The Possession of Joel Delaney
| The Possession of Joel Delaney | |
|---|---|
Original theatrical poster
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| Directed by | Waris Hussein |
| Produced by | Martin Poll |
| Screenplay by | Grimes Grice Matt Robinson |
| Based on |
The Possession of Joel Delaney by Ramona Stewart |
| Starring |
Shirley MacLaine Perry King |
| Music by | Joe Raposo |
| Cinematography | Arthur J. Ornitz |
| Edited by | John Victor Smith |
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Production
company |
Haworth Productions
ITC Entertainment |
| Distributed by | Paramount Pictures |
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Release date
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Running time
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105 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $1.5 million |
The Possession of Joel Delaney is a 1972 American horror film directed by Waris Hussein and starring Shirley MacLaine and Perry King. It is based on the 1970 novel of the same name by Ramona Stewart.
Due to a release during the early 1970s and its dealing with the theme of possession, many reviewers compare it, some favorably, to The Exorcist, which would come one year later. The film was entered into the 22nd Berlin International Film Festival.
The Possession of Joel Delaney was the first film for Perry King and the last horror film Shirley MacLaine made.
Norah Benson and her younger brother Joel Delaney attend a party being given by Dr. Erika Lorenz. Joel's girlfriend Sherry appears. Norah is extremely protective of her brother, and it is subtly implied that theirs is not an ordinary siblings' relationship. The siblings have sensibly different, albeit somehow complementary mindsets; in contrast to Norah's upscale, self-compliant snobbishness, Joel is more of an adventurous, bohemian type and frequently goes on trips to exotic locations.
Two days after the party, Joel fails to attend a scheduled dinner at Norah's house. When she calls him, all she hears is somebody breathing and making odd sounds into the phone. She tells her children Carrie and Peter to go ahead and eat, and heads over to her brother's seedy Spanish Harlem apartment to find out about his delay. Norah sees Joel dragged out by the police. She then learns that he tried to kill the building superintendent, Mr. Pérez (Aukie Herger), and is being taken to Bellevue Hospital.
She learns that Joel has been taken to the psychiatric ward for observation. At Joel's apartment, she finds the whole place in disarray and an eerie sign painted in the wall of both the super's and his brother's flats. She also finds an unusually large switchblade knife.
Sherry arrives and dismisses the possibility of Joel being homicidal, although she admits to him having a "dark side". At the hospital, Joel claims not to remember the assault on the super. He insists that he did not take drugs but agrees to confess he did in exchange for leaving Bellevue and attending daily appointments with Dr. Lorenz. In one session, Erika asks why someone from such an affluent background would want to live in the East Village. Joel tells her he formed a strong bond with a young Puerto Rican named Tonio Pérez (the super's son, as it is later revealed). At home, Joel behaves oddly. He asks Norah inappropriate questions about her sex life. He sneaks from his room and goes to a nearby nightclub where he finds Sherry intoxicated and flirting with other men. At her luxury high-rise apartment, Joel gets rough during their lovemaking.
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