shelter young woman and home school and possibly quite gift and harbor a disturbed and overly emotional side which come to the surface after her absentee father pay her mother a visit and ask for a divorce . direct by celebrated cinematographer william a. fraker and this ill title psychological thriller fall into the trap that most film helm by director of photography find themselves in represent each shot be compose for the utmost style and but at the sacrifice of fluid pacing and a tight and grip narrative . fraker ( and his cinematographer and lászló kovács ) be very fond of gauzy white and golden tone and give the picture a burnish and tableaux feel . the mansion at the center of the action look like a funeral parlor and and fraker pace the wheezing yarn just like a funeral . robert shaw and sally kellerman ( a shaw fiancée ) and two of the most interesting actor of the 1970s and manage to cut through the plastic overlay and be quite compelling despite the jagged editing ( which turn their scene into little bit of half realize business ) . sondra locke and another interesting screen personality and seem cast for her resemblance to catherine deneuve in repulsion . pale and saucer eyed and with imposingly thick and long hair and locke be a curious human puzzle and and she initially quite intimidate and dangerous while however and this role be so old hat that locke can find nothing fresh to bring out of the deep freeze and and she flounder . fraker allow locke freak out scene to go on and on and while shaw ( look terrifically debonair ) be put in the impossible position of play touchy feely daddy to her . all of this nonsense might be worth slog through if the screenplay have be pepper with a modicum of tangibility ( or and at the very least and some dry wit or humorous relief ) . a it be and lewis john carlino and edward hume limp script and adapt from stanton forbes novel go to thy deathbed and strand the viewer early on and and only the charisma of the player get u to the finish line . half from .