Straight On 'til Morning (1972) dir. Peter Collinson, Hammer Studios
This will be the end of our Hammer section and with one of the oddest films Hammer made before they closed their doors.
Brenda (Rita Tushingham) is a plain girl, living with her mother in Liverpool. She fancies herself a writer of fairy tales, although that's mostly what she says. She's also in a family way and desperate to get married.
So, with her meager savings in tow she heads off to London. She has a meet cute run-in with a fellow, Peter (Shane Briant) when he knocks her belongings out of hands and goes on his merry way. Brenda soon finds a job and a roommate with the more worldly Caroline (Katya Wyeth). When Caroline beds a young man Brenda fancies, she runs out crying and find a scruffy dog.
The dog clearly belongs to Peter but Brenda takes it home, officially to clean it up. Which she does, giving the poor thing it's first bath in ages and topping it off with a bow. She takes the dog back to Peter but her story crumbles under his gaze and she admits she wanted to meet him and have a baby with him. Peter suggests she get her things and move in, as his last roommate had to go away.
When Brenda leaves, Peter looks down at the dog and pulls out a utility knife...
Brenda never asks about the dog's whereabouts but she's over the moon for her new man. When she's out, Caroline stops by. Seems Brenda's mother has been bugging her about her daughter's whereabouts. She and Peter chat, which very quickly turns into another activity in Peter's bedroom. Peter then pulls out the utility knife. Caroline is just too pretty...
If you've got to go, go out with a bang. No vampires or mad barons; here Peter is a twisted version of Peter Pan. I'm thankful they didn't call Brenda Wendy but the intent is there. He's utterly vile.
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