To brag about the film: the sets, costuming, the overall look and feel to the film everything is beautiful. Lots of eye candy for those that enjoy Gothic atmosphere. ***************Spoiler***************** The disappointment: In the end of the film Sir Richard was not shocked at all to find out he had a murderous look-alike brother that was kept secret from him all these years. He seemed like he did not care at all nor was he surprised. I agree with another reviewer that Sir Richard was ill-tempered almost all the time and could have solved this mystery early on in the movie if he was calm and used his thinking skills. Apparently Sir Richard had the same uneven temperament his grandfather had -- while his twin(?) brother had the same anger problem plus the mental derangement of his grandfather. ************************************This movie had the potential to be an excellent film - I think it needed a bit more work on the script and character development. The movie is still worth watching if you like Gothic "ghost" stories and mysteries.6.5/10

Though made at Shepperton Studios, this film follows the Hammer style rather closely, down to casting two Hammer film alumni, Heather Sears and Patrick Troughton from Phantom of the Opera.The period details are nicely rendered with lots of attention to small details like candle snuffing and moving a carriage up a rather steep incline. The costumes also look nice as does the beautiful estate where the action takes place. Unfortunately, that's the best this movie has going for it.Spoilers Ahead!!! Opening with a scene straight out of numerous Hammer horror films, a buxom young lady is chased through the woods at night by a shadowy killer. This scene is well done and has a jolting conclusion. The rest of the film slows down considerably with a rather tedious plot about someone trying to discredit and possibly drive Sir Richard mad. I've seen a few of these types of films before, and it quickly became apparent who was behind the plot. Once you see that supernatural forces are not at play, the list of suspects is very short indeed. The ending picks up a bit with not one but two late in the movie plot twists and a sword fight.Lead actor John Turner tends to over emote in his later scenes as he receives shock after shock in the (overly) elaborate plot to drive him mad. He starts chewing scenery and pretty much blows poor Heather Sears, in a nicely understated performance, off the screen, and I don't mean that in a good way. The supporting actors all do nicely, I just wish they had been given more to do.If you're looking for a Gothic style murder mystery with supernatural overtones, you could do much worse, but you could stick with a Hammer film like Hound of the Baskervilles and do much better.

Please note that I'm deliberately exaggerating a bit in this user comment. "The Black Torment" might not be a genuine horror masterpiece – it does has its flaws and shortcomings – but this film is so drastically overlooked and underrated that I wish to praise it a little extra, hoping that fans of classic Gothic horror will go through more efforts to track it down! This film really deserves a wider audience and it's not because Hammer or Amicus studios didn't produce a certain horror film that it's automatically inferior. "The Black Torment" is a hugely atmospheric and beautifully photographed horror/costume drama directed by Robert Hartford-Davis. Noticing the director's name alone is a surprise already, since Harford-Davis' other horror films ("Incense of the Damned" and "The Fiend") were both irredeemably bad and quite ugly to look at. This film is a world of difference; stylish, compelling and featuring several sequences that qualify as genuinely unsettling. Sir Richard Fordycke returns to his wealthy father's estate with a new bride because his first wife sadly committed suicide for not being able to bear children. He doesn't receive a warm welcome, though, since several superstitious villagers spotted him during his absence and he supposedly even killed a local girl. Shortly after his return, Richard himself starts to have visions of his deceased wife walking through the garden. The whole explanation to the "mystery" is rather rational and unsurprising, but it's the sinister atmosphere that sticks to you. The scene in which the veiled 'ghost' rides through the woods screaming out the word "MURDERER" truly sent cold shivers down my spine! That definitely is the most wonderful effect a horror movie can give you! Highly recommended!

After a three-month absence, Sir Richard Fordyce and his new bride return to his estate under a black cloud. A young woman who lived on his lands was brutally raped and murdered just two days prior to his return. Her last words seemed to accuse Sir Richard of being the culprit. In addition, several of the locals report seeing Sir Richard's dead first wife chasing him through the village on horseback yelling "Murderer!" Sir Richard is at a loss to explain these strange events. He has been more than 100 miles away for months. Is it witchcraft or something equally sinister? As the dead bodies begin to pile-up, Sir Richard must discover the truth to keep his tenants from revolting and losing his new wife.What Works: The Opening. The movie begins with a woman we know nothing about running through the forest frantically trying to escape an unseen assailant. Unfortunately, she doesn't make it. This scene provides a wonderful opening and a lot of promise for The Black Torment. There is some real tension and atmosphere in this scene. It's a shame the rest of the movie couldn't be as good as the first five minutes..Other Set-Pieces. Other than the opening, there are a couple of other set-pieces that work reasonably well. The ending features a twist and a showdown that are nice. Nothing spectacular, just nice. But the best set-pieces are the ones featuring the dead first wife. The sight of the shrouded woman either lurking through the garden or riding a horse through the forest was a treat to a fan of Gothic horror like me.What Doesn't Work: The Cast. I can't think of one member of the cast that I enjoyed watching. The actors are unappealing and the characters they play are unlikable. The worst are the two leads - Heather Sears as the new wife and John Turner as Sir Richard. I didn't think it was possible for two people to annoy me as much as these two do. Every time either opened their mouth it was like fingernails on a chalkboard. I really wish the killer could have gotten hold of their necks.Talk, Talk, Talk. In between the bits of horror, The Black Torment turns into an incredibly inane melodrama. Now it's not that I mind melodrama as long as it's done well, but much of this is painful to watch.The Stupidity of Sir Richard. The character of Sir Richard has to be one of the dumber characters put on film. Had he stopped yelling at everyone long enough, solving the mystery would have been easy. Instead, every little thing seems to unrealistically upset him and send him off half-cocked. A little rational thinking on the part of Sir Richard could have cut the runtime of The Black Torment in half.To say that I was disappointed in The Black Torment would be an understatement. The plot description I had read across the internet made the movie sound like an undiscovered Gothic gem. And while a few bits of the horror were fun to watch watch, these moments seem to be enjoyable almost by accident when compared with the bulk of the movie. The ideas for a good movie are here, but, unfortunately, neither the script nor the actors were able to turn The Black Torment into one.