that there are no exorcisms - let alone any exorcist - in the movie! I guess they thought cashing in on THE EXORCIST's title would make it more popular, but the two films (the first with its strong visceral gut-wrenching horrors, and this with its more subtle chills) couldn't be more different.

Duke and McGuire deserved better

[mls4182 · 3/10 · 1 December 2021]

I'm sure 90% of us watched it for Patty Duke and Dorothy McGuire. This TV movie was pretty bad even by 1972 standards. It is like a bad Night Gallery padded with pointless dialogue just to fill the time.

Oh well we only lost a little over an hour of our lives and it only took the actors a few weeks to make. I guess they got their SAG dues paid and maybe a car trade in out of it.

"Now, You Tell Me What Self-Respecting Ghost Would Want To Live In A Place Like This?!"...

[azathothpwiggins · 14 August 2018]

Newlyweds, Laura Wilson (Patty Duke) and her husband, Mark (David McCallum) stay at Mark's family estate, in spite of his mother's (Dorothy McGuire) protests. Mark's first wife, Elaine had died there, and he's very touchy about the subject.

Then, Laura starts hearing a tune found on Elaine's music box, to the point of being haunted by it. She also hears voices, and screams like a banshee sitting on a porcupine! Laura becomes curious about how Elaine died. Mark doesn't want to discuss it, so Laura talks to his mother, who tries to get her to leave the house. She also tells her the truth about Elaine's death. This sends Laura into a mega-tizzy! She screams and screams.

The next thing we know, Laura's entire personality changes into a major meany pants. Has Elaine returned from the dead to possess her, or is Laura cracking up?

SHE WAITS is a tale of family secrets, murder, and possible vengeance from beyond the grave.

BONUS POINTS FOR: Ms. Duke's final scream, that could peel a bunch of bananas from 100 yards away!

EXTRA BONUS POINTS FOR: The music score, which is sort of Bernard Herrmann meets Bach...

Better Than Average Made For TV Movie

[ladymidath · 7/10 · 2 April 2022]

I always love seeing David McCallum, both he, and Patty Duke are excellent in She Waits. It's your typical 1970s made for television horror, but it is better than most. The ghost of a vengeful first wife, a creepy old house and an innocent new wife to possess, what's not to love?

I love these old horror movies, they are fun to watch, so grab a bowl of popcorn and curl up on the couch and enjoy.

She Waits wasn't a movie to Patty Duke be proud whatsoever!!

[elo-equipamentos · 5/10 · 6 August 2023]

This small and weak TV movie I'd watched in 1980 and never got a chance to see it again as much I love to it simply disappears from the sight, then I have invoke Youtube on those old movie's channel whereof a decent copy with English subtitled that I watched last night, Patty Duke was peak of her career who knows why she accepted to do this awful movie, even had a good casting as David MacCallum, Dorothy McGuire, Lew Ayres and James T. Callaham.

The plot is quite ludicrous to start, the well-born Mark Wilson (David MacCallum) at Europe suddenly marry with Laura (Patty Duke) after three years of absence on America, he is back to home to introduce his newest wife for your sick old mother Mrs. Sara Wilson ( Dorothy McGuire) just arriving at large home Mark meets his mother at her bed and postponed Laura intro to next day, the worried Mrs. Sara demands that both of them must keep away from the house at once, actually in the past Mark was married with a possessive wife Elaine who went to die in obscure circumstance, the premise is that house is haunting by Elaine's ghost.

At night Laura going to Elaine room's door supposedly hearing some voices talking on the phone, entering inside figures out that the telephone line is dead, henceforth Laura stayed anxious, asking for Mark everything about Elaine and her ill-fated death which he often avoid to talk about, just saying that such death was a terrible accident, afterwards a sudden night Elaine's spirit embodies Laura and seek revenge for his death.

Frankly it didn't scare anyone, unharmful chills here and there only, the plot is silly and ambiguous due it has some mismatches on the screenplay for a viewer with sharp eyes is easily noticed for instance, the great actress Patty Duke certainly wasn't be proud of this flimsy feature.

Thanks for reading.

Resume:

First watch: 1980 / How many: 2 / Source: TV-Youtube / Rating: 5.

She Rates ********

[Prof_Lostiswitz · 8/10 · 25 December 2002]

I've just watched this movie twice; gorgeous visuals, really moody soundtrack. And this from a cheap TV movie starring Patty Duke! The story concerns a new bride arriving at her husband's family abode, to be unnerved by the possibility that she might be in danger of being possessed by the spirit of his deceased former wife. Patty Duke and "The Man From UNCLE" (McCallum) do a great job of acting, given the bad lines they have to deliver.

