The Census Taker

By far the worst movie I have ever seen. (And I've seen "Flesh Eating Mothers.") When I'm laying on my death bed, one single tear will roll down my cheek as I remember the 1 1/2 hours I wasted subjecting myself to this movie.

Yes, this is a low-budget comedy with cheap sets, but it is a direct spoof of "Who's Afraid Of Virginia Wolfe?" Even the characters see the parallel, as their names are George and Martha. Martha's first words are, "What a dump!", a direct quote. You have a dysfunctional couple who have to host a younger couple. Secrets are revealed. If only they had eliminated that annoying census taker this would have been even better. The couples' interaction could carry the movie. The best aspect is you get to see the FUNNY side of Meredith MacRae. She was usually typecast as the ingenue, occasionally getting to sing, but always serious, even in comedies. You had to see her on a game show to find out how smart and funny she was. This was the only time she showed off her sarcastic, comic delivery. I was a big fan of hers in the 70s, but never heard of this until about 8 years ago. Thank goodness for cable.

I remember the original appearance of this film - it had all the corporate venality of the SNL product we've come to accept as so much saturation in movies over the last two decades, and was DOA in theatres when released.

Today however, the movie has a bizarre level of subliminal black humor that manages to play pretty entertainingly; it also has incidental music by the Residents throughout (mostly stuff from the Commercial Album), which works surprisingly well.

Overall, the movie is similar in feel to Eating Raoul, or the late 70s tv show Mary Hartman, in terms of questionable funniness but sustained 'edginess'. Speaking of MH, MH, the husband reprises his role here, more or less; his Martin Mull-ish cop buddy, IMO, was the comic highlight of the film.

Came across this movie just recently, and found it quite a good suspense thriller. The tension builds gradually, as the census taker asks all kinds of impertinent questions, thus invoking the wrath of the married couple. Complications ensue, and the body count mounts. A grim comedy, with several twists.

This obscure comedy works thanks to Garrett Morris' performance as intrusive census taker Harvey McGraw, who disrupts a quiet dinner for a suburban couple. The Dades (real-life couple Greg Mullavey and Meredith MacRae) and their smart-mouth teenage kids Robert and George III. When their sons go out for the evening, the questionnaire McGraw conducts starts to turn personal and the enraged couple shoot him dead. They must hide the body from their arriving company, Pete (a local detective) and his wife Eva. Though there's not really any laugh-out-loud moments to be had, there's several unique plot twists throughout the movie. No clue if this film was ever released theatrically, though it was issued on VHS under the more appropriate title Husbands, Wives, Money & Murder.