Family Plot

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Family Plot is a 1976 American darkly funny thriller directed by Alfred Hitchcock, his final film. It stars Karen Black, Bruce Dern, Barbara Harris, and William Devane and is adapted by Ernest Lehman from Victor Canning’s novel The Rainbird Pattern.

Plot
Blanche Tyler, a fake psychic, and her boyfriend, George Lumley, try to locate a wealthy widow’s long-lost nephew to claim a reward. Julia Rainbird wants to find an heir to her late sister’s fortune but knows little about the child. Blanche and George chase clues, discovering the “nephew” is Edward Shoebridge, who supposedly died years earlier. In reality, Shoebridge is Arthur Adamson, a jewel thief who kidnaps the rich for ransom and hides diamonds in a chandelier. Adamson and his girlfriend Fran try to eliminate Blanche and George, leading to a tense pursuit and a dramatic car crash. Blanche eventually confronts the criminals, and, in a twist, the moment suggests she may actually be psychic. The film ends with Blanche winking at the camera as the police move in to make arrests.

Production and reception notes
Ernest Lehman adapted the story for Hitchcock, aiming for a lighter, more comic tone. Lehman later won a 1977 Edgar Award for the screenplay. The film relocates the story to California, with scenes shot in San Francisco and Los Angeles, including a chase staged on Universal’s backlot. Hitchcock makes a cameo about 40 minutes in. John Williams composed the score, the only Hitchcock film Williams scored. The movie opened the 1976 Filmex festival and runs 120 minutes.

Cast and recognition
Key cast includes Karen Black, Bruce Dern, Barbara Harris, and William Devane. Barbara Harris received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in a Motion Picture Comedy or Musical. The film has since drawn praise for its wit, style, and performances.

Box office and critical response
Budget: about $4.5 million. Domestic rentals were around $6.5 million, with total gross roughly $13 million. Critical reception was largely positive, with critics praising Hitchcock’s playful approach and the film’s clever plotting. It holds a high score on Rotten Tomatoes and a strong Metacritic rating, though a few reviews were more mixed.