Glass Houses (film)
Encyclopedia
Glass Houses is an American independent film released by Columbia Pictures
in 1972, although it was actually filmed in 1970. It is of interest in film history because of the credentials of its key personnel.
Glass Houses was directed by Alexander Singer
, notable for his work on the Star Trek series, Star Trek: The Next Generation
. It was one of the earliest screen appearances of actress Jennifer O'Neill
, best known for her role in Summer of '42
(1972
).
Glass Houses' cinematography was by eminent cinematographer George J. Folsey
, whose credits include films such as Meet Me In St. Louis
(1944
) and Seven Brides For Seven Brothers (1954
) . The score was composed by David Raksin
, famous for his musical score in Laura
(1944
).
(1969
) in the treatment of its themes.
Victor (Bernard Barrow
) is a bored, married businessman carrying on an illicit affair with his attractive, new age girlfriend Jean (Jennifer O'Neill
). His sexually-frustrated, vivacious wife Adele (Ann Summers) involves herself with community civic meetings to do 'something' for the community.
Victor and Adele's nubile young daughter Kim (Deirdre Lenihan
) has a secret attraction to her father of which she cannot let go. As she cannot have her father, she takes up with a man of the same age, this being her father's business associate Ted (Phillip Pine
). At one of her civic meetings Adele meets a haughty, pipe-smoking sex novelist, throws caution to the wind, and has an affair with him.
Events in the film reach a head when Victor and Jean bump into Kim, and her older lover at a health/new age resort. The film concludes on a cryptic note with Victor coming home from his resort rendezvous, looking for his wife. He is shown watching television in the lounge room when it appears that Kim is with him, or is she? Does Kim actually have her way with her father, or is it all just a fantasy, and if this is so, whose fantasy is it? The film's final sequence leaves this open for the audience to interpret any which way it deems.
pronounced the film as being a "low-grade drama about infidelity and incestuous desire [that] is mildly interesting in a lurid kind of way," (Maltin, 1991: 451). Vincent Canby
from the New York Times was a little more generous, saying that "it is a fairly intelligent, perceptive look at a group of rather shabby people whose emotions are no deeper, nor more complex, than the movie that records them." (Canby, 1972). Clive Hirschhorn possibly made the most apt description of the film by saying that it was "a wryly observed poke at a libidinous group of middle-class nonentities," (Hirschhorn, 1989: 296).
Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production and distribution company. Columbia Pictures now forms part of the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment, a subsidiary of the Japanese conglomerate Sony. It is one of the leading film companies...
in 1972, although it was actually filmed in 1970. It is of interest in film history because of the credentials of its key personnel.
Glass Houses was directed by Alexander Singer
Alexander Singer
Alexander Singer is an American director. He began his career behind the camera in 1951 as a cinematographer on the short documentary Day of the Fight, directed by his high school friend, Stanley Kubrick...
, notable for his work on the Star Trek series, Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry as part of the Star Trek franchise. Roddenberry, Rick Berman, and Michael Piller served as executive producers at different times throughout the production...
. It was one of the earliest screen appearances of actress Jennifer O'Neill
Jennifer O'Neill
-Early life:O'Neill was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the daughter of a famous Spanish-Irish dental supply import/export businessman, Oscar D' O'Neill and his English wife. As a teenager, O'Neill worked as a fashion model and appeared in television commercials and on magazine covers before moving...
, best known for her role in Summer of '42
Summer of '42
Summer of '42 is a 1971 American coming-of-age drama film based on the memoirs of screenwriter Herman Raucher. It tells the story of how Raucher, in his early teens on his 1942 summer vacation on Nantucket Island, off the coast of New England, embarked on a one-sided romance with a woman, Dorothy,...
(1972
1972 in film
The year 1972 in film involved some significant events.-Top grossing films :- Awards :Academy Awards:*Avanti!, directed by Billy Wilder, starring Jack Lemmon and Juliet MillsB...
).
Glass Houses' cinematography was by eminent cinematographer George J. Folsey
George J. Folsey
George J. Folsey, A.S.C. was an American cinematographer who worked on 162 films between 1919 and his retirement in 1976....
, whose credits include films such as Meet Me In St. Louis
Meet Me in St. Louis
Meet Me in St. Louis is a 1944 musical film from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer which tells the story of an American family living in St. Louis at the time of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition World's Fair in 1904...
(1944
1944 in film
The year 1944 in film involved some significant events, including the wholesome, award-winning Going My Way plus popular murder mysteries such as Double Indemnity, Gaslight and Laura.-Events:*July 20 - Since You Went Away is released....
