I Start Counting (film)
Encyclopedia
I Start Counting was a British film made in 1969
and starring Jenny Agutter
in one of her first serious roles. It was based on the novel of the same name by Audrey Erskine Lindop.
The film was moderately controversial because of Agutter's squeaky-clean image, her youth (only 16 in real life, she played a 14-year-old), and the film's sexual content. It also included Simon Ward
's first major film role.
. While spying on George in the bathroom, Wynne notices George has several scratches on his back, and finds a bloody sweater she made for him that he threw in the trash, which leads her to suspect George of being the serial killer of several local teenage girls, who is still at large. Despite this belief, Wynne continues to have romantic sexual fantasies about George and dreams of marrying him when she comes of legal age.
Wynne hides in George's trade van, thinking she will catch him in the act of murdering a young girl. Instead she discovers he is having an affair with a suicidal older woman, played by Lana Morris
, whose blood was on the discarded sweater from slashing her wrist in a suicide attempt.
Wynne's best friend Corrinne, played by Clare Sutcliffe, teases Wynne about her crush on George, and when the family goes out on a picnic Corrinne even flirts with George, who gets angry at her for acting like a "pathetic little mini-tart" and pins her down roughly on the ground. Corrinne runs away from the picnic, and later telephones Wynne to tell her she's staying out all night with a boy she met, who turns out to be the true serial killer, a bus conductor played by Simon Ward. Wynne gets worried about her friend, goes searching for her, and finds Corrinne's dead body; when the bus conductor see Wynne he intends to make her his next victim, but the police arrive on the scene in time.
The theme song, also entitled "I Start Counting", was sung by Lindsey Moore.
1969 in film
The year 1969 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* Last year for prize giving at the Venice Film Festival until it is revived in 1980...
and starring Jenny Agutter
Jenny Agutter
Jennifer Ann "Jenny" Agutter is an English film and television actress. She began her career as a child actress in the mid 1960s, starring in the BBC television series The Railway Children and the film adaptation of the same book, before moving on to adult roles and relocating to Hollywood.She...
in one of her first serious roles. It was based on the novel of the same name by Audrey Erskine Lindop.
The film was moderately controversial because of Agutter's squeaky-clean image, her youth (only 16 in real life, she played a 14-year-old), and the film's sexual content. It also included Simon Ward
Simon Ward
Simon Ward is an English stage and film actor.-Early life:Simon Ward was born in Beckenham, Kent, near London, the son of a car dealer. From an early age he wanted to be an actor. He was educated at Alleyn's School, London, the home of the National Youth Theatre, which he joined at age 13 and...
's first major film role.
Plot summary
Jenny Agutter plays Wynne, an adopted 14-year-old girl who has a crush on her 32-year-old stepbrother, George, played by Bryan MarshallBryan Marshall
Bryan Marshall is an English actor, with a number of major credits in film and television to his name.Marshall was born in Clapham, London...
. While spying on George in the bathroom, Wynne notices George has several scratches on his back, and finds a bloody sweater she made for him that he threw in the trash, which leads her to suspect George of being the serial killer of several local teenage girls, who is still at large. Despite this belief, Wynne continues to have romantic sexual fantasies about George and dreams of marrying him when she comes of legal age.
Wynne hides in George's trade van, thinking she will catch him in the act of murdering a young girl. Instead she discovers he is having an affair with a suicidal older woman, played by Lana Morris
Lana Morris
Lana Morris, born Averil Maureen Anita Morris was a British film, stage and television actress during the 1950s and 1960s....
, whose blood was on the discarded sweater from slashing her wrist in a suicide attempt.
Wynne's best friend Corrinne, played by Clare Sutcliffe, teases Wynne about her crush on George, and when the family goes out on a picnic Corrinne even flirts with George, who gets angry at her for acting like a "pathetic little mini-tart" and pins her down roughly on the ground. Corrinne runs away from the picnic, and later telephones Wynne to tell her she's staying out all night with a boy she met, who turns out to be the true serial killer, a bus conductor played by Simon Ward. Wynne gets worried about her friend, goes searching for her, and finds Corrinne's dead body; when the bus conductor see Wynne he intends to make her his next victim, but the police arrive on the scene in time.
The theme song, also entitled "I Start Counting", was sung by Lindsey Moore.