The Black Torment
Encyclopedia
The Black Torment is a 1964 British gothic
horror film, directed by Robert Hartford-Davis
and starring John Turner
, Heather Sears
and Ann Lynn. The film is set in 18th-century Devon
and was scripted by brothers Donald and Derek Ford
. In terms of plot and setting it shares many similarities with the Hammer Horror productions of the 1960s, but was made by a smaller studio, Compton Films.
) running in panic through a nocturnal wood as the opening credits roll. She is finally tracked down and cornered by a figure in black who puts his hands around her throat.
The scene then switches to daytime and a horse-drawn carriage containing Sir Richard Fordyke (Turner) and his new bride Elizabeth (Sears), who is being brought from London to meet her new father-in-law (Joseph Tomelty
) for the first time. Elizabeth is nervous and anxious, hoping to make a good impression but worried that she will not pass muster. Sir Richard assures her that his father will love her just as he does, but warns her that his father is "a shadow of the man he once was", having been crippled by a stroke and now able only to communicate by sign language. A complicating factor is that the only person who can interpret his signing is the devoted Diane (Lynn), sister to Sir Richard's first wife Anne who died by her own hand four years previously after becoming deranged over her inability to bear a child.
On arrival in his home village, Sir Richard is bewildered by his reception from his tenants. Having expected a warm welcome after his absence and marriage, instead he finds himself treated with rudeness and barely disguised suspicion. His coachman Tom (Derek Newark
) asks a villager the reason for the sudden hostility towards his previously well-liked master and is told that shocking events have been taking place, culminating in the rape and murder of Lucy who, before she died, screamed out Sir Richard's name. Sir Richard and Elizabeth come to Fordyke Hall and receive an oddly stiff and formal welcome from the staff and Diane. When challenged, steward Seymour (Peter Arne
) tells Sir Richard of wild rumours circulating in the village about Lucy's last words. Sir Richard points out that he was provably in London when the attack happened, but Seymour states that logic cannot assuage the primitive suspicions of the villagers, particularly as enquiries have established that there were no strangers in the vicinity at the time.
Events quickly take a sinister turn as a copy of Anne's suicide note is anonymously delivered to Elizabeth, the window from which Anne jumped becomes mysteriously unbolted at night and Sir Richard sees what he believes to be the ghost of his dead wife in the garden. Meanwhile Mary, a maid in the house, after enjoying an illicit nocturnal frolic in a barn, is murdered in the same way as Lucy. A stablehand tells Sir Richard that one of his horses is being taken out and ridden at night by an unknown woman, and a saddle inscribed with Anne's name is delivered. The saddler insists that Sir Richard ordered it in person, despite Sir Richard's insistence that he has been nowhere near the village for three months. Colonel Wentworth (Raymond Huntley
) informs Sir Richard that there are numerous reports of his having been seen riding around the neighbourhood at night during his supposed absence in London, pursued by Anne who keeps shouting the word "murderer". Those who have seen the spectacle are speaking of witchcraft and devilry.
Unable to explain the strange goings-on, Sir Richard starts to doubt his own sanity and his marriage comes under strain as Elizabeth too struggles to make sense of events. When he sees the ghost in the garden again at night, he mounts his horse and gives chase, only to find himself being pursued instead by Anne in exactly ther manner previously alleged by his tenants. He is apprehended by the local militia and returned to Fordyke Hall, where Elizabeth is insistent that he left her only moments before. Believing that she too has turned against him and is now somehow involved in the plot to incriminate him or drive him mad, he attempts to strangle her, managing to stop himself from killing her just in time. Ultimately he manages to uncover the real plot culprits and their motives, but cannot prevent another murder being committed, and has to take part in a vicious swordfight before he can reveal the truth.
