Paranoiac (1963 film)
Encyclopedia
Paranoiac is a 1963 suspense film from Hammer Films directed by Freddie Francis
and starring Janette Scott
, Oliver Reed
, Sheila Burrell
, and Alexander Davion. The screenplay was written by Jimmy Sangster
, based loosely on the 1949 crime novel, Brat Farrar
by Josephine Tey
.
Eight years earlier, when Tony was a youth, he had left a suicide note and had apparently jumped off a seacoast cliff, but his body had never been recovered. A grown man resembling Tony appears, claiming that he had simply run off. Eleanor wants to believe that the man is Tony. Harriet Ashby (Burrell), their Aunt, is immediately hostile and calls the man an impostor. Simon pretends to be more open-minded about the situation.
However, Simon knows the man is an impostor, because he had actually tricked Tony into writing the suicide note, and then murdered him. Filled with remorse over his crime, he had then hidden the body behind a brick wall in a chapel on the estate (these facts are not revealed until near the end of the film). From time to time, when depressed, Simon would retreat to the chapel and act out a scene in which he would pretend his brother was still alive. He would play a phonograph record of Tony singing, while Simon would play the organ, in the company of a masked maniac, who would also play the part of the dead brother.One night "Tony" is attacked by the masked maniac with a bale hook while watching Simon plays the organ.The next night "Tony" and Eleanor stealthily observe this ritual through a window. Eleanor is spotted by the masked maniac out of the corner of her eye. The masked maniac slips outside and tries to attack Eleanor, but is stopped by "Tony" , the person in the mask is revealed to be Aunt Harriet. The Aunt then explains about the ritual, and blames "Tony" for awakening Simon's psychosis after it had seemingly been dormant for years.
Eleanor finds she is falling in love with her supposed brother. Overcome with conflict over her seemingly incestuous thoughts, she is about to commit suicide, when the man restrains her and confesses that he is not her brother Tony, but instead is a con man hired by the embezzling family attorney, John Kossett (Denham).
The fake Tony investigates the chapel, and finds Tony's mummified body. He is about to leave, but is stopped by Simon, who fills in the missing plot details about having killed Tony. Simon then slugs the man and binds him to a pillar. When the man comes to, Simon is playing the organ, with the real Tony's body now seated on a chair next to the organ. Simon informs the impostor that he and Tony have had a talk and have decided to have the man "join" Tony. Harriet appears, and persuades Simon to leave; that she will take care of the situation. Unfazed at seeing the corpse, it is evident that she also knew the truth.
After Simon leaves, Harriet throws down a lantern, setting the chapel afire, and she rushes off. Eleanor quickly turns up, unties the fake Tony, and sees the real Tony's body briefly. Eleanor and the man flee the estate rather than returning to the house. With the chapel ablaze and Tony's body inside, Simon's madness takes him over. He leaves the house and staggers to the chapel to try to "rescue" Tony, but collapses as he clutches Tony's skeletal remains. The fire rages on as the film ends.
Freddie Francis
Frederick William Francis BSC was an English cinematographer and film director.He achieved his greatest successes as a cinematographer, including winning two Academy Awards, for Sons and Lovers and Glory...
and starring Janette Scott
Janette Scott
Thora Janette Scott is an English actress. She was born in Morecambe, England. She is the daughter of actors Jimmy Scott and Thora Hird. She started her acting career as a child actress, known as Janette Scott, and became a popular leading lady...
, Oliver Reed
Oliver Reed
Oliver Reed was an English actor known for his burly screen presence. Reed exemplified his real-life macho image in "tough guy" roles...
, Sheila Burrell
Sheila Burrell
Sheila Mary Burrell was a British actress. A cousin of Lord Olivier, she was born in Blackheath, London, the daughter of a salesman. She attended St John's, Bexhill-on-Sea and the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art, London...
, and Alexander Davion. The screenplay was written by Jimmy Sangster
Jimmy Sangster
James Henry Kinmel Sangster was an English screenwriter and director, known for his work for horror film producers Hammer Film Productions, including scripts for The Curse of Frankenstein and Dracula .Sangster originally worked as a production assistant at...