And there's the problem = the dialogue is stunningly trite and obvious, no better than a daytime soap-opera. Pretend the characters are speaking a foreign language you can't understand, and you'll get a good frisson as the mood of this drama envelopes you. Don't turn off the sound, the music works perfectly.

I Rate it at eight stars = two being deducted because of the dialogue.

"Death isn't the end...it can't be!"

[moonspinner55 · 3/10 · 16 August 2015]

Ghost stories were all the rage in the 1970s, but this isn't one of the better entries. Despite having perfectly good hotel reservations, newly-married David McCallum and bride Patty Duke come to stay at his family's manor in the middle of the night. Dorothy McGuire, as McCallum's mother, begs her son to leave, believing the house is haunted by his deceased first wife, but he chalks it up to her fragile mental state. Uninteresting TV-made chiller tries to create scares by having Duke hear a music-box theme that wife #1 was fond of, or feeling a presence in the bedroom when the curtains rustle. She attempts to talk it over with hubby McCallum--who's got a nasty, disgruntled disposition for a successful newlywed--and housekeeper Beulah Bondi, but nobody wants to admit to a belief in the supernatural. Long-faced, solemn scare-movie is too gloomy to be any fun.

And we wait. And wait... wait...

[Coventry · 3/10 · 20 June 2022]

Several made-for-television horror & thriller films from the early 1970s still stand among the most effectively spooky and atmospheric tales, even by today's standards. Alas, though, "She Waits" is not one of them. The story is too mundane, the respectable names in the cast certainly do not give their best performances, and there isn't any shocking end-twist or revelation that usually makes this type of fright-tale memorable. Quite the contrary, in fact, "She Waits" even suffers from an anti-climax. Personally, I found it rather evident for the viewer to assume the husband (David McCallum) didn't murder his first wife, but apparently this turns out to be the major "twist" at the end. If anyone is waiting for something remotely interesting to happen, it's us - viewers - rather than the restless and vengeful spirit of the murdered Elaine.

The most exciting thing about this film was my long search for it here on IMDb. I picked up an ancient VHS-copy with the title "Night of the Exorcist". It's a blue box with the image of a demonically possessed woman standing in front of a window. The box doesn't contain any names of cast or crew members, and the a.k.a. Title is unknown. Some sneaky distribution company wanted to cash in on the tremendous success of the contemporary released "The Exorcist", but this weak TV-thriller obviously hasn't got anything to do with William Friedkin's genre landmark. The box also states the film has 95 minutes of running time, whereas it's only 73 minutes long. Talk about shenanigans!

While it was supposed to be creepy, I just thought it was rather silly.

[planktonrules · 3/10 · 30 November 2016]

In 1967, Patty Duke took a big chance and starred in "Valley of the Dolls". It was a far cry from the sweet characters in "The Patty Duke Show" or Helen Keller in "The Miracle Worker". Instead, she played a very (EXTREMELY) emotionally overwrought lady who destroys herself with booze and drugs. Her performance was terrible...and the script certainly didn't give Duke much of a chance. Sadly, here only a few years later, Duke is back...and her character is also quite overwrought and, at times, rather silly when it shouldn't have been.

In "She Waits", Duke plays Laura Wilson, the new wife of Mark (David McCallum). It seems he was married before and apparently his first wife committed suicide. Now, Laura is started to receive psychic visits from the first wife...and over time, Laura becomes possessed by the spirit of this vindictive and nasty woman! But there's far more to it than this...and it turns out the first wife did NOT take her own life! So who did it? And how can the wife help solve her own murder?

While the film does offer a nice twist at the end, so much of the film is just overdone and silly. Subtle it ain't!! Watch if you want....I just don't think it's particularly good.

Patty Duke in Blur Color

[thalassafischer · 4/10 · 6 January 2024]

It's a tragedy that this film is in circulation by paid subscription to Prime Video but looks like Grandma's cathode ray tube television set in the mid 1980s. She Waits is available in terrible condition and if it were remastered it would likely bring my rating up to a solid 5/10 just for the glorious antiques.

Otherwise the plot is common and slightly boring, the usual 1972 housewife recently married to a financially comfortable but narcissistic man telling her to mind her own business about how his last wife died, as if that's ever been a rude question to ask one's spouse.

Patty Duke performs fairly well in this mediocre mid-Century flick, also starring two music boxes because we all know how they're capable of murder - especially the ones who play "gay tunes."