Writer Jimmy Sangster's revision of his own "Scream of Fear" from 1961 involves a young woman returning to her family's home in San Francisco after spending several years in a Swiss institution; seems she was attacked by an unknown man when she was a child, however the familiar surroundings quickly begin playing tricks with her mind--or is someone trying to drive her insane? Lumbering made-for-TV yarn at first features Barbara Parkins running around the opulent woodland grounds in a terrified state, then exchanges Parkins' screams for those of Barbara Stanwyck's, playing Parkins' mother. Both actresses are at the mercy of a teleplay so contrived, the plot twists are not so much surprising as they are confounding. There's no attention to detail (at least, not logical detail) in Sangster's scenario, and the story becomes so muddled that the final revelations are practically irrelevant. Parkins keeps shooing Stanwyck off to the store or away to the airport, while Arthur O'Connell shuffles around as a simpleton groundskeeper and William Windom keeps popping up as a drunken stepfather (always with the same pained expression on his face). None of it coheres for an instant.

This is basically a reworking of the classic Hammer thriller TASTE OF FEAR aka SCREAM OF FEAR (1961; a re-acquaintance with which will follow presently) – from the same scriptwriter, the late Jimmy Sangster – with the setting changed from the French Riviera to a San Francisco estate. Apart from the fact that the same plot had been done to death – by Hammer and Sangster themselves – in the intervening decade and its being a TV-movie, the results here are still mediocre when compared to the classy original (even if that had owed a good deal to the French suspense masterpiece DIABOLIQUE {1954} to begin with), largely because the frissons appear entirely telegraphed in this case!This is somewhat surprising given that many of the people behind it were cinema veterans and, what is more, hardly new to the genre: director Moxey had made the splendid occult horror THE CITY OF THE DEAD aka HORROR HOTEL (1960), leading lady Barbara Parkins would do THE MEPHISTO WALTZ in the same year as this, star Barbara Stanwyck had been in William Castle's superior THE NIGHT WALKER (1964) and Roddy McDowall was a staple of the PLANET OF THE APES franchise; incidentally, Moxey and Stanwyck previously collaborated on THE HOUSE THAT WOULDN'T DIE (1970; also made for TV, and which I own as well but have yet to watch). Anyway, the narrative centers around a girl who is raped at age 13 during a family party by an unknown assailant; this episode sends her to an 8 year spell in an institution but, when she returns home, begins to display alarming signs of being far from cured! She continually sees her alcoholic stepfather's corpse all over the place when he is actually supposed to be away on business – her mother (Stanwyck) is obviously concerned and calls in doctor McDowall to review her condition; also involved in all of this is simpleton handy-man Arthur O'Connell.However, while the original kept piling on the twists at the climax so that one had little time to ask himself whether they were plausible or not, this one demonstrates only mild ingenuity throughout. Incidentally, since the shadowy figure of the rapist keeps turning up to haunt and generally frighten her, there are really only two suspects who it could have been. That said, the ultimate reason behind the whole attempt to drive the girl mad anew and the choice of conspirators does not ring true…while the alliance to uncover the culprits between the victim herself, the Police and another unlikely associate is virtually ported over wholesale from TASTE OF FEAR!

This movie is absolutely haunting! I have never forgotten it and am still feeling the slowly growing horror it produced back then when I remember it now. I first saw this film as a little girl.I need to get a copy of this wonderful film for my own. I searched filmographies of Arthur O'Connell to actually get the title for this film. It was spooky and so memorable to me even as a child. I remember the playhouse, I remember the sound of Barbara Stanwyck's voice, especially with key lines. What a film! I remember all the nuances. Add this to your collection as well, it will stay with you for sure. I can't say that many movies have remained with me the way this one did.

As this movie does not appear to have been released to video, you may not find it anywhere. If you do PLEASE contact me! There were some classic jump up and scare-you-silly scenes as only Barbara Stanwyck could do. I remember sitting in front of my T.V. and jumping backwards across the room! If anyone knows where I can get a copy of this movie, I'd be truly grateful. Thanks Terri (e-mail address) [email protected]