Gothic fiction
Gothic fiction, sometimes referred to as Gothic horror, is a genre or mode of literature that combines elements of both horror and romance. Gothicism's origin is attributed to English author Horace Walpole, with his 1764 novel The Castle of Otranto, subtitled "A Gothic Story"...
horror film, directed by Robert Hartford-Davis
Robert Hartford-Davis
Robert Hartford-Davis was a British born producer, director and writer, who worked on film and television in both in the United Kingdom and United States. He is also sometimes credited as Michael Burrowes or Robert Hartford....
and starring John Turner
John Turner (actor)
John Turner is a British television actor.One of his most recognisable roles was that of Roderick Spode in the ITV television series Jeeves and Wooster based on the P. G. Wodehouse novels...
, Heather Sears
Heather Sears
Heather Christine Sears: , was a British stage and screen actress.-Biography:Although not from an acting family , she was already acting in plays at the age of five and even writing them at the age of eight...
and Ann Lynn. The film is set in 18th-century Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
and was scripted by brothers Donald and Derek Ford
Derek Ford
Derek Ford was an English film director and writer, most famous for sexploitation films such as The Wife Swappers Keep it Up Jack! Sex Express , and What's up Superdoc! .Ford began as a writer in collaboration with his brother Donald Ford , originally...
. In terms of plot and setting it shares many similarities with the Hammer Horror productions of the 1960s, but was made by a smaller studio, Compton Films.
Plot
The film opens with an obviously terrified young woman Lucy Judd (Edina RonayEdina Ronay
Edina Ronay FRSA is an Anglo-Hungarian fashion designer and former actress, the daughter of food critic Egon Ronay and mother of actress/writer Shebah Ronay....
) running in panic through a nocturnal wood as the opening credits roll. She is finally tracked down and cornered by a figure in black who puts his hands around her throat.
The scene then switches to daytime and a horse-drawn carriage containing Sir Richard Fordyke (Turner) and his new bride Elizabeth (Sears), who is being brought from London to meet her new father-in-law (Joseph Tomelty
Joseph Tomelty
Joseph Tomelty was a Northern Irish character actor and playwright. He worked in film, television, radio and on the stage, starring in Sam Thompson's 1960 play Over the Bridge.-Early life:...
) for the first time. Elizabeth is nervous and anxious, hoping to make a good impression but worried that she will not pass muster. Sir Richard assures her that his father will love her just as he does, but warns her that his father is "a shadow of the man he once was", having been crippled by a stroke and now able only to communicate by sign language. A complicating factor is that the only person who can interpret his signing is the devoted Diane (Lynn), sister to Sir Richard's first wife Anne who died by her own hand four years previously after becoming deranged over her inability to bear a child.
On arrival in his home village, Sir Richard is bewildered by his reception from his tenants. Having expected a warm welcome after his absence and marriage, instead he finds himself treated with rudeness and barely disguised suspicion. His coachman Tom (Derek Newark
Derek Newark
Derek Newark was an English actor.He appeared in a large number of film and television roles, including The Baron , The Avengers , Z Cars , Barlow at Large in the recurring role of Det. Insp...
) asks a villager the reason for the sudden hostility towards his previously well-liked master and is told that shocking events have been taking place, culminating in the rape and murder of Lucy who, before she died, screamed out Sir Richard's name. Sir Richard and Elizabeth come to Fordyke Hall and receive an oddly stiff and formal welcome from the staff and Diane. When challenged, steward Seymour (Peter Arne
Peter Arne
Peter Arne was a British character actor best known for various performances in British film and television, including supporting roles in the television series The Avengers, Danger Man, as well as villains in Blake Edwards' Pink Panther series, in a career that spanned 40 years...
) tells Sir Richard of wild rumours circulating in the village about Lucy's last words. Sir Richard points out that he was provably in London when the attack happened, but Seymour states that logic cannot assuage the primitive suspicions of the villagers, particularly as enquiries have established that there were no strangers in the vicinity at the time.
