Filmed Here: Jessica Walter makes 'Play Misty for Me' worth a quarantine watch

Editor's note: This is a four-part series on films shot in Monterey County that are worth re-watching while you shelter in place. 

“I did it because I LOVE YOU!” 

Phew.

There’s a lot to say about Clint Eastwood’s 1971 directorial debut "Play Misty for Me."

It's a psychological thriller that clearly pays homage to movies that came before it like "Psycho," although it doesn’t quite live up to those classic thrillers. Really, there’s so much to talk about: The misogyny, the dating dynamics of the 1970s (of which I know little about, to be honest), the role of radio, the list goes on.

But I’ll begin with the décor in Dave Garver’s (played by Eastwood) home. 

The foliage is astounding. And there’s a miniature river too! The couch, bed, and art are so distinctly '70s that it’s distracting, in a good way. The floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Carmel Highlands on the Pacific Ocean are to die for…literally if you’re Dave. 

Let’s get into the actual plot of the film.

Dave is a-too-cool-for-school radio disc jocky in Carmel-by-the-Sea who claims to be hung up on one woman. But that doesn’t stop him from sleeping with Evelyn Draper (played by Jessica Walter), who he easily picks up from a bar.

We soon find out that the reason he ran into Evelyn: She’s a big fan of his radio show and knows he likes to hang out at the bar after work. She often requests he play the jazz standard "Misty."

At that point, Dave should have stopped whatever was going on with Evelyn because that’s a red flag if I’ve ever seen one.

Alas, we soon find that red flags mean nothing to Dave.

Evelyn shows up unannounced at his house the following night ready to cook dinner. Despite his initial apprehension, he sleeps with her again.

When she shows up the following night, you guessed it, he sleeps with her yet again, despite running into Tobie Williams, the woman he says he wants to seriously pursue, earlier that same day. 

Evelyn has her issues, that can’t be denied. She attacks Dave’s housekeeper and his current girlfriend later in the film, even killing a police officer.

But Dave also has his faults. 

Evelyn convinces herself that she loves Dave and that he loves her back. I don't condone her actions, but to a certain degree, Dave leads her on. 

If you want a quick thrill, this movie is a fun and relatively entertaining watch. Here are the two real reasons to give "Play Misty for Me" a quarantine watch.

Firstly, Walter is an absolute icon. She was nominated for Golden Globe for Best Actress for her turn as Evelyn.

And that’s not even her best role.

In one of her most beloved roles, Walter played the alcoholic matriarch Lucille Bluth on "Arrested Development." From her wink to quotes like "It’s one banana, Michael. What could It cost? 10 dollars," Walter will always have a place in pop culture memory. 

The second reason is that this film is a clear love letter to Monterey County, Eastwood's adopted home. (He served as mayor of Carmel for two years.)

The movie includes a scene at the Monterey Jazz Festival, which normally takes place in September but has been canceled this year. In 2019, around 38,000 people attended to see over 500 artists perform across eight stages, according to their website. It’s been a tradition since 1958. 

In the movie, there’s the simple joy of eating at a waterfront restaurant, a pastime that has become very complicated.

Sure, that moment is interrupted in the film by a screaming Evelyn, but don’t we all miss when something like eating at a restaurant was easy?

And when Tobie and Dave walk along the deserted beach and find a secluded area in the forest, there’s a magic in that too. 

When this pandemic is over and it’s safe to go out again in full swing, you can frequent some of the spots from the film, including the bar where Dave first meets Evelyn. The Sardine Factory in Monterey remains at the same location as when “Play Misty for Me” was filmed there. 

If you love Monterey County, then you’ll enjoy seeing the way the scenery itself is woven into this film.

Or if you’re feeling like you’re sick of this area, watching this movie might just give you a newfound appreciation of how beautiful this landscape is, so beautiful that it’s practically its own character. (Also give credit to Roberta Flack's iconic cover of "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" on the soundtrack.)