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Twisted Nerve

  • 19681968
  • 13+13+
  • 1h 52m
IMDb RATING
7.0/10
2.1K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
20,356
2,290
Twisted Nerve (1968)
Martin Durnley (Hywel Bennett) is a troubled young man. With a mother who insists on treating him like a child, a stepfather who can't wait to see the back of him, and a brother with Down's Syndrome shut away in an institution, is it any wonder he retreats into an alternate personality - that of six-year-old Georgie? It is Georgie who befriends Susan Harper (Hayley Mills), but friendship soon turns into obsession. When Susan begins to distance herself, something inside Georgie snaps and he embarks on a killing spree, with Susan as the next target.
Play trailer2:33
1 Video
49 Photos
DramaThriller
Martin Durnley (Hywel Bennett) is a troubled young man. With a mother who insists on treating him like a child, a stepfather who can't wait to see the back of him, and a brother with Down's ... Read allMartin Durnley (Hywel Bennett) is a troubled young man. With a mother who insists on treating him like a child, a stepfather who can't wait to see the back of him, and a brother with Down's Syndrome shut away in an institution, is it any wonder he retreats into an alternate perso... Read allMartin Durnley (Hywel Bennett) is a troubled young man. With a mother who insists on treating him like a child, a stepfather who can't wait to see the back of him, and a brother with Down's Syndrome shut away in an institution, is it any wonder he retreats into an alternate personality - that of six-year-old Georgie? It is Georgie who befriends Susan Harper (Hayley Mi... Read all
IMDb RATING
7.0/10
2.1K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
20,356
2,290
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Director
      • Roy Boulting
    • Writers
      • Leo Marks(screenplay)
      • Roy Boulting(screenplay)
      • Roger Marshall(adapted from screen story)
    • Stars
      • Hayley Mills
      • Hywel Bennett
      • Billie Whitelaw
    Top credits
    • Director
      • Roy Boulting
    • Writers
      • Leo Marks(screenplay)
      • Roy Boulting(screenplay)
      • Roger Marshall(adapted from screen story)
    • Stars
      • Hayley Mills
      • Hywel Bennett
      • Billie Whitelaw
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 35User reviews
    • 29Critic reviews
    • Won 1 BAFTA Award
      • 1 win total

    Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 2:33
    Trailer

    Photos49

    Twisted Nerve (1968)
    Twisted Nerve (1968)
    Hayley Mills and Hywel Bennett in Twisted Nerve (1968)
    Hayley Mills and Hywel Bennett in Twisted Nerve (1968)
    Hayley Mills and Hywel Bennett in Twisted Nerve (1968)
    Hayley Mills and Hywel Bennett in Twisted Nerve (1968)
    Hayley Mills and Christian Roberts in Twisted Nerve (1968)
    Hayley Mills and Hywel Bennett in Twisted Nerve (1968)
    Billie Whitelaw in Twisted Nerve (1968)
    Hywel Bennett and Billie Whitelaw in Twisted Nerve (1968)
    Hayley Mills and Hywel Bennett in Twisted Nerve (1968)
    Hywel Bennett in Twisted Nerve (1968)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Hayley Mills
    Hayley Mills
    • Susan Harper
    Hywel Bennett
    Hywel Bennett
    • Martin Durnley (Georgie Clifford)
    Billie Whitelaw
    Billie Whitelaw
    • Joan Harper
    Phyllis Calvert
    Phyllis Calvert
    • Enid Durnley
    Barry Foster
    Barry Foster
    • Gerry Henderson
    Frank Finlay
    Frank Finlay
    • Henry Durnley
    Salmaan Peerzada
    Salmaan Peerzada
    • Shashie Kumar
    • (as Salmaan Peer)
    Christian Roberts
    Christian Roberts
    • Philip Harvey
    Gretchen Franklin
    Gretchen Franklin
    • 'Clarkie'
    Thorley Walters
    Thorley Walters
    • Sir John Forrester
    Russell Napier
    Russell Napier
    • Professor Fuller
    Timothy Bateson
    Timothy Bateson
    • Mr. Groom
    Timothy West
    Timothy West
    • Superintendant Dakin
    Brian Peck
    Brian Peck
    • Det-Sgt Rogers
    Richard Davies
    Richard Davies
    • 'Taffy' Evans
    Basil Dignam
    Basil Dignam
    • Doctor
    Robin Parkinson
    • Shop Manager
    Mollie Maureen
    • Lady Patient
    • Director
      • Roy Boulting
    • Writers
      • Leo Marks(screenplay)
      • Roy Boulting(screenplay)
      • Roger Marshall(adapted from screen story) (idea)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      This movie's controversial nature led to a prologue being added during post-production, explaining that there was no connection between Mongolism and psychopathic behavior.
    • Goofs
      In the closing credits, the police rank Superintendent is spelled as "Superintendant".
    • Quotes

