Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Susan George in Die Screaming Mariane 1971 (and a belated Happy Birthday)



   Here's Susan George doing a wild go-go dance thru the opening credits of Pete Walker's Die Screaming Marianne from 1970. Not the best Pete Walker film as it moves a bit slow and has a hard time living up to the promise of those opening credits (which most movies would come to think of it). Susan plays Marianne, a nightclub go-go dancer (what else), who on her upcoming 21st birthday stands to inherit a bunch of money and some legal papers from her late mothers estate. Because the papers will incriminate her crooked ex-judge father (played by Leo Genn), she has all sorts of evil people pursuing her and trying to knock her off (not the least of which is her father). Not knowing her fathers true intentions she accepts the offer of a visit at his house in Portugal which begins all sorts of double crossing, murder & mystery. With the decadent family vibe and Portugal locations, it sometimes has the feel of a Jess Franco film (without all the zoom shots & nudity). Susan is pretty good in one of her first major roles and looks great in all sorts of 70's fashions. (including, but not limited to mini-skirts & bikinis).
 













   Susan George is another 70's actress I really like. Born on July 26 1950 in London, England, she started acting at the age of four. She worked steadily in films from the mid 60's to the early 80's and was was quite good in Sam Peckinpah's Straw Dogs from 1971 (in a very difficult role).  In 1974's car chase classic Dirty Marry & Crazy Larry she had great chemistry with Peter Fonda and the shot of her sitting on a porch eating a creamsicle is a highlight of 70's drive-in cinema. In addition she also appeared in the still shocking and still freakin' unbelievable Mandingo from 1975. She continues to do a TV work in England lately has got into the production side of things. As it was her birthday earlier this month I wanted to give a shout out to her.




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