Obsession (1976)

(On Cable TV, June 2022) As I make my way through writer-director Brian de Palma’s lower-tier filmography, one of the questions I get to put to rest is “When does de Palma’s classic period begin?” It’s not as clear as when it ends (I’ll propose Carlito’s Way in 1993, with 1996’s Mission: Impossible being the big-budget victory lap) – While most will clearly identify Carrie (1976) as the film that kick-started de Palma’s notoriety, there are other answers if you’re looking for the film that first showed his dealing with his favourite themes with an acceptable degree of technical polish. You can make a case for Sisters (1972), but I think that you’re on more solid ground with 1976’s Obsession, which feels technically slicker while still allowing de Palma to explore his favourite themes. Much of the film, after all, is a thriller about two women looking like each other, with a few big plot twists in the third act and a disquieting feeling. In this case, we get Cliff Robertson playing a real estate developer who’s haunted by the violent death of his wife and daughter decades earlier, and who suddenly encounters a woman (Geneviève Bujold) who looks eerily like his late wife. There’s a lot more to it, but let’s not spoil the best parts — including John Lithgow in one of his earliest screen roles, complete with southern accent. (Don’t look at the poster too closely, though, because — whoa, spoiler when you know what to look for!)  Even those foolish de Palma detractors won’t be able to deny that the film is (as they often accused) a big Hitchcock homage by riffing from Vertigo, and its production included a protracted argument with both screenwriter and studio about the content of the film. Classic de Palma right there – and for modern viewers, that means that the film is a lot of fun to watch and read about – even if you know about the big twist. The flashy directing is there as well, with some pre-digital effects (such as switching characters while a travelling camera is in darkness between bright windows) showcasing his audacity. It does feel like part of a continuum that would lead to Dressed to Kill, Body Double and Raising Cain (among others) and it’s often a joy to watch even when it delves into dark themes and uncomfortable content “presented as a fantasy.”  Obsession is not lower-tier de Palma – it easily makes its way to the mid-tier, and remains an essential part of his filmography.