Events quickly take a sinister turn as a copy of Anne's suicide note is anonymously delivered to Elizabeth, the window from which Anne jumped becomes mysteriously unbolted at night and Sir Richard sees what he believes to be the ghost of his dead wife in the garden. Meanwhile Mary, a maid in the house, after enjoying an illicit nocturnal frolic in a barn, is murdered in the same way as Lucy. A stablehand tells Sir Richard that one of his horses is being taken out and ridden at night by an unknown woman, and a saddle inscribed with Anne's name is delivered. The saddler insists that Sir Richard ordered it in person, despite Sir Richard's insistence that he has been nowhere near the village for three months. Colonel Wentworth (Raymond Huntley
Raymond Huntley
Raymond Huntley was an English actor who appeared in dozens of British films from the 1930s through to the 1970s...
) informs Sir Richard that there are numerous reports of his having been seen riding around the neighbourhood at night during his supposed absence in London, pursued by Anne who keeps shouting the word "murderer". Those who have seen the spectacle are speaking of witchcraft and devilry.
Unable to explain the strange goings-on, Sir Richard starts to doubt his own sanity and his marriage comes under strain as Elizabeth too struggles to make sense of events. When he sees the ghost in the garden again at night, he mounts his horse and gives chase, only to find himself being pursued instead by Anne in exactly ther manner previously alleged by his tenants. He is apprehended by the local militia and returned to Fordyke Hall, where Elizabeth is insistent that he left her only moments before. Believing that she too has turned against him and is now somehow involved in the plot to incriminate him or drive him mad, he attempts to strangle her, managing to stop himself from killing her just in time. Ultimately he manages to uncover the real plot culprits and their motives, but cannot prevent another murder being committed, and has to take part in a vicious swordfight before he can reveal the truth.
Cast
- John TurnerJohn Turner (actor)John Turner is a British television actor.One of his most recognisable roles was that of Roderick Spode in the ITV television series Jeeves and Wooster based on the P. G. Wodehouse novels...
as Sir Richard Fordyke - Heather SearsHeather SearsHeather Christine Sears: , was a British stage and screen actress.-Biography:Although not from an acting family , she was already acting in plays at the age of five and even writing them at the age of eight...
as Lady Elizabeth Fordyke - Ann Lynn as Diane
- Peter ArnePeter ArnePeter Arne was a British character actor best known for various performances in British film and television, including supporting roles in the television series The Avengers, Danger Man, as well as villains in Blake Edwards' Pink Panther series, in a career that spanned 40 years...
as Seymour - Norman BirdNorman BirdNorman Bird was a British character actor. Often sporting a moustache and an air of worried resignation, he seemed to specialise in downtrodden roles...
as Harris - Raymond HuntleyRaymond HuntleyRaymond Huntley was an English actor who appeared in dozens of British films from the 1930s through to the 1970s...
as Colonel John Wentworth - Joseph TomeltyJoseph TomeltyJoseph Tomelty was a Northern Irish character actor and playwright. He worked in film, television, radio and on the stage, starring in Sam Thompson's 1960 play Over the Bridge.-Early life:...
as Sir Giles Fordyke - Francis de WolffFrancis de WolffFrancis de Wolff was an English character actor. Large, bearded, and beetle-browed, he was often cast as villains in both film and television....
as Black John
- Patrick TroughtonPatrick TroughtonPatrick George Troughton was an English actor most widely known for his roles in fantasy, science fiction and horror films, particularly in his role as the second incarnation of the Doctor in the long-running British science-fiction television series Doctor Who, which he played from 1966 to 1969,...
as Regis - Derek NewarkDerek NewarkDerek Newark was an English actor.He appeared in a large number of film and television roles, including The Baron , The Avengers , Z Cars , Barlow at Large in the recurring role of Det. Insp...
as Tom - Edina RonayEdina RonayEdina Ronay FRSA is an Anglo-Hungarian fashion designer and former actress, the daughter of food critic Egon Ronay and mother of actress/writer Shebah Ronay....
as Lucy Judd - Annette Whiteley as Mary
- Kathy McDonald as Kate
- Roger Croucher as Brian
- Charles Houston as Jenkins
External links
- The Black Torment at British Horror Films
- The Black Torment at BritMovie