Film Overview"Taste of Fear", likewise referred to as "Scream of Fear" in the United States, is a 1961 black-and-white British horror movie directed by Seth Holt, produced by famous Hammer Film Productions, and written by Jimmy Sangster. The film mixes elements of the horror-thriller categories, with a plot fixated fear, deceptiveness, and murder. It features on-screen efficiencies by Susan Strasberg, Ronald Lewis, Ann Todd, and Christopher Lee.
Plot SummaryStrasberg stars as Penny Appleby, a wheelchair-bound girl who returns to her household's French Riviera estate after the death of her mother. She hasn't seen her father in a decade - having actually invested the latter years in a Swiss boarding school. To her shock and distress, upon her arrival, her stepmother Jane, played by Ann Todd, notifies her that her dad needed to leave quickly on business. His secretary and her childhood good friend, Bob, represented by Ronald Lewis, is the one who tends to her requirements.
The movie's tension begins to intensify as Penny starts seeing her dad's remains in various locations around the mansion, although it inexplicably disappears each time she attempts to reveal it to others. As the sightings continue, she starts to question her peace of mind, believing she's been driven to hallucinations by her grief, isolation, and eerie environments.
Twist and ClimaxIn a stunning turn of events, it turns out that Penny's daddy had certainly died, covertly killed by Jane and Bob who were lovers with a sinister plot. They hoped Penny's supposed visions of her father would make her appear ridiculous so that they could institutionalise her and eventually claimed her large inheritance. Paradoxically, Jane double-crosses Bob, thinking that he has fallen for Penny, causing his death.
The final showdown happens when Penny cleverly orchestrates a sophisticated ruse to deceive Jane into admitting the homicidal plot by using a dummy to resemble her daddy's remains. Upon seeing this, Jane is fooled into thinking her dead hubby has actually returned to specific vengeance, stresses, and inadvertently drowns in the swimming pool while attempting to leave.
EndingAs a final twist, Christopher Lee's character, Doctor Pierre Gerrard, who was earlier represented as dismissive of Penny's claims is exposed to be on her side. In the haunting final scene, he is seen diving into the swimming pool to rescue an unconscious Penny, left to drown by her stepmother.
Overall Impact"Taste of Fear" stands out as a psychological thriller with engaging efficiencies and masterfully crafted thriller. Holt's instructions beautifully records the climatic stress, and Sangster's script is filled with unforeseen turns that keeps the audience on their toes till the end. The cooling climax and twist ending contribute to the film's reputation as one of Hammer Film Productions' most effective mental thrillers. Lee's function, though little, is important, including an unforeseen layer of intrigue to the story. The movie stays a classic in the gothic scary category and is a testimony to early British scary movie theater's imagination and ingenuity.
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