Paranoiac

Simon and Eleanor Ashby attend a memorial service with their Aunt Harriet. It’s 11 years after the tragic death of their parents, and 8 years since their brother, Anthony, committed suicide. In three weeks time they will inherit the family fortune. But, what’s happening to Eleanor – she keeps seeing her dead brother. Is Simon plotting to drive her insane and inherit the lot himself, or has Anthony really returned from the dead!!!!

Original Trailer

Production Details

A Hammer film production released by Universal International
Copyright MCMLXIV Universal Pictures, Company Incorporated – All rights reserved MPAA Approved

The characters and incidents portrayed and the names used herein are fictitious and any similarity to the name, character, or history of any person is entirely accidental and unintentional

From a novel by Josephine Tey

RCA Sound Recording
Black & White 80 mins – Cinemascope

Filming dates: 7th – 31st August 1962
UK Release: 26th January 1964

Studio:
Bray Studios, Down Place, Oakley Green, Berkshire

Location:
Isle of Purbeck, Dorset

Stills from film

Click an image for enlarged slideshow

Cast & Crew

CREW	NAME	CREDITED	AGE AT RELEASE	BIRTH	Hidden	DEATH	AGE	CREDITS	UNCREDITED	TOTAL HAMMER
Art Director	Don Mingaye	Yes	35	1929		8 Nov 2017	88	28	15	43
Assistant Art Director	Kenneth Ryan	Yes						2	6	8
Assistant Director	Ross MacKenzie	Yes						6		6
Assistant Editor	Alan Willis	No	27	12 Jan 1937		25 Apr 2015	78		3	3
Assistant Makeup Artist	Richard Mills	No						3	4	7
Assistant Producer	Basil Keys	Yes	47	1917		2009	92	4	1	5
Boom Assistant	Roy Mingaye	No	33	1931		21 Dec 2017	86		4	4
Boom Operator	Ken Nightingall	Yes	34	21 Apr 1929		19 May 2020	91	1	2	3
Camera Grip	Albert Cowlard	Yes	41	1923	1 Jan 1923		102	1	10	11
Camera Operator	Moray Grant	Yes	46	13 Nov 1917		17 Sep 1977	59	29		29
Chief Electrician	Jack Curtis	No						3	24	27
Construction Manager	Arthur Banks	Yes						19	29	48
Continuity	Pauline Harlow (Wise)	Yes	26	1938		Sep 2024	86	11	3	14
Director	Freddie Francis	Yes	46	22 Dec 1917		17 Mar 2007	89	6		6
Director of Photography	Bernard Robinson	Yes	51	28 Jul 1912		2 Mar 1970	57	46	4	50
Director of Photography	Arthur Grant	Yes	49	1915		1972	57	34		34
First Assistant Editor	Chris Barnes	No	26	1938		5 Jun 2009	71	21	13	34
Focus Puller	Robin Higginson	Yes	28	1936	1 Jan 1936		89	1		1
Focus Puller	David Osborne	Yes						1	2	3
Hair Stylist	Frieda Steiger	Yes	60	29 Dec 1903		19 Aug 1992	88	28		28
Make-up Artist	Roy Ashton	Yes	54	16 Apr 1909		10 Jan 1995	85	36	4	40
Music Composer	Elisabeth Lutyens	Yes	57	9 Jul 1906		14 Apr 1983	76	2		2
Musical Supervisor	John Hollingsworth	Yes	47	20 Mar 1916		29 Dec 1963	47	37	3	40
Producer	Anthony Hinds	Yes	41	18 Sep 1922		30 Sep 2013	91	87	3	0
Production Manager	John Draper	Yes						2	1	3
Production Secretary	Maureen White	Yes	34	1930	1 Jan 1930		95	1	5	6
Prop Buyer	Eric Hillier	No	44	1920		1975	55		17	17
Property Master	Tom Money	Yes	47	1917		1974	57	2	21	23
Publicity Director	Brian Doyle	No	33	26 Nov 1930		23 Jan 2008	77		2	2
