Welcome to Mario May, where we’ll be discussing the films of Mario Bava. Now, we’ve already discussed several of them over the years, so be sure to review our thoughts on those by searching “mario bava” from the Home page (or by clicking the links in the filmography below.) This month, we’ll discuss some Bava films I watched for the first time. Next up…
It happens to the best of directors, whether it’s physical aging, filmmaking maturity, or changing sensibilities. As their careers progress beyond the decades, their movies change. Often, they’re not as tight, or their signature flourishes diminish. I’m not saying this will happen with Mario Bava; however, his first horror film of the 1970s is not quite as spectacular as his1960s classics.
With Hatchet for the Honeymoon, we have another troubled production for Bava. This time when it exceeded budget, filming was halted, and while Bava made Four Times That Night, producer Manuel Cano secured additional funds. Shooting was resumed and completed. Also, when Laura Betti asked Bava for a role, he rewrote to screenplay to include a new character not in the original. This reportedly caused tension on the set.
With all that considered, it’s an impressive movie. Betti’s Mildred Harrington is so seamlessly woven into the story that I wouldn’t have known she wasn’t originally part it. She doesn’t do a lot at first, playing John Harrington’s (Stephen Forsyth) wife, who won’t give him a divorce. When he finds an alternative method of getting rid of her, though, she continues to haunt him and one of the twists of the ending centers upon her.
The other twist, the one around which Harrington’s motivation as a serial killer is explained, is predictable from the beginning. This is not a spoiler. Harrington’s opening narration tells us all about his side gig:
My name is John Harrington. I’m 30 years old. I am a paranoiac. Hmph… “paranoiac”. An enchanting word. So civilized, and full of possibilities. The truth is, I am completely mad… the realization which annoyed me at first, but is now amusing to me. Quite amusing. Nobody suspects I am a madman… a dangerous murderer. Not Mildred, my wife… nor the employees of my fashion center… nor, of course, my customers.
Each time he kills, he regains a little bit of memory to explain when, as a child, he discovered his parents dead in their bedroom, hacked to death with a meat cleaver. It’s through his flashbacks (and the artistry behind the opening credits) that we catch glimpses of Bava’s involvement. Otherwise, it’s fairly straightforward in presentation.
As each young bride-to-be disappears, Inspector Russell (Jesus Puente) questions Harrington. It’s subtle, but we increasingly realize he suspects him of the crimes. He’ll never find the bodies, because Harrington incinerates them in his hothouse, in a furnace that he explains from the beginning is only for burning leaves. Since we don’t see the inspector when he’s not asking questions, the trap he sets is not anticipated.
Maybe it is the last-minute script change that messes with the effectiveness of Hatchet for the Honeymoon after all. However, I have more specific issues with the killer part, not the wife part. For example, It would have been in the original screenplay that Russell would notice, not once, but twice, how sweaty Harrington is when it’s so cold outside. Once is a clue. Twice is redundant.
Maybe it’s two movies in one: part giallo, part ghost story. Either has compelling pieces, but some connective tissue is missing. To be honest, I’m not sure why I didn’t like it more than I did. Don’t get me wrong; I did enjoy it to an extent, but I had been hoping for another less generic, more artistic effort. Is this just a bump in the road for Bava? We’ll see; we’re only halfway through his career and A Bay of Blood lies ahead.
Hatchet for the Honeymoon is not available as part of the Mario Bava Collection box set from Shout! Factory. I watched it streaming on Amazon Prime. It was a staple on VHS in the 1980s and has most recently been released on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber.
Mario Bava Filmography (Director)
1957
Lust of the Vampire (uncredited)
1958
The Day the Sky Exploded (uncredited)
1959
Hercules Unchained (uncredited)
Caltiki, the Immortal Monster (uncredited)
The Giant of Marathon (uncredited)
1960
Black Sunday
Esther and the King (Italian Version)
1961
The Wonders of Aladdin
Hercules in the Haunted World
Erik the Conqueror
1963
The Evil Eye
Black Sabbath
The Whip & the Body
1964
Blood & Black Lace
The Road to Fort Alamo
1965
Planet of the Vampires
1966
Savage Gringo
Knives of the Avenger
Kill, Baby… Kill
Dr. Goldfoot & the Girl Bombs
1968
Danger: Diabolik
The Odyssey (TV Mini Series)
1970
Five Dolls for an August Moon
Hatchet for the Honeymoon
To be continued…
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