Carrie (1976) - The A.V. Club

Cast

Sissy Spacek (Carrie)Piper Laurie (Margaret White)Amy Irving (Sue Snell)John Travolta (Billy Nolan)William Katt (Tommy Ross)Nancy Allen (Chris Hargenson)Betty Buckley (Miss Collins)P.J. Soles (Norma)Priscilla Pointer (Mrs. Snell)Sydney Lassick (Mr. Fromm)Stefan Gierasch (Mr. Morton)Michael Talbott (Freddy)Doug Cox (The Beak)Harry Gold (George)Noelle North (Frieda)Cindy Daly (Cora)Deirdre Berthrong (Rhonda)Anson Downes (Ernest)

Director

Brian De Palma

Synopsis

It's nearing the end of the school year. High school senior Carrie White is a social outcast, largely due to being unwise to the ways of the world based on her upbringing. Her mother, Margaret White, is a religious fanatic, her extreme views primarily targeted against sex, which she believes is a sin. She even believes natural associated processes such as menstruation are a sin, about which she has refused to mention to Carrie. Mrs. White's beliefs were taken to that extreme largely because of her own failed marriage and her husband Ralph long ago having run off with another woman. The only adult authority figure who tries to help Carrie with her life is her phys ed teacher, Miss Collins, who is nonetheless warned not to get too close to go against how Mrs. White chooses to raise Carrie, Mrs. White whose beliefs are well known in the community. An impromptu event that happens among Carrie's phys ed classmates against her leads to her classmates being punished. One of those students, self absorbed Chris Hargensen, vows revenge against Carrie for that punishment, the method of the revenge associated to the phys ed class incident. Another student however, the popular Sue Snell, begins to feel sorry for Carrie. In wanting to help her get out of her shell, Sue asks her boyfriend, the equally popular Tommy Ross, to take Carrie to the senior prom instead of her. This move does not sit well with Mrs. White, who in her extreme view believes Carrie will fall prey to sin. All these competing issues lead to Carrie deciding on an impulse to use a newfound skill to free herself from the figurative chains that have long been placed around her, with tragic consequences.