"I Bury the Living" presents an engrossing portrait of one man's mental breakdown -- until it's rather disappointing resolution. Richard Boone is superb as a put-upon businessman who is coerced into overseeing the local graveyard. He descends into near madness when he convinces himself his actions have resulted in the deaths of several acquaintances. Unfortunately for Boone, the more those close to him try to help, the higher the body count. The earnestness Boone and most of the other players bring to their roles helps tremendously, although Theodore Bikell, as the cemetery's aging caretaker, ventures dangerously close to caricature. Aside from occasional day-for-night shots in the cemetery, Frederick Gately's photography is very well composed, but some shots do not seem to mesh well when edited. Most regrettably, the filmmakers chose, after weaving a tight, compelling buildup, to end the film with a most unsatisfactory denouement. Had they displayed a little more confidence in what had come before (and their target audience), "I Bury the Living" might be remembered as a minor classic, rather than as an intriguing but ultimately unfulfilling exercise.
Review of I Bury the Living
