Alice, Sweet Alice (1976)

So much more than Brooke Shields' first movie, 17 January 2005

A little girl is waiting in line to receive her first communion. Suddenly, she is grabbed from behind and murdered. All of the evidence seems to point toward the girl's sister, Alice. Next, Alice's Aunt is attacked in the stairwell of her apartment building. Again, the suspicion falls on Alice. Alice's parents have little choice - they commit her to a psychiatric hospital. Will this stop the killings?

Alice, Sweet Alice is an American style giallo. The identity of the killer is hidden behind a yellow raincoat and mask. In this kind of movie, I like to play along and try to guess who the killer is. When I'm wrong (which is the usual case), at least the killer turns out to be someone I had suspected at some point during the movie. When the killer is finally revealed in Alice, Sweet Alice, I must say that it was a total shock to me. The only problem with the revelation of the killer is that it comes a little too early. The suspense that the director has worked at building is dampened severely once we know who the killer is.

Paula E. Shepherd, in her first ever movie role, plays Alice. Seldom do you see someone with so little experience play a role so flawlessly. She is so deliciously evil as the crazed Alice. It's a shame she didn't make more of these kind of movies.

Unfortunately, Alice, Sweet Alice is best known as the first movie in which Brooke Shields appeared. It's a shame because the movie is so much more than that.

7/10