Are you in the mood for a Taste of Sin. . . perhaps with a dash of Double Jeopardy. . . and what the heck even is a Prozzie (for those of you not in the know, it is slang for a prostitute). . . or, to end with the most generic and lackluster of all, meet Olivia. Every once in a while, you’ve just got to love finding a little known, underground, low budget B movie that has stayed hidden from most of the world since its release (in this case, 1983), and Olivia (which was also released under the three other titles mentioned above) fits the bill.
A film that pulls a bit from Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo (you might also recognize some similarities to Marnie and Psycho), as well as from the luridly entertaining crime and thrillers coming out of Europe the decade previously (gialli and poliziotteschi), and a number of other sources, co-writer/director Ulli Lommel (who was a frequent collaborator with acclaimed Rainer Werner Fassbinder), introduces us to poor Olivia (Suzanna Love as an adult; as a five year old – Amy Robinson), a young woman who has been dealt a poor hand in life. Growing up with her prostitute mother overlooking London bridge, she witnesses her mom’s demise at the hands of a sadistic American soldier (Nicholas Love). . . flash forward fifteen years, and she has found her way into the arms of the first brute she bumps into, Richard (Jeff Winchester) – already four years married to the uncouth, violent factory worker.
Thoroughly unhappy as well as being the reminder of too many wrenching memories, Olivia soon starts to take guidance from the voice of her long dead mother – who convinces her to follow in her footsteps by starting to hook in the evenings (I guess everyone needs a pastime).
The striking half sheet poster for Olivia, here with its alternate title – Double Jeopardy
With a mind that is clearly twisted, and a relationship that is by no means aiding the situation, Olivia happens to stumble into an American, Mike Grant (Robert Walker Jr. – the biggest name of the picture, and he is pure Hollywood – father Robert Walker, mother Jennifer Jones, step-father David O. Selznick, he had a solid career as a character actor), an engineer currently in London to work on a bridge project.
Falling head over heels in love with her, he does not care that she is a woman of the night. . . he is simply drawn to her beauty and mysterious aura. Yet, in the blink of an eye she is gone (without giving away too much), and next we know, we have flashed forward another four years to Arizona, where Grant is subconsciously drawn to the famed London Bridge (that was dismantled in England and transported brick by brick to Lake Havasu by Robert P. McCulloch – who purchased it to be the focal point and centrepiece of the new community he was building). There, Grant sees a real estate agent who looks exactly like Olivia – except for the brown hair, California surfer-girl cadence, and the fact that she does not seem to recognize him. Could the bridge in his heart finally be gapped by the discovery of this new woman. . . or is it just a stark reminder of the history he has left behind?
A seedily alluring mix of multiple genres, it thrills and it chills, sometimes slashes, at others, dashes, rom can promptly turn into dom, and it all oddly plays as an unusual reverse murder mystery (with a dash of surrealism). The audience knows that Olivia is quite deranged, and we understand that her jealously violent husband is just that. . . plus, there may be another conclusion others might jump to (that I will leave you to figure out), meaning that we, the viewers, know more than we usually would with this type of feature. . . yet, Lommel leaves different aspects of the story unknown, making for a somewhat unique telling.
Likewise, Lommel does have the knack for developing a visual scene – an innocent peep through a keyhole, entering into a room where its occupant keeps three mannequins for company (this might just catch on in 2020), barred shadows recalling the glory years of film noir (feel free to look up the cinematographers on this project, for there were five, including Lommel himself), suspense known (and unknown) building to a crescendo before bloody murder, and an all-round mood that cannot be denied. Saying that, like any low budget B movie, it has its flaws (some staid dialogue, ideas that linger but are never deeply explored, an incredulous fight), but, they are forgivable as the good usually outweighs the bad.
A late night movie for the adventurous film fan, Olivia is a name that you will not soon forget after watching this mixed bag of genres and ideas. Though it might not be for everybody, it could surprise some with its stylish visuals and alluring, if not perfect, premise. Lastly, look for director Lommel in a cameo – he plays the Detective seen relatively early on. So, discover if London Bridge is falling down, my fair ladies (and gentlemen), by packing your travel cases for a cross Atlantic trip to this quite undiscovered world – it is worth the mileage.