Scenic Artist	Burt Evans	No							3	3
Screenplay	Jimmy Sangster	Yes	36	2 Dec 1927		19 Aug 2011	83	66	2	68
Second Assistant Direcror	Hugh Harlow	Yes	24	17 Jun 1939			86	6	34	40
Second Assistant Director	Joe Marks	No	34	6 Feb 1929		20 Oct 2019	90		6	6
Sound Camera Operator	Alan Thorne	Yes						1	8	9
Sound Camera Operator	Alan Lavender	No	22	30 Sep 1941			84		3	3
Sound Editor	James Groom	Yes	39	1925		17 May 2016	91	13	2	15
Sound Maintenance	Charles Bouvet	No	57	27 Oct 1906		1978	71		8	8
Sound Recordist	Ken Rawkins	Yes	46	1 Jan 1918		1971	53	18		18
Special Effects	Les Bowie	Yes	50	10 Nov 1913		27 Jan 1979	65	30	13	43
Special Effects	Kit West	No	27	2 Jun 1936		16 Apr 2016	79	1	7	8
Still Photographer	Curtis Reeks	No							1	1
Supervising Editor	James Needs	Yes	44	17 Oct 1919		4 Feb 2003	83	113	1	114
Third Assistant Director	Ray Corbett	Yes	24	1940	1 Jan 1940		85	2		2
Wardrobe Mistress	Rosemary Burrows	Yes						36	5	41
Wardrobe Supervisor	Molly Arbuthnot	Yes	55	19 Dec 1908		31 Oct 2001	92	48	5	53
CAST
1st Woman	Laurie Leigh	Yes	31	16 Sep 1932			93	1		1
2nd Woman	Marianne Stone	Yes	41	23 Aug 1922		21 Dec 2009	87	9	3	2
Anthony	Alexander Davion	Yes	34	31 Mar 1929		28 Sep 2019	90	2		2
Aunt Harriet	Sheala Burrell	Yes	41	9 May 1922		19 Jul 2011	89	4	1	5
Eleanor Ashby	Janette Scott	Yes	25	14 Dec 1938			86	2		2
Francoise	Liliane Brousse	Yes	27	27 Sep 1936			86	2		2
John Kossett	Maurice Denham	Yes	54	23 Dec 1909		24 Jul 2002	92	5		5
Keith Kossett	John Bonney	Yes	30	15 Nov 1933		1 Jun 1993	59	1	1	2
Publican	Arnold Diamond	Yes	48	18 Apr 1915		18 Mar 1992	76	5	2	7
RAF Type	Harold Lang	Yes	41	1923		16 Nov 1970	47	8		8
Sailor	Jack Taylor	Yes						2	1	3
Simon Ashby	Oliver Reed	Yes	25	13 Feb 1938		2 May 1999	61	7	2	9
Tramp	Sydney Bromley	Yes	54	24 Jul 1909		14 Aug 1987	78	5		5
Vicar	Colin Tapley	Yes	54	7 May 1909		1 Dec 1995	86	3		3
Williams	John Stuart	Yes	65	18 Jul 1898		17 Oct 1979	81	8	1	9

Original Poster

Click to enlarge

Footnotes

The source of this story was Josephine Tey’s horse racing drama Brat Farrar, and it had been on Hammer’s roster for about ten years. Sangster’s final screenplay was so different from the original story that the Hammer board of directors debated whether or not they should apply for an extension to their screen rights in the novel!!

Released alongside The Kiss of the Vampire (1964), this was Freddie Francis’ first film for Hammer as Director. He won two Oscars during his career for the Cinematography in Sons and Lovers (1960) and Glory (1989). He went on to make, amongst others The Skull and Dr Terrors House of Horrors (both 1965) for Amicus. His son, Kevin, went on to form another of Hammer’s rival companies, Tyburn Films.

As well as playing Cecily Femm in Hammer’s The Old Dark House (1963), Jeanette Scott also starred as Karen Goodwin in The Day of the Triffids (1962).

Maurice Denham appeared later as the judge who sent Ronnie Barker’s Fletcher down in the BBC TV sitcom Porridge.

1964 BBFC Cert. "A"

Production Details

Stills from film

Cast & Crew

Original Poster

Footnotes

Archives