Home for the Holidays

I recently watched the 1972 Aaron Spelling produced TV movie, Home for the Holidays for the first time. I love to watch Christmas horror movies throughout the season, and this was my first choice for this year, as I have a minor obsession with 1970s TV horror (and also a slightly more minor obsession with the work of Aaron Spelling). Plus this movie features some awesome ladies, including Julie Harris (The Haunting), Jessica Walter (Arrested Development and Archer, here playing a more seriously depressed - but similarly drunk and neurotic - version of her more famous roles), and a very young, fresh faced Sally Field.

                            

                            

The plot of the movie revolves around four sisters (including Walters and Field), who return to their family home to see their estranged dying father (Oscar winner Walter Brennan) one more time. Once they arrive, he reveals that he believes his wife (Harris) is attempting to kill him. The characters all become trapped by a snowstorm, and then the murders begin occurring.

Watching it now, it's obvious that Harris's character is just a red herring, and the real killer is almost as obvious (although I won't spoil that for you). However, at the time of it's original release, long before slasher movies had really become a "thing," I expect the mystery was much more thrilling. Even now, it's a fun watch, good for a cold night when you're curled up inside with a blanket and a couple glasses of wine.