      Narrator: Ladies and gentlemen, in view of the controversy already aroused, the producers of this film wish to re-emphasize what is already stated in the film, that there is no established scientific connection between Mongolism and psychotic or criminal behaviour.

    • Connections
      Featured in Dusk to Dawn Drive-In Trash-o-Rama Show Vol. 6 (1999)
    • Soundtracks
      Madeleine
      (uncredited)

      Written by John Addison and Roy Boulting

    User reviews35

    Review
    Top review
    8/10
    Now if only I could get that catchy tune out of my head.
    A storm in a tea-cup is how to describe the glaring reputation formed by this obviously influenced Hitchcok-like, British slow pot-boiler psycho-thriller. At its core is a very daring, but questionable theme (or better put taboo) that landed it in hot-water with the media when released, as it opens with a disclaimer ruling out the scientific connections between siblings of mongoloid children being linked to criminal behavior. Well it must have been effective in some shape, as that's one way to get your film noticed! Screenplay/writer Leo Marks wouldn't be wet behind the ears to controversy, due to the fact he wrote the story for chillingly sleazy 1960 'Peeping Tom' that saw director Michael Powell's work getting heavily cut.

    Martin Darnley is a coldly smart, but considerably nurtured and lonely young lad of a wealthy family that sees his mother smother him, while his domineering step-father wants to get rid of him and his mongoloid brother hospitalized. Assuming a false identity under Georgie; a nice, but mentally back-wards boy he meets a young lady Susan Harper who he takes a real shine too. Under certain circumstances and made-up stories he finds himself staying at a lodging house owned by Susan and her mother Joan.

    Where it goes on to spark the interest and really builds around is the dark and unnerving psychological interplay of Martin (with a magnificently conniving and edgy performance by Hywel Bennett) manipulating and preying on the goodwill of others to adapt and form his new identity for ones own gain. The biting (if heavy-handed an absurd) material really does complement the calculative, random and moody ambiance, where it demonstrates a glassy sort of tension awaiting to break from the dramatic actions of the progressively plotted layout. This is more so character-based, than anything related to thrills. Bernard Herrmann's grandiosely sizzling score eerily caresses with the catching whistling rift by Bennett's character striking a cord. Director/writer Quentin Tarantino would sample the jarring whistle tune in 'Kill Bill Vol. 1'. Most of the suspense arose from Herrmann's masterful arrangement, than anything visually. Roy Boulting does an accomplished job directing, even with some stretched-out moments it remains curiously gripping throughout and the expressive camera-work takes shape to where it reaches its hysterical climax. The lovely ladies that appear are a terrific Haley Mills as Susan and Billie Whitelaw is absolutely great as her mother Joan. There's also a boisterous Barry Foster appearing as one of the lodgers.
    helpful•15
    2
    • lost-in-limbo
    • Aug 29, 2009

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • February 12, 1969 (Canada)
    • Country of origin
      • United Kingdom
    • Languages
      • English
      • French
    • Also known as
      • Teufelskreis Y
    • Filming locations
      • Burley House, 15 Cambridge Park, Twickenham, London, England, UK
    • Production company
      • Charter Film Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • Runtime
      1 hour 52 minutes
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.66 : 1

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