My Brother's Wife

1966 US Doris Wishman
1/2

Unloved housewife Mary falls for suddenly-arriving, lecherous bro-in-law Frankie. Husband Bob unaware, while Frankie steams it up with former flame Zena. Tragedy strikes—in the beginning. Film starts in the present, followed by a long flashback. Inspiration: film noir? Double voice-overs, shadows, Frankie as homme fatale. Sound is wholly over-dubbed, not matchings lips, camera dipping to capture headless bodies and tangled feet. Editing is rough. Really, a terrible film, but watchable sleaze-plus. Catchy jazz soundtrack never stops, like in a silent film. Compositions are often striking, adding to melancholy mood of empty lives (bad characters? yes, but it works). Random insert shots of objects, whatever happens to be around. Some nudity, no sex. Sometimes erotic, mostly bored. Wishman cuts whenever anything heats up. Transitions usually in the form of a camera zooming into black.

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