) and Seven Brides For Seven Brothers (1954
1954 in film
The year 1954 in film involved some significant events and memorable ones.-Events:*May 12 - The Marx Brothers' Zeppo Marx divorces wife Marion Benda...
) . The score was composed by David Raksin
David Raksin
David Raksin was an American composer born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. With over 100 film scores and 300 television scores to his credit, he became known as the "Grandfather of Film Music." One of his earliest film assignments was as assistant to Charlie Chaplin in the composition of the score...
, famous for his musical score in Laura
Laura (1944 film)
Laura is a 1944 American film noir directed by Otto Preminger. It stars Gene Tierney, Dana Andrews and Clifton Webb. The screenplay by Jay Dratler, Samuel Hoffenstein, and Elizabeth Reinhardt is based on the 1943 novel of the same title by Vera Caspary....
(1944
1944 in film
The year 1944 in film involved some significant events, including the wholesome, award-winning Going My Way plus popular murder mysteries such as Double Indemnity, Gaslight and Laura.-Events:*July 20 - Since You Went Away is released....
).
Movie Synopsis
The film's plot centres around the libidinous sexual shenanigans of a middle-class Californian family, and deftly explores themes such as marital discord, middle age, adultery, and incestuous desire. It is somewhat similar to the film Bob & Carol & Ted & AliceBob & Carol & Ted & Alice
Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice is a 1969 comedy-drama film directed by Paul Mazursky. It stars Natalie Wood, Robert Culp, Elliott Gould and Dyan Cannon....
(1969
1969 in film
The year 1969 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* Last year for prize giving at the Venice Film Festival until it is revived in 1980...
) in the treatment of its themes.
Victor (Bernard Barrow
Bernard Barrow
Bernard E. "Bernie" Barrow was an American actor and collegiate drama professor. He was best known as an actor for his role as "Johnny Ryan", a publican and the patriarch of an Irish-American family on the television soap opera, Ryan's Hope, on which he appeared from 1975 until the show's demise...
) is a bored, married businessman carrying on an illicit affair with his attractive, new age girlfriend Jean (Jennifer O'Neill
Jennifer O'Neill
-Early life:O'Neill was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the daughter of a famous Spanish-Irish dental supply import/export businessman, Oscar D' O'Neill and his English wife. As a teenager, O'Neill worked as a fashion model and appeared in television commercials and on magazine covers before moving...
). His sexually-frustrated, vivacious wife Adele (Ann Summers) involves herself with community civic meetings to do 'something' for the community.
Victor and Adele's nubile young daughter Kim (Deirdre Lenihan
Deirdre Lenihan
Deirdre Lenihan is an American actress. She first appeared in the 1972 film Glass Houses. She has also appeared in numerous television series, such as From Here to Eternity and The Waltons....
) has a secret attraction to her father of which she cannot let go. As she cannot have her father, she takes up with a man of the same age, this being her father's business associate Ted (Phillip Pine
Phillip Pine
Phillip Pine was an American film and television actor, writer, director, and producer....
). At one of her civic meetings Adele meets a haughty, pipe-smoking sex novelist, throws caution to the wind, and has an affair with him.
Events in the film reach a head when Victor and Jean bump into Kim, and her older lover at a health/new age resort. The film concludes on a cryptic note with Victor coming home from his resort rendezvous, looking for his wife. He is shown watching television in the lounge room when it appears that Kim is with him, or is she? Does Kim actually have her way with her father, or is it all just a fantasy, and if this is so, whose fantasy is it? The film's final sequence leaves this open for the audience to interpret any which way it deems.
Critical reception
The film has had a mixed reception at best. Reviewers such as Leonard MaltinLeonard Maltin
Leonard Maltin is an American film and animated film critic and historian, author of several mainstream books on cinema, focusing on nostalgic, celebratory narratives.-Personal life:...
pronounced the film as being a "low-grade drama about infidelity and incestuous desire [that] is mildly interesting in a lurid kind of way," (Maltin, 1991: 451). Vincent Canby
Vincent Canby
Vincent Canby was an American film critic who became the chief film critic for The New York Times in 1969 and reviewed more than 1000 films during his tenure there.-Life and career:...
from the New York Times was a little more generous, saying that "it is a fairly intelligent, perceptive look at a group of rather shabby people whose emotions are no deeper, nor more complex, than the movie that records them." (Canby, 1972). Clive Hirschhorn possibly made the most apt description of the film by saying that it was "a wryly observed poke at a libidinous group of middle-class nonentities," (Hirschhorn, 1989: 296).