he title of this film and Piper Laurie’s presence clearly derive from CARRIE (1976) – though I was misled into thinking that Ruby was the possessed child rather than the mother. While I’m not sure the EXORCIST trappings were really necessary, these actually extend to only a couple of scenes…and one has to understand that the notorious ‘spider walk’ from the 1973 classic – depicted here (but more on this later) – wasn’t officially a part of the film until its 2000 re-edit! Incidentally, the irate-father-speaking/murdering-through-his-child angle was also seen in Mario Bava’s contemporaneous SHOCK (1977).

RUBY, therefore, is silly but quite effective scene-by-scene and, anyway, it certainly provides a unique mixture of supernatural horror with the typical gangland milieu. The drive-in theater element (showing ATTACK OF THE 50-FOOT WOMAN [1958] years before it was actually made; the story is ostensibly set in 1951!), then, renders the proceedings even trashier (especially with the participation of a sluttish habitué) – while, at the same time, serving as a comment on the genre itself.

The swamp (and period) setting supply the requisite atmosphere: Laurie’s bitter but still-attractive torch singer/aspiring film-star/gangster’s moll dominates her associates (the very same gang that killed her lover at the start of the picture!) but obviously clings to the past – linking the film to Harrington’s earlier horror outing WHAT’S THE MATTER WITH HELEN? (1971). The odd-looking Janit Baldwin is perfectly cast as the mediumistic girl, especially creepy when the dead gangster – through her – confronts Laurie with his suspicions that the latter set him up. Stuart Whitman is a likable ageing hero, and Roger Davis rises to the occasion as a paranormal expert.

Unfortunately, the special effects and gore are cheaply done and the ending (different from Harrington’s original conception) somewhat abrupt; though the version on the VCI DVD I purchased is credited as being the “Director’s Cut”, it’s still missing some footage…but, at least, is free of other additions requested by the producers (reportedly the work of Stephanie Rothman) for the film’s Network TV showings.