Crescendo (1970)

A young American woman Susan Roberts goes to the south of France to do her thesis research on a recently deceased composer, staying with his eccentric relatives.

Director:

Alan Gibson

Writers:

Jimmy Sangster (screenplay), Alfred Shaughnessy (screenplay)

Stars:

Stefanie Powers, James Olson, Margaretta Scott

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Stefanie Powers	...	Susan Roberts
James Olson	...	Georges Ryman / Jacques Ryman
Margaretta Scott	...	Danielle Ryman
Jane Lapotaire	...	Lillianne
Joss Ackland	...	Carter
Kirsten Lindholm	...	Catherine (as Kirsten Betts)

Storyline

New York based graduate student Susan Roberts has just arrived in France to do research for her Masters thesis on the works of the late composer, Henry Ryman. She is staying indefinitely at the rural isolated estate of Ryman's widow, Danielle Ryman, on her invitation. There, Susan will have access to Henry's materials. Beyond Danielle, Carter the valet, and Lillianne the maid, the only other person living at the estate is Henry and Danielle's son, Georges Ryman. Georges is wheelchair-bound from an accident suffered six years ago, which ended what looked to be the start of a promising tennis career. Georges admits that he probably disappointed his parents by not being musically inclined like most people in their family. Susan learns that she has a strong resemblance to Georges' ex-girlfriend Catherine, who left him after the accident. Susan can see that Georges suffers both from physical and emotional pain, the latter more than just the emasculation he admits he feels from being in a ...

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Plot Keywords:

murder of a nude woman | nudity | giallo | bikini giallo | wheelchair | 

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Taglines:

The night the loving ended and the killing began!

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Genres:

Horror | Thriller

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English French

Release Date:

29 November 1972 (USA)

Also Known As:

Concierto inacabado

Filming Locations:

Associated British Elstree Studios, Shenley Road, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Hammer Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

96 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

James Carreras unsuccessfully pursued Joan Crawford for the role ultimately played by Margaretta Scott.

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Alternate Versions

After being released with an "R" rating, film was edited and re-rated "PG" for wider release.

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Connections

Referenced in Sundown: The Vampire in Retreat (1989)

User Reviews

CRESCENDO is worth a look if you can find it

This is a thriller from England's Hammer studios and not a TV movie as some comments have suggested. A woman arrives at a country estate to write a thesis on a dead classical composer. While she's there, she becomes involved in a twisted tale involving infidelity and murder and finds her own life in jeopardy. Warner Brothers released this uncut and rated R but later cut it down to PG and used it on double bills with Dracula AD 72 and WHEN DINOSAURS RULED THE EARTH. WHEN DINOSAURS was cut down to a G rating and seeing as Warner's is releasing Dracula AD later this year, maybe they can get around to their other remaining Hammer properties. It would be great to see CRESCENDO AND DINOSAURS get uncut R1 DVD releases.