THE FULL TREATMENT (1960, aka STOP ME BEFORE I KILL!) is one of Hammer's earlier psycho-thrillers, made when they were still finding their feet with the genre. Certainly it lacks the intensity and finesse of a later film like A TASTE OF FEAR, which I regard as their finest hour in that genre. This one involves racing car driver Ronald Lewis who's in a terrible car accident and thereafter struggling with the urge to strangle his own wife...
While this is a typically well-made movie, the main problem it has is with the pacing. It goes on for nearly two hours and in the middle part in particular the plot really stalls with lots of detailed interrogations. Val Guest's direction is surprisingly good here, with some really nice inserts, but overall the result is tedium at times. However, the ending when it comes is a good one, and Lewis is a good enough performer to hold your attention through the slower moments.
While this is a typically well-made movie, the main problem it has is with the pacing. It goes on for nearly two hours and in the middle part in particular the plot really stalls with lots of detailed interrogations. Val Guest's direction is surprisingly good here, with some really nice inserts, but overall the result is tedium at times. However, the ending when it comes is a good one, and Lewis is a good enough performer to hold your attention through the slower moments.