i be indebted to tcm for show this film a part of their recent survey of gay image in film . it play cheek by jowl with the killing of sister george and the boy in the band and both of which merit comment on their own . it be a bit of a truism that classic need revaluation and in order to affirm the great and purge the trivial . ( my personal valuation of the afi 100 best list be 58 yes and 18 no and 20 borderline and and 8 of historical interest only . ) and if ever there be a film accord some degree of classic status that need to be reevaluate and the fox be it . this be a film with essentially no redeeming feature whatsoever . performance represent keir dullea be decorative and smolder . ann heywood be gorgeous and enigmatic so enigmatic and indeed and that one wonder if there be anything to be enigmatic about . and sandy dennis ah and sandy dennis give another carbon copy of her standard performance that be in essence one long twitch . twitch after twitch after twitch . story and screenplay represent the screenplay be base on a story by d. h. lawrence of the same name . ellen march ( butch ) and play by anne heyward and and jill banford ( neurotic femme ) and play by sandy dennis and live on and manage a chicken farm in remote canada . it be not a financially go concern . paul renfield ( keir dullea ) and grandson of the man who use to own the farm and visit and stay for several week . he propose marriage to ellen and who be unsure but go along with a tryout in the barn by the fire . ellen may be unsure and but paul and on the other hand and like any male character in lawrence and growl i must have you to ellen and who be smite with this deep dark belly tension between man and woman . ( i unapologetically borrow from stella gibbon cold comfort farm and which satirize the hardy to lawrence agricultural depression style well than anyone else . } paul go off to his ship to collect back pay and sure of ellen waver consent . she then write him that it all off and after a cozy little female smolder with jill . paul return and and for reason best know to god and offer to chop down an oak tree . jill and for reason either best know to god and or in order to remove herself so that paul and ellen can be happy together and or just from terminal stupidity a kind of darwin moment stand in the likely path of the tree and be squash like an insect a twittering insect . paul and ellen sell the farm and go off to an uncertain future . i have so far relate the plot . like the bulk of lawrence and the symbolism be crashingly heavy hand and the general impression extremely silly . the screenplay be short on dialogue and long on smolder glance and pregnant pause and and meaningful silence . one might say that the general effect be that of pinter with an severe overdose of hormone . cinematography and music represent one must speak of these in concert with the screenplay . everything be telegraph in advance particularly with the tree cutting . step into a hen house be accompany by a score that sound like the night of the vampire . the camera dwell extensively on snow and icicle until the exasperated viewer be ready to shout and all right and i get it and trap passion wait to be awaken and stop and stop and stop . the fox of the title keep kill the chicken . jill hat it while ellen be fascinate by it . it be clearly male passion . guess what . paul kill it and symbolically make it his by nail on the barn . this be the sort of film that be praise for it treatment of lesbianism and for be subtle and nuanced and deep . let me clarify what that really mean represent 1. it a real positive view of lesbianism to let your boyfriend kill your lover in order to marry him . 2. subtle equal bore . this film be only slightly more entertaining than watch paint dry . a little skin and a parade of absurdity be not really enough . 3. nuanced equal slow . i would think that you could make a pretty interest 30 minute film on this story . 4. deep equal pretentious . this be nothing more or less than paint by number symbolism and allegory . one feel faintly embarrass in watch this . the final verdict . this be one dreadful film that commit just about every conceivable offense against common sense and good storytelling and and realistic human behavior . give this one a wide berth not even worthwhile for the historical value .