Scream of Fear (1961)

A wheelchair-bound young woman returns to her father's estate after ten years, and although she's told he's away, she keeps seeing his dead body on the estate.

Director:

Seth Holt

Writer:

Jimmy Sangster

Stars:

Susan Strasberg, Ann Todd, Ronald Lewis

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Susan Strasberg	...	Penny Appleby
Ronald Lewis	...	Robert
Ann Todd	...	Jane Appleby
Christopher Lee	...	Doctor Pierre Gerrard
John Serret	...	Inspector Legrand
Leonard Sachs	...	Mr. Spratt
Anne Blake	...	Marie the Maid
Fred Johnson	...	Father

Storyline

Penny Applebee's parents were divorced when she was quite young and she grew up with her mother. After her mother's death, the wheelchair-bound Penny has accepted her father's invitation to live with him. She arrives only to learn that her father is away though her stepmother - who she is meeting for the first time - proves to be quite welcoming. On her first night however, she sees a light in the summerhouse and upon investigation, sees her father sitting there, apparently dead. Others can find nothing there and tell her she must have imagined it. She later sees his body in library and then again in the pool. She comes to believe that her stepmother and her father's friend, Doctor Pierre Gerard, are plotting to drive her insane. She gets a sympathetic ear from Bob, the chauffeur, who feels there has to be some rational explanation for what has been happening.

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Plot Keywords:

father | stepmother | doctor | chauffeur | dead body | 

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Taglines:

For maximum thrill . . . we earnestly urge you to see this motion picture from the start!

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Genres:

Horror | Thriller

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English French German

Release Date:

22 August 1961 (USA)

Also Known As:

Scream of Fear

Filming Locations:

Black Park, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Hammer Films, Falcon Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

81 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In :The Films of Christopher Lee", the actor is on record as saying, "In my opinion, the best film Hammer ever made." He added that Seth Holt was " . . . one of the best directors Britain ever had."

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Goofs

When the policeman is telling Mrs. Abblebee and Bob about the car accident, he says the car was found in 30 feet of water. When we see the car in the water it is just below the surface.

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Quotes

Penny Appleby: [to Dr. Gerrard] You say my mind is affecting my legs. You're wrong. It's my legs that are affecting my mind.

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Connections

Referenced in Adjust Your Tracking (2013)

User Reviews

Good, atmospheric chiller

I had this movie so idealized in my mind from childhood, that I was afraid when I finally found it on video (after 4 solid years of searching!), that it wouldn't be as good as I remembered, but it holds up surprisingly well, thanks to director Holt's atmospheric direction and the crisp performances. What I recalled as the movie's biggest fright (the swimming pool) isn't all that scary, but the twist-ending surprise (no spoilers here!) still caught me off guard, and the last couple of minutes of the movie are genuinely suspenseful and more than cap the film's slow, steady buildup. All in all, a wonderful little chiller. Now, if I could only find my other, hard-to-find treasure, "Twisted Nerve"--anyone know if it holds up well? Anyone know where to find it on video or DVD?