, based loosely on the 1949 crime novel, Brat Farrar
Brat Farrar
Brat Farrar is a 1949 crime novel by Josephine Tey.-Plot summary:The story centers around the Ashbys, an English country-squire family. Their centuries-old family estate is Latchetts, in the fictional village of Clare near the south coast of England...
by Josephine Tey
Josephine Tey
Josephine Tey was a pseudonym used by Elizabeth Mackintosh a Scottish author best known for her mystery novels. She also wrote as Gordon Daviot, under which name she wrote plays with an historical theme....
.
Synopsis
Simon Ashby (Reed) is trying to drive his sister, Eleanor (Scott) insane, so that he can inherit the estate of their deceased parents. But when a mysterious man (Davion) appears, claiming to be their long-lost brother Tony, Simon's plans are thwarted. Simon vows to get revenge on the man and eliminate his sister in the process.Eight years earlier, when Tony was a youth, he had left a suicide note and had apparently jumped off a seacoast cliff, but his body had never been recovered. A grown man resembling Tony appears, claiming that he had simply run off. Eleanor wants to believe that the man is Tony. Harriet Ashby (Burrell), their Aunt, is immediately hostile and calls the man an impostor. Simon pretends to be more open-minded about the situation.
However, Simon knows the man is an impostor, because he had actually tricked Tony into writing the suicide note, and then murdered him. Filled with remorse over his crime, he had then hidden the body behind a brick wall in a chapel on the estate (these facts are not revealed until near the end of the film). From time to time, when depressed, Simon would retreat to the chapel and act out a scene in which he would pretend his brother was still alive. He would play a phonograph record of Tony singing, while Simon would play the organ, in the company of a masked maniac, who would also play the part of the dead brother.One night "Tony" is attacked by the masked maniac with a bale hook while watching Simon plays the organ.The next night "Tony" and Eleanor stealthily observe this ritual through a window. Eleanor is spotted by the masked maniac out of the corner of her eye. The masked maniac slips outside and tries to attack Eleanor, but is stopped by "Tony" , the person in the mask is revealed to be Aunt Harriet. The Aunt then explains about the ritual, and blames "Tony" for awakening Simon's psychosis after it had seemingly been dormant for years.
Eleanor finds she is falling in love with her supposed brother. Overcome with conflict over her seemingly incestuous thoughts, she is about to commit suicide, when the man restrains her and confesses that he is not her brother Tony, but instead is a con man hired by the embezzling family attorney, John Kossett (Denham).
The fake Tony investigates the chapel, and finds Tony's mummified body. He is about to leave, but is stopped by Simon, who fills in the missing plot details about having killed Tony. Simon then slugs the man and binds him to a pillar. When the man comes to, Simon is playing the organ, with the real Tony's body now seated on a chair next to the organ. Simon informs the impostor that he and Tony have had a talk and have decided to have the man "join" Tony. Harriet appears, and persuades Simon to leave; that she will take care of the situation. Unfazed at seeing the corpse, it is evident that she also knew the truth.
After Simon leaves, Harriet throws down a lantern, setting the chapel afire, and she rushes off. Eleanor quickly turns up, unties the fake Tony, and sees the real Tony's body briefly. Eleanor and the man flee the estate rather than returning to the house. With the chapel ablaze and Tony's body inside, Simon's madness takes him over. He leaves the house and staggers to the chapel to try to "rescue" Tony, but collapses as he clutches Tony's skeletal remains. The fire rages on as the film ends.
Cast
- Janette Scott as Eleanor Ashby
- Oliver Reed as Simon Ashby
- Sheila BurrellSheila BurrellSheila Mary Burrell was a British actress. A cousin of Lord Olivier, she was born in Blackheath, London, the daughter of a salesman. She attended St John's, Bexhill-on-Sea and the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art, London...
as Aunt Harriet - Maurice DenhamMaurice DenhamMaurice Denham OBE was an English character actor who appeared in over 100 television programmes and films throughout his long career.-Life and career:...
as John Kossett - Alexander Davion as Tony Ashby
- Liliane Brousse as Françoise
- Harold LangHarold LangHarold Lang was an American dancer and actor.-Biography:Lang began his professional career as a ballet dancer, making his professional debut with the San Francisco Ballet in 1938 and then going on to perform with the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo two years later and American Ballet Theatre in 1943...
as RAF Type - Arnold Diamond
- John Bonney (actor)|John Bonney as Keith Kossett
- John StuartJohn Stuart (actor)John Stuart, born John Alfred Louden Croall , was a Scottish actor, and a very popular leading man in British silent films in the 1920s. He appeared in two films directed by Alfred Hitchcock....
as Williams