Child’s Play – 1972
Director
Sidney Lumet

Writers
Robert Marasco (play)
Leon Prochnik (screenplay)

Cast
James Mason
Robert Preston
Beau Bridges

Review by Wayne Malin

Subtle and not very good,
I haven’t seen this in years but here’s what I remember.

Dull horror film about the strange behavior of students at an all boys school. James Mason as a teacher thinks Robert Preston (another teacher) is trying to drive him out (or crazy). Beau Bridges tries to figure it all out.

You think that a film which has young students attacked (one is blinded, another is tied up and hung from a statue) might at least be disturbing…but it’s not. It’s dull, slow and it’s pretty obvious who the villain is (he’s always lit to look evil). Also, for a PG film, this is pretty grim stuff. It all leads to an unsatisfying ending which never truly explains what’s going on. Also Preston, Mason and Bridges are at their worst. I caught this on TV years ago and had trouble staying awake! A rightfully forgotten horror film. Skip it.