If you’ve ever wanted to step inside the mind of a man who isn’t entirely sure whether his eyes or his nerves are betraying him, How Awful About Allan (1970) is a perfect place to start. It’s a psychological thriller made for TV back when the phrase “made for TV” actually meant something—namely, that budgets were small, lighting was questionable, and every emotional breakdown was accompanied by a soft-focus close-up. And honestly? We wouldn’t have it any other way. The film stars Anthony Perkins, who at this point in his career had perfected the art of looking like a man who knows far more than he’s comfortable admitting. Here, he leans into it with a twitchy intensity that makes you wonder if Allan needs therapy, exorcism, or simply a properly lit living room. His performance is beautifully fragile—like a porcelain teacup that’s been dropped once but still insists on holding hot coffee. Julie Harris, meanwhile, quietly steals scenes with the kind of emotional precision only she ...