The Honeymoon Killers (1973)

Directed by Leonard Kastle. Starring Shirley Stoler, Tony Lo Bianco, Mary Jane Higby, Marilyn Cason, Kip McArdle, Doris Roberts, Barbara Cason, Dortha Duckworth, Mary Breen. [R]

Twisted story of amoral con artist Lo Bianco and the surly, unsightly nurse (Stoler) he meets through “lonely hearts” classifieds, embarking together on a murder spree where he seduces and swindles single women before they get rid of them for good. Crude, low-budget indie populated by weirdos that would fit right in with John Waters’ favored subjects; the erratic filmmaking does no favors for the tonal swings between disturbing drama and black comedy, but the pic contains far too many lasting moments to be dismissed. Offers an unromanticized, even putrid spin on the lovers-on-the-lam cliché, with performances that could be accurately described as both amateurish and authentic. Low-range black & white photography, primitive shot selection, and grimy close-ups give it a cinéma vérité docudrama effect, so don’t be surprised if you feel the need to shower afterwards. Based on the real-life exploits of the “Lonely Hearts Killers,” a pair of serial murderers who killed up to twenty people in the late-40s. A favorite of François Truffaut. Martin Scorsese was originally tapped to direct, but he was fired during pre-production and replaced with Kastle, who never made another movie.

73/100