I found this movie interesting. Cheap thrillers or horror movies are not for me, and this movie is neither. It is a very realistic character study and therefore rather depressing, as reality unfortunately often is. It also shows how luck can play an important role in how happy or unhappy we can become. Louise was a normal, happy girl that bad luck transformed into a miserable woman, unable to control her life. She lost the man she loved at their wedding day and then was obliged to serve her crippled father, out of remorse, because she was made to believe that she was responsible. She can only imagine ways of escape or revenge, but never takes any real action to free herself, remorse is there to prevent her. Yet when it concerns others, as her colleague, she is capable to provide sound advice and show a revolutionary spirit. But her father, Wendell? He is healthy and has money, so he could live an easy and happy life. And what does he do? He kills his daughter's husband to be, and spends most of his hours in a wheelchair, spying on her, abusing her verbally, forbidding her any joy, and is tied with her in a life of misery and contempt. He is crazy alright, an extreme case of control freak who should be straight jacketed long ago. His punishment comes too late and when Louise discovers the hidden truth in the attic, it is also too late for her to make a new start, she practically cannot move from this terrible environment, to which her bad luck has condemned her to live all her life. It is very sad, but cases such as this, in various percentages of intensity, happen quite often around us. So this movie, in its extremity, is a reminder not to allow anyone to control us and always fight for or individual rights. So I call it a "constructionally" depressing movie. Both Carrie Snodgress and Ray Milland are superb in their respective roles. I wish that we could see Carrie in happier roles, because she was really something. As for Ray Milland, he had so much vitality that even from his wheelchair he could liven up every scene he was in. Although his role is hateful, he manages to provide a much needed comic relief at times, through the absurdity of his behavior to his victim. And I do not agree that he is degrading himself by playing such roles. From the beginning of his long career, and unlike many other "stars", he was never afraid to play villains, not giving any consideration to the possible damage to his "image". He was always a true professional and a fine actor, who chose to share with his public all the phases of his life, daring to reveal the changes that time has brought to him. I find this touching and I admire him all the more for this.
