Sci-fi horror film

Willard (1971): Cast, Ratings & Plot

Name: Willard
Genre: Sci-Fi, Horror
Released: 1971-07-30
Duration: 1 h 35 min
Cast: Bruce Davison, Elsa Lanchester, Jody Gilbert, J. Pat O'Malley, Sondra Locke

Willard is a 1971 sci-fi horror film directed by Daniel Mann, starring Bruce Davison, Elsa Lanchester and Jody Gilbert. It runs 1 hour 35 minutes. Critics gave it 49 on Metacritic.

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Released: July 30, 1971
Runtime: 1h 35m (95 min)
Director: Daniel Mann
Genres: Sci-Fi , Horror
Original language: English
Studio: Cinerama Releasing Corporation
After the credits: No No extra scene

The story

What Is Willard About?

The premise of Willard without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

Consumed by grief after the tragic loss of his pet rat, Willard embarks on a vengeful campaign against those who wronged him. Isolated and driven by rage, he trains an army of rodents to exact retribution. With the loyal rat Ben by his side, Willard orchestrates a terrifying and unexpected assault on his tormentors, seeking justice in a most unusual way.

Willard Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags

creature feature
adult son lives with his mother
animal attack
gay slur
eaten alive
midnight movie
remade
recluse
domineering mother
character name as title
psychotronic film
literature on screen

+38 more

european literature on screen
irish literature on screen
horror literature on screen
irish horror literature on screen
20th century literature on screen
title different than book
name in title
name as title
male name in title
male name as title
natural horror
older woman younger man relationship
1970s
rat
violence
blood
death
murder
flesh eating
eaten by rats
slaughter
exploitation
dark hero
bad guy
villain
anti hero
low budget film
maniac
revenge
grindhouse film
psychopath
american horror
forename as title
cat
mean boss
one word title
horror movie remade
based on novel

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Cast & crew

Willard Cast

Bruce Davison leads the cast, with Elsa Lanchester and Jody Gilbert. Directed by Daniel Mann; 10 actors are credited in all.

Director Daniel Mann

Also Starring in Willard

· 6 more

From the director

More from Daniel Mann

More films directed by Daniel Mann, best-rated first: BUtterfield 8, Under a Blue Sun, The Man Who Broke 1,000 Chains and Playing for Time.

Full filmography

Ratings

Willard Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave Willard 49 on Metacritic.

Metacritic

49 Metascore
See on Metacritic

Plot

Willard Plot Summary

What happens in Willard from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 14 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

Willard Stiles, portrayed by Bruce Davison, is a kind-hearted yet profoundly isolated young man struggling to connect with those around him, particularly his elderly mother, Henrietta Stiles, who is played by the iconic Elsa Lanchester. They reside together in a dilapidated mansion that echoes with their respective loneliness. The strained dynamic with his mother, celebrating his birthday with an atmosphere thick with well-meaning but suffocating advice, marks just one example of Willard’s turbulent life. Among the guests, Charlotte Stassen, a character brought to life by Jody Gilbert, and Henrietta’s friends nag Willard relentlessly about embracing a more assertive personality and pursuing an executive position— a goal his mother doubts he’s capable of achieving.

Full summary

The whole story of Willard, scene by scene

Read the full summary