Samantha Eggar Films

[moira finnie]

On Friday, March 12th, TCM ran the Samantha Eggar films listed below. She was an interesting transitional actress, seemingly modern, yet with an old-fashioned quality that is a bit jarring and intriguing simultaneously. Of the films below, I've seen Return From the Ashes, Walk, Don't Run and The Collector a few times long ago, but now wish that I'd set the DVR for some of these movies.

If anyone had a chance to see them, I hope that you will offer your opinion.


Psyche 59 (1964) 10:15am ET
After being blinded in a mysterious fall, a woman fears her husband is involved with her younger sister.
Cast: Patricia Neal, Curt Jurgens, Samantha Eggar, Ian Bannen Dir: Alexander Singer BW-94 mins, TV-PG

The Collector (1965) 12pm ET
A disturbed young man kidnaps a woman he's been stalking.
Cast: Terence Stamp, Samantha Eggar, Mona Washbourne, Maurice Dallimore Dir: William Wyler C-119 mins, TV-14

Return From the Ashes (1965) 2:15pm ET
A gigolo marries a wealthy widow, seduces her stepdaughter and plots to kill them both.
Cast: Maximilian Schell, Samantha Eggar, Ingrid Thulin, Herbert Lom Dir: J. Lee Thompson BW-108 mins, TV-PG

Walk, Don't Run (1966) 4:15pm ET
Set during the Tokyo Olympics, one of three unlikely housemates plays matchmaker with the other two.
Cast: Cary Grant, Samantha Eggar, Jim Hutton, John Standing Dir: Charles Walters C-114 mins, TV-G

The Walking Stick (1970) 6:15pm ET
A beautiful polio victim is seduced into helping with a robbery.
Cast: David Hemmings, Samantha Eggar, Emlyn Williams, Phyllis Calvert Dir: Eric Till C-101 mins, TV-14

[Mr. Arkadin]

Hi Moira, I recorded them. I'll try and take a gander in the next couple of days if time permits.

[JackFavell]

I'm embarrassed to say that I have never seen any of her films except in passing by them to another channel. I tried to watch Walk, Don't Run today and couldn't bear it. I had to get up and go do something else.

I saw Doctor Doolittle when I was little and I thought she was about the most gorgeous creature I had ever seen. I still do. Her nose is too short, her eyes are too far apart and she has an odd mouth. But put it all together and she is incredibly beautiful.

[JackFavell]

Oh my god, If Pat Neal hadn't walked out of that house at the end of Psyche 59, I would have killed myself.

[moira finnie]

I only saw the last 20 minutes, but I felt the same way. Why didn't her grandmother, played by the fascinating Beatrix Lehmann, or Ian Bannen help straighten her out about her husband and Eggar??

[JackFavell]

I think they were all subverting anything to do with sex. They all had a feeling about what was happening, but they were playing out that British repression thing. "You just don't talk about it." Or "Family troubles shouldn't be discussed".

Plus they all had their own jealousy issues - they all pretty much hated each other. The mother seemed to hate both her daughters, but Pat Neal more. She was a real piece of work. She told Allison (Pat Neal) that the night she first went out with Curd or Curt, Robin (Samantha Eggar) cried all night long, that her heart was broken by Allison. The mother was also upset that the two girls were so close, and she felt they excluded her. She thought Pat Neal took Samantha Eggar away from her.

Eggar told Pat that she was jealous of Curt taking her sister away - she was jealous of HIM. That didn't seem to really be the case, although maybe that's where her twistedness started. And of course, she wouldn't tell Allison about the affair unless she could be sure to win Curt. She wanted to force Curd to do the dirty work and admit that not only did they have an affair when she was seventeen, but that he wanted HER now. She just wanted to win, more than anything and cause trouble. Robin's young boyfriend didn't feel comfortable getting involved and was weak like George Segal in Virginia Woolf.

Strangely, Curt Jurgens came off the best, because I actually felt he had love for Patricia, but simply couldn't control himself. His life was wrecked I'd be willing to bet after the end of this movie. I imagine that with Patricia Neal out of the picture, and sighted, that Curt would lose his fascination quickly.

For me, the bottom line was, Pat was better than all of them, she was the only one who wasn't vindictive and crazy. I hope she went out and never came back. Maybe she led a fulfilling life as a jet setter and took Goerge Peppard for a lover.... OOPS! No....wait.....not a happy ending for her there either....

[moira finnie]

Beatrix Lehmann was Patricia Neal's mother. Okay, I can wrap my brain around that one.

But, Beatrix Lehmann was Samantha Eggar's mother??? Com'on Mr. Screenwriter and Casting director. I don't think so.

Or am I hopelessly confused?

[JackFavell]

NO! I wanted the ending as it was - otherwise I would have had to throw something at the TV. And I like my TV.