THE SPELL (1977)

Susan Myers (pictured) is a lonely high school student who is mocked by her classmates for being fat (which, BTW, she is not, she's just plain; it would have made more sense if she had been ostracized for her prickly and isolating behavior). Susan's gym teacher (Lelia Goldoni) is sympathetic—and during gym class, a popular student who mocks Susan falls during a rope climb and breaks her neck. Susan's parents are less sympathetic with her, and totally unable to deal with her problems or her mildly rebellious behavior, such as arguing with her younger sister (Helen Hunt) and ignoring chores. Her dad (James Olson) is distracted and lacks empathy; her mom (Lee Grant) is understanding but also ready to tell her to move out if she doesn't shape up. During a confrontation with her mom, Susan seems to fall into a trance, chanting things like, "Each deed is written in fire" and "I reproach myself." While out at dinner, Olson is forced telepathically to leave to go home, and is almost hit in the parking lot by a work friend who suddenly seems very drunk. Meanwhile, a neighbor of Grant's has convinced her husband that she is under attack by occult forces, and indeed, dies from what appears to be spontaneous combustion. A parapsychologist who was trying to help the neighbor suggests to Grant that her family is in trouble, and after Hunt almost drowns in a pool, it seems possible that Susan is meddling in dark forces that she may not be able to control. This TV-movie seems to have been inspired by the movie of Stephen King's Carrie, though in that story, Carrie's powers come from within whereas here Susan is getting help from another occult dabbler, and the high school context pretty much drops out after the opening scene. For a TV movie, the effects are good even if the teleplay feels a bit weak—often, these characters don't act like real people, and the father in particular seems unbelievably out of touch with his family. The subplot with the neighbor who burns to death seems stuck in to pad the film out to 90 minutes, though the scene itself is nicely done. But the acting helps make up for other weaknesses. Myers, who had a short career in TV, is excellent, and all the more effective for underplaying her role. Grant and Hunt (only 14 at the time) are both good. I always like Olson who has a knack for passive but likable average guys—here, his character is not so likable but Olson's bland charm still works. Goldoni is fine but her role should have been beefed up. The finale, which I did not predict, is very cool indeed. It's got a TV-movie look but a B-movie heart, which is a good thing. [Criterion Channel]