Watch The Loved One

The Loved One is a darkly comedic film from 1965 that tells the story of a young British poet named Dennis Barlow (played by Robert Morse) who travels to California to visit his uncle, Sir Francis Hinsley (played by John Gielgud), who works at a Hollywood studio. While there, Dennis falls in love with a beautiful cosmetician named Aimee (played by Anjanette Comer).

However, Dennis's plans for a romantic future in Hollywood are quickly derailed when his uncle dies unexpectedly. In his grief and confusion, Dennis seeks solace at a nearby funeral home called Whispering Glades Memorial Park.

Whispering Glades is a bizarre and surreal place, filled with eccentric characters and strange rituals. The most notable of these is Mr. Joyboy (played by Jonathan Winters), a funeral director who obsessively takes care of the deceased's appearance and surroundings.

As Dennis becomes more involved in the goings-on at Whispering Glades, he begins to realize that the funeral home is not just a place of mourning, but also a profitable business. The owners of the park, led by the dastardly Mr. Starker (played by Rod Steiger), will do anything to keep the customers coming and the cash flow steady, including creating an amusement park-like environment complete with a pet cemetery, gift shop, and plastic surgery clinic.

As Dennis struggles to find his place in this bizarre world, he discovers that Aimee has also become entangled in Whispering Glades' web of deceit. Together, Dennis and Aimee must try to escape the park and make a new life for themselves outside of its macabre confines.

Directed by Tony Richardson and based on the satirical novel by Evelyn Waugh, The Loved One is a biting commentary on American culture and the funeral industry. Its scathing humor and absurd characters make it a cult classic, and its themes of death, love, and identity still resonate with audiences today.

The Loved One is a 1965 comedy with a runtime of 2 hours and 2 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.9.