The Possession of Joel Delaney (1972)

User Rating:

5.6/10   

Director:

Waris Hussein

Writers:

Irene Kamp (writer)
Matt Robinson (writer)

Release Date:

24 May 1972 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Horror | Thriller

Plot:

A woman begins to suspect that her brother is possessed by a voodoo spirit. |

Plot Keywords:

Voodoo | Brother | Possessed | Tense | Niece

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Shirley MacLaine	...	Norah Benson
Perry King	...	Joel Delaney
Michael Hordern	...	Justin
David Elliott	...	Peter Benson
Lisa Kohane	...	Carrie Benson
Barbara Trentham	...	Sherry
Lovelady Powell	...	Erika
Edmundo Rivera Álvarez	...	Don Pedro
Teodorina Bello	...	Mrs. Pererz
Robert Burr	...	Ted Benson
Miriam Colon	...	Veronica
Ernesto Gonzalez	...	Young Man at Seance
Aukie Herger	...	Mr. Perez
Earle Hyman	...	Charles (as Earl Hyman)
Marita Lindholm	...	Marta Benson

Runtime:

105 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Norway:18 (1973) | Iceland:16 | Australia:MA (cable rating) | Finland:(Banned) (1973) | UK:X | USA:R

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Haworth Productions

Trivia:

The first feature starring role for actor Perry King.

Disturbing and effective

The Possession of Joel Delaney has a strangeness to it from the opening scene where Nora (MacLaine) and Joel (King) attend a party together, seeming like lovers though they are brother and sister (to the point where other party goers who don't know her well comment on her young boyfriend). This sets the stage for a sort of incestuous undercurrent running through the movie, which is never fully explained or explored. Nora seems unnaturally possessive/protective as Joel and really doesn't know how to accept the changes which begin in him. At first it seems that she thinks he has been hanging around Spanish Harlem for kicks, which she is disapproving of...feeling that the influence is changing his personality when it is actually possession...as other reviewers have mentioned there is the contrast of rich/poor, especially her disdain for the poorer class/Hispanics (though her maid is Puerto Rican). Although slow moving at parts, it does have its shocking moments, which eventually lead up to the very disturbing ending where Nora and her children are trapped in a beach house with Joel/Tonio who terrorizes and humiliates them.... particularly, the children. I must echo the other reviewer with regards to what the 10 year old actor playing her son had to go through. I can't imagine ever happening in a movie today without some serious backlash...without going into detail, I just couldn't believe my eyes! All in all, this is a movie that has stuck with me for a long time...certain scenes replay themselves in my mind, and I would have to say that, despite some flaws, I do recommend it.