Viewers are never fully informed as to how or why Evelyn is drawn to Dave to an unhealthy degree, but this sentiment resonates with the power of Eastwood’s charm.
The film centers around a popular radio disc jockey, Dave (Eastwood), and the obsessive fan, Evelyn (Jessica Walter), who sends his life into a free fall. Viewers are never fully informed as to how or why Evelyn is drawn to Dave to an unhealthy degree, but this sentiment resonates with the power of Eastwood’s charm. While having one’s debut film be relating to fame and prominence seems quite vain, Eastwood has a graceful touch in examining himself and his stardom and has practiced doing so for the next 50 years. As a thriller, Play Misty for Me checks all the right boxes that are expected and coveted–to the point that Eastwood perhaps relies too heavily on genre formalities.