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What's the Matter with Helen? (1971)

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Average Rating: 5.2/10
Reviews Counted: 7
Fresh: 3 | Rotten: 4

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Average Rating: N/A
Critic Reviews: 1
Fresh: 0 | Rotten: 1

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Average Rating: 3.5/5
User Ratings: 283

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Movie Info

Though it bears more than passing resemblance to his macabre hits Hush ... Hush, Sweet Charlotte and Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?, this lesser-known outing from screenwriter Henry Farrell takes a more satirical turn, skewering the eccentricities of the Hollywood studio system. The story opens during the advent of talking pictures, where a school for would-be child stars is opened by voice coach Helen Hill (Shelley Winters) and dance instructor Adelle Bruckner (Debbie Reynolds). Haunted by a

PG, 1 hr. 41 min.

Mystery & Suspense

Directed By: Curtis Harrington

In Theaters: Jun 30, 1971 Wide

Cast

Debbie Reynolds
Adelle
Shelley Winters
Helen
Dennis Weaver
Lincoln Palmer
Agnes Moorehead
Sister Alma Evangelist
Michael MacLiammoir
Hamilton Starr
Samee Lee Jones
Winona Palmer
Minta Durfee Arbuckle
Old Lady
Peter Brocco
Old Man
Timothy Carey
Tramp
Paulie Clark
Mrs. Plumb
James Dobson
Cab Driver
Molly Dodd
Mrs. Rigg
Pamelyn Ferdin
Kiddy M.C.
Helene Heigh
Widow
Robbi Morgan
Rosalie Greenbaum
Logan Ramsey
Detective West
Peggy Rea
Mrs. Schultz
Vicki Schreck
Debbie van den Houten
Sue Anne Schultz
Yvette Vickers
Mrs. Barker
Helene Winston
Mrs. Greenbaum
Gary Combs
Matt Hill
Bill Fritz
Musician
Douglas Deane
Fanatical Man
Swen Swenson
Gigolo
Harry Stanton
Malcolm Hays

Critic Reviews for What's the Matter with Helen?

All Critics (11) | Top Critics (3) | Fresh (3) | Rotten (4) | DVD (1)

The same thing that's wrong with Helen, is what's wrong with this pic%u2014it's too loony to be taken either seriously or humorously.

April 17, 2009 Full Review Source: Ozus' World Movie Reviews

| Comment

Dennis Schwartz

Ozus' World Movie Reviews

The layers of pastiche that fuel What's the Matter with Helen? multiply like Shelly Winters's titular character's fat white rabbits.

April 20, 2005 Full Review Source: Slant Magazine

| Comment

Eric Henderson

Slant Magazine

An unseemly vibe of failed comedic horror, or - depending on your point of view - successfully bad high camp, with an inordinate number of incongruous dance numbers.

August 16, 2003 Full Review Source: Apollo Guide

| Comment

Scott Weinberg

Apollo Guide

Bizarre cultish thriller from the underrated Curtis Harrington.

April 24, 2003 Comment

Ken Hanke

Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

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Audience Reviews for What's the Matter with Helen?

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Starts out strong, drags in the middle and ends strong. I don't particularly like the DVD cover, which gives away the ending a bit, but it's not altogether uninteresting. I felt that the tap-dancing scenes with the kids should have either been cut in half or cut out altogether as they had really nothing to do with

April 3, 2011

Tim Salmons

Super Reviewer

More a drama with suspense elements than a horror film. Debbie looks like a million and Shelley gives a good performance in the beginning until she starts biting off large pieces of the scenery towards the end. Enjoyable overall.

January 3, 2009

jay nixon

Super Reviewer

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