Most horror fans would argue that the 1960's were Hammer's golden period of horror, having finally gotten the formula down pat and blessed with the talents of Fisher, Lee, and Cushing. With their horror library including several Dracula and Frankenstein entries, it is odd that that there would be only one werewolf film.
In 18th century Spain, a beggar (Richard Wordsworth) makes his way into a small village. The church bells are ringing, but it isn't a Sunday. Rather it is a celebration for the recent marriage of the Marques Siniestro (Anthony Dawson), who has ordered his people to make merry. When sarcastically directed to the Marques's castle in hope for charity, the beggar is taken in and humiliated before the guests. The Marques has the man imprisoned and he is left to rot in the castle's dungeon for the next fifteen years.
In all that time the only human contact the old beggar has is the mute daughter (Yvonne Romain) of the jailer. The girl is cleaning up the Marques' room one day when the dirty old man tries to force himself on her, only to get bitten for his trouble. Locking her up in the same cell as the beggar, the girl is raped by beggar, who dies midway through.
Brought before the Marques again some time later, the old pervert makes the mistake of turning his back on the girl, who promptly stabs the blood out of old man. Fleeing the castle, she lives in the woods for the next few months.
Some time later, Don Alfredo Corledo (Clifford Evans) finds the girl half-drowned in a nearby lake. Taking her home, he lets his maid Tersa (Hira Talfrey) take care of her. A good thing too, as the maid solemnly intones that the girl is about to be mother...and on Christmas Day at that. Which is a sign of ill omen, according to her, as an unwanted child born on Christmas would only be cursed.
Don Alfredo dismisses that as silly superstition, at least until baby Leon's baptism when the sun turns as black as sackcloth. No one else mentions this.
Ten years later, Leon (Justine Walters) is troubled by nightmares. He claims he dreams of running through the forest and drinking the blood of animals. At the exact same time, something is slaughtering the village's sheep. Consulting the village priest, it is determined that a lack of love is what is causing Leon's soul to be overtaken by the wolf so he is raised formerly as Don Alfredo's son but with bars on his window just in case.
It seems to work, at least until Leon is now an adult (and played by Oliver Reed). Leaving home to make his way in the world, Leon gets a job at a nearby winery. There he meets Christina Fernando (Catherine Feller), daughter of his employer, and the first woman he falls in love with; pity she's already engaged.
Distraught, Leon goes to a brothel when he gets paid...which is also during a full moon. Three people are dead by sunrise.
Finding out the truth, Leon tries to take Christina away, figuring love might be enough to cure him. The local police, on the other hand, have him fingered as the killer and want to keep him locked up. The next full moon is fast approaching though so something will have to be done and soon...
Not bad, although the first twenty minutes is so utterly slow as to wreck the whole film's pacing. Reed nails it, so much that I regret not seeing him staring in more Hammer productions. He did several high profile films for them, but it was usually in supporting roles. I think he could have easily held his own against Lee and Cushing, although he did star in Hammer's Captain Clegg opposite the later a year later and Pirates of Blood River with the former, but again in smaller roles.
No comments:
Post a Comment