Needful Things

Needful Things is a 1993 American horror film based on Stephen King's 1991 novel of the same name. The film was directed by Fraser C. Heston (Charlton Heston's son; this is his only film without his father in the cast), and stars Ed Harris, Max von Sydow, Bonnie Bedelia, and J. T. Walsh. The film received negative to mixed reviews, critics praised the performances and ending, but criticized its portrayal of its story and felt it inferior to its source material. Plot A mysterious proprietor named Leland Gaunt, claiming to be from Akron, Ohio, arrives in the small town of Castle Rock, Maine in a sinister-looking black car and opens a new antique store called "Needful Things". The store sells various items of great personal worth to the residents (some of which, like a pendant that eases pain or a toy which predicts the outcome of horse races, are clearly supernatural). Gaunt demands payment both in cash and in small "favors", usually pranks played by his customers on their neighbors. Gaunt's first customer is a boy named Brian Rusk who buys a rare baseball card featuring Mickey Mantle in exchange for 95 cents and a prank on his neighbor Wilma Wadlowski Jerzyck. Gaunt makes an impression on the town's people, on whom he pulls pranks. One victim of a prank is a corrupt boat salesman and gambler named Danforth Keeton who embezzled $20,000 of the town people's tax money to pay off his gambling debts. Keeton finds out from Sheriff Alan Pangborn that people are on to him and in turn, he relays his fears to Gaunt and his hatred of those who refer to him as 'Buster' Keeton. To help Keeton with his problems, Gaunt sells him a toy race-horse that predicts the outcome of any horse race from which he might recoup the $20,000 and replace the money before the townsfolk find out officially. Gaunt sells Frank Jewett a first edition of Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson. He also learns of the rivalry between the Catholic priest, Father Meehan and Baptist minister, Reverend Willie Rose when he sells to both of them objects from his shop.