Diary of a Mad Old Man

This is a bizarre, disturbing, and somewhat uncomfortable film to watch. Ralph Michael turns in a mesmerizing performance as the 77-year-old Mr. H, a wealthy man whose body is breaking down, even as his mind accelerates in an obsessive sexual desire for his sultry, but evilly teasing and manipulative, daughter-in-law Simone (Beatie Edney). Playful at first, the old man's desire becomes increasingly pathetic following the sudden death of his wife. Knowing that he is in serious danger of a stroke, Simone nevertheless delights in treating him like a lap dog--which, in turn, sends the old man's blood pressure skyrocketing. Although there are some macabre humorous moments in this adaptation of Japanese novelist's Junichuro Tanizaki's poignant story, the focus is on the strong will to live--expressed through the old man's sensual appetites--in the face of approaching death. Directed by Lili Rademakers (wife of Dutch director Fons Rademakers), this strange, moody film about a dirty old man, is a sad and moving look at the flipside (i.e., the reality) of one of our comic clichés. Recommended. (R. Pitman)