Wise Blood (1979)

(On Cable TV, September 2022) As I’ve mentioned in another review of John Huston’s latter-day efforts (i.e.: 1984’s Under the Volcano), the trouble in tracking down the complete filmography of some veteran directors is that not all of their films are equally good, and for every acknowledged classic, you get two or three other films that may span the gamut from decent to snoozefest. Wise Blood is clearly a Huston film made with a high degree of competence, but it’s also the kind of film that either works or completely doesn’t. (It’s based on a Flannery O’Connor novel, which may be enough of a warning for some.)  Brad Dourif has an early role as a young preacher with a heretic ideology, and enough of a manic personality to follow through on some extreme sacrifices. It’s an eccentric film dealing with far-out characters, mixing screeds about religion and unconventional romance with petty crime and satirical plotting. It’s really not for everyone, and I felt myself curious uninvolved with the on-screen shenanigans. The very glum ending doesn’t help. But the film has its fans—including mentions on a few “best 1000 films ever made” lists. Sure. Whatever. But Wise Blood is nowhere near the top of the list when it comes to Huston’s extensive filmography.