Paul Steward (Hal Holbrook) is a successful 48-year-old magazine editor. He lives with his family in a nicely appointed house in Connecticut. The picture of success, Paul is miserable. His marriage is unsatisfying, and his kids bring him little joy. On this day, he has a nearly silent breakfast with his family and then catches the train to New York City. It seems like a typical day, but Paul knows it isn’t. nonetheless, he goes about the tedium of running the magazine. Since this will be his last day on earth, he takes time out to indulge in the services of a quintet of high-end hookers. Paul tells them about his troubled marriage and his wife’s struggle with mental illness. He even tells them of his murderous plans for that night. The girls listen and offer advice, but don’t contact the police.
As the hours tick by, Paul remains focused on his plans for a dinner time massacre. Discussion with friends—a diplomat (José Ferrer) and a therapist (Viveca Lindfors)—suggest he might be looking for a reason not to carry out his plans. He tells them his plans. They too, listen and offer advice, but don’t call police.
As a parade of others offer their thoughts, Paul is given ample time to shift his thoughts. Even so, Jeff Kanew (who also wrote the screenplay) is so effective at making Paul’s life seem so dreary and hopeless, by the end, you almost feel that his plan is a reasonable solution. While not completely successful, Natural Enemies is a sincere attempt to examine the human psyche and ponder whether a killer lurks inside every one of us.
Despite its obvious flaws (no one calls the police?!), Natural Enemies is worth seeing for the performance of Hal Holbrook. He is very good here, even if the narrative doesn’t always support his feelings of desperation. Though in a convincing existential malaise, the feeling that a serious talk with his wife could help heal things, hangs heavy over the proceedings. This kind of psychological realism isn’t for everyone, so be forewarned, this is not material for family movie night.
Natural Enemies is packaged with a reversible cover featuring new artwork by Tony Stella on one side and a facsimile of the RCA/Columbia VHS box art on the other.
A limited-edition slipcover, featuring an embossed version of the Tony Stella art is available exclusively at the Vinegar Syndrome website.
Out of print for years, an opening title card states that this 1080p transfer, presented in the 1.85:1 aspect ratio, has been “sourced a from “a 35mm deposit print held at the Library of Congress.” Further, they explain that some wear and tear is inevitable. That said, Fun City Editions has offered up a commendable transfer with a nice level of detail throughout. Color does show some wear but remains satisfactory, whether shot inside or outside. The existing grain gives the proceedings a filmic appearance.
The 2.0 DTS-HD MA mix offers clear dialogue and atmospherics throughout. The soundfield is well balanced, allowing the score to mix well with dialogue and effects. While there is an occasional low hiss on the track, none of this should interfere with the overall listening experience.
English SDH subtitles are available.
The following special features are included:
- Audio Commentary: Featuring podcaster Bill Ackerman.
- Introduction (HD, 2:10) Writer/director Jeff Kanew provides a brief look at his career highlights and explains his vision of Natural Enemies as an American Bergman film.
- “The Road to ‘Natural Enemies’: Part I” (HD, 23:18) In this interview with Jeff Kanew, he charts his development as a filmmaker, from a film loving kid in 1950’s Brooklyn to participating to trailer work, to making movies and everything in between.
- “The Road to ‘Natural Enemies’ Part II” (HD, 44:18) Kanew discusses finding Natural Enemies and writing the screenplay. The production of the film was anything but easy. Hal Holbrook initially refused to commit to the part, leading to negotiations with Robert Duvall, who proved to be unpleasant to work with. He also had a prickly relationship with actress Louise Fletcher, who took the part because she had nothing else to do. Kanew also discusses his difficulties with the dark material, disagreements with the studio and much more.
- Alternate Ending (HD, 1:58) A “happy” ending, filmed for the Los Angeles release.
- Trailer (HD, 1:58)
- Booklet: A 10-page booklet with an essay by Jason Bailey.
