phillindholm Review of The Big Cube

The Big Cube (1968)

Fading 40's Favorite Clobbers Counter-Culture Creeps!

[7/10 · 2 July 2007]

"The Big Cube" marked Lana Turner's swift descent from movie stardom. A very cheap Mexican potboiler supposedly co-produced by her husband at the time, Robert Eaton, it improbably cast her in the role of a great stage actress, giving up her fame to marry a wealthy tycoon who comes complete with a grown daughter. Soon Dad (Dan O'Herlihy) is drowned in a yachting accident, leaving Lana as the executrix of his estate. By now, her stepdaughter (Karin Mossberg) is involved with a slimy drug dealer (George Chakiris of "West Side Story"). Because Stepmom won't give her consent to their wedding, these two plan to drive her into the nuthouse by spiking her drink with LSD. That they do, and it's up to a playwright (Richard Egan) who has loved her from afar, to set things straight. So much for the "plot". Turner, taut-faced and victimized by grotesque wigs and costumes, seems unsure of how to play her part, so she plays for sympathy and merely whispers her lines - no doubt hoping the audience won't hear them.At least until the story reaches it's preposterous climax, and she starts shrieking like she's still on the witness stand back in ''Peyton Place''. Chakiris is properly scummy, but Mossberg, sporting a Swedish accent (unconvicingly explained away by her character supposedly attending a Swiss boarding school) is as wooden as a cigar store Indian-and not much better looking,either. (At one point, Turner gushes about her Stepdaughter ''She even LOOKS like me!''. She's wrong-even though she's at least twenty years older, Turner still looks much more attractive than Mossberg). As for the rest of the cast, O'herlihy and Egan are merely there to support Turner, which they do well enough. Then, there are the ''Teenyboppers'' all of whom are well past 21 especially Mossberg's friend Bibi, (Pamela Rodgers)who spouts lines like ''It's a pop art world, baby-get with it!''. She also does a striptease at a very unconvincing ''Freakout Party''. Then, there's the teen's hangout,''Le Trip'' which has got to be the ugliest ''nightclub'' ever depicted on film. On the positive side, the movie (filmed on location in Mexico)is well photographed,and does move fairly fast-more than likely due to the editing rather than the inept direction. The musical score is pretty trippy also-but in a good way. The title song ''Lean On Me'' was co-written by Valjean Johns, who also co-wrote (with Guy Hemric) the title tune from that Psychedelic Schlockfest ''Maryjane''. This is yet another case of a once-great star slumming, and probably wondering ''WHAT was I thinking?'' ever since. Nevertheless, faded one-time names like Turner ended up in stuff like this, because it afforded them top billing they could no longer get elsewhere.(THAT'S probably what she was thinking) Well, Lana, I hope it was worth it.Still, for those audiences with a sense of humor, this is a classic. And Tuner gets to do her familiar ''Imitation Of Life''/''Portrait In Black'' routine.''The Big Cube'' is finally available on DVD (complete with Groovy trailer) in a stunning transfer-which really brings Lana's bargain-basement freakouts to life. I watched this movie two years ago, and hated it-then, I watched it again. Now, I think it's great! So, for those with the right sense of humor, ''Get With It!''