Backwoods Double-Feature: Common Law Wife & Jennie, Wife/Child (Blu-Ray)
**The Blu-Ray/DVD from Film Masters of this “Backwoods Double-Feature” will be available on June 25, 2024. This is a review of not just the feature, but the Blu-Ray edition. The grade for this will be for the main movie itself; the set grades will be featured in the body.
“Common Law Wife” (1963)
From the second you look at the cover of this double bill, you know you’re to prepare for some messed-up stories. But these are films that are worthy of preservation, as well, not because of their subjects but because it’s curious to see what people thought was worth making films about at a certain time. What matters about a film, though, is not the morality of its subject, but how it approaches it. This is pure hicksploitation cinema here, and as such, I think there’s some value to it, even with its reprehensible subject.
We begin “Common Law Wife” seeing a conversation between Shug (George Edgley), an old man, and Linda (Annabelle Weenick), his live-in mistress of five years. Shug is tired of Linda, and he expresses his desire to move on from her, and take up with his niece, Baby Doll (Lacey Kelly), who’s been working as a stripper. He doesn’t care if it’s incest- he’s just ready to move on. Linda isn’t, however, and finds a possible legal loophole. Meanwhile, Baby Doll returns to town, and it’s clear she has her own ideas in mind.
For 75 minutes, this film- which actually has footage from two different shoots, hence two directors (Eric Sayers and Larry Buchanan)- basically is a redneck soap opera where none of these characters have much in the way of redeeming qualities. That said, the screenplay by Grace Nolan is somewhat entertaining in its trashy nature, and it truly gives each character what they deserve at the end. I don’t know that I would ever watch this film again, but for low-grade entertainment, it delivered.
Blu-Ray Presentation
Film Masters outdoes themselves with their presentation of this film. The restoration of the final film- which had both 16mm and 35mm elements- is startling in how good it looks, and yet, the film retains its trashy nature. As for the extras, we get two commentaries for “Common Law Wife,” one with director Larry Buchanan, and the other with writer Millie De Chirico and Ben Cheaves. We also get a restored trailer from 1963, as well as an essay, Backwoods Babes, Mean Old Men and Simple Minded Studs by Lisa Petrucci.
Film Grade: C+
Audio & Video: A-
Bonus Features: A-
“Jennie, Wife/Child” (1968)
For the second half of this double bill, the title, “Jennie, Wife/Child,” sounds more lurid than the film actually is. As with “Common Law Wife,” this is about an old man with a younger woman, but the incestuous nature of the earlier film is gone. It has a familiar premise, though- the younger woman wants to take the old man for his money, and run off with a younger man.
The opening credits of the film point to an unusual structural aspect of “Jennie, “Wife/Child”- there are a lot of title cards in this film. It’s almost like the producers of this film didn’t trust us to understand the simple narrative, and felt the need to explain it. All we need to know is that Albert (Jack Lester) is the overbearing head of the farm; Jennie (Beverly Lunsford) is miserable being married to him, and begins to take interest in the farm hand, Mario (Jim Reader). When Jennie invites Mario into the house, against Albert’s wishes, the plot is set in motion.
Directed by Robert Carl Cohen and James Landis (neither of whom are credited), the title cards are the most interesting part of this film. It’s a fascinating anomaly when a movie doesn’t really think how best to serve its audience from a storytelling standpoint. This is another hicksploitation drama, but this one just loses steam pretty easily, if it had any to begin with. The performances are forgettable, there is a supposed nightmare sequence that is kind of interesting, but otherwise, this film is a dog.
Blu-Ray Presentation
“Jennie, Wife/Child” may not be a good movie, but once again Film Masters serves the film it is bringing to disc well. The restoration of the picture and sound is great, though there isn’t much that stands out about it. In terms of extras, we get a commentary by Millie De Chirico; a documentary- “That’s Hickspoitation: The Origin of Southern Sinema,” as well as a new trailer for the film.
Film Grade: D
Audio & Video: A-
Bonus Features: B+
I would not say either of these films are essentials for cinephiles to watch, let alone own, but if you are a Film Masters completist, this is another great double bill from them.
