6 of 9

Write now Article Tools

On November 11, 1972, Barbara Daly Baekeland was murdered by her 25 year old son, Antony, in their London home. Not just "any" murder, this one garnered international attention as Barbara was not just "any" wealthy socialite. She was the ex-wife of Brooks Baekeland, grandson of Leon Baekeland, founder of Bakelite plastic, a product found in almost every home in the industrialized world. And just for good measure, let's toss in a familial history of lurid, lewd, tawdry and incestuous sexual conduct, making the story ripe for the press, ripe for publication and now, ripe for the big screen.

Barbara Daly was a vivacious, sexy, charming, wannabe/sometime actress and model who always had her eye on the prize. What prize you ask? Well, quite frankly, any prize, as long as it would bring her great wealth with all its trappings and make her the center of attention. In this case, Barbara's prize was Brooks Baekeland, heir to the Bakelite company and fortune. What one would describe as " a real looker" with charm, allure and air of refinement, it took little effort for Barbara to wend her way into Brooks' heart and home. Unfortunately, Barbara was psychologically unstable, ill-bred and despite outward appearances, on opening her mouth, could be counted on to be the rudest, most foul-mouthed, classless person in a room. As if alienating Brooks (not to mention his family and friends) with her conduct wasn't bad enough behavior, her libertine lifestyle of excessive drink, a modicum of drugs and risque-over-the-top sexual encounters of a variety of natures with seemingly anyone and everyone she could find, pushed him into the arms, and beds, of countless of other women.

Seeing the handwriting on the wall, Barbara tries to "clean up her act" and not only keep her husband at home, but keep him as her husband period and in 1946 she takes a stab at being the dutiful wife by producing a son for Brooks. A beautiful, porcelain child, Antony, or Tony as he is called, is the apple of his mother's eye but nothing more than a "distant relation" to his father. Instead of bringing the family closer and resolving deep seeded psychological and social issues, Tony only adds fuel to the fire. Barbara obsesses over him while Brooks drifts further away, sensing something "isn't right" with Tony or Tony's relationship with his mother.

Living a continental life in London and Paris, by age 12, Tony's sexual proclivities and tawdriness appear to be mimicking those of his mother. Brooks is convinced

• 1
• 2
• 3
• next page >>

Add your voice

Know something about Movie reviews: Savage Grace?
We want to hear your view. Write now!