An orphanage on a remote Scottish island gets beset by a series of brutal murders. Hard-nosed special bureau chief Charles Bingham (superbly played with great authority by Christopher Lee) and shrewd pathologist Mark Ashley (a typically marvelous portrayal by Peter Cushing) join forces to figure out the reason for these killings.
Director Peter Sasdy relates the absorbing story at a steady pace, makes fine use of the sprawling Scottish coast countryside, builds a good deal of suspense and spooky atmosphere, and pulls off a real doozy of a genuinely startling climax. Lee and Cushing display an utterly winning natural screen chemistry; they receive sturdy support from Diana Dors as the pushy and distraught Anna Harb, Georgia Brown as pesky and snoopy tabloid reporter Joan Foster, Keith Barron as the determined Dr. Haynes, Michael Gambon as the no-nonsense Inspector Grant, and Gwyneth Strong as sweet and precocious little girl Mary Valley. The crafty and novel script by Brian Hayles offers an inspired plot with quite a few nifty twists and turns. Kudos are also in order for Kenneth Talbot's sharp cinematography and Malcolm Williamson's shuddery score. Well worth a watch.
Director Peter Sasdy relates the absorbing story at a steady pace, makes fine use of the sprawling Scottish coast countryside, builds a good deal of suspense and spooky atmosphere, and pulls off a real doozy of a genuinely startling climax. Lee and Cushing display an utterly winning natural screen chemistry; they receive sturdy support from Diana Dors as the pushy and distraught Anna Harb, Georgia Brown as pesky and snoopy tabloid reporter Joan Foster, Keith Barron as the determined Dr. Haynes, Michael Gambon as the no-nonsense Inspector Grant, and Gwyneth Strong as sweet and precocious little girl Mary Valley. The crafty and novel script by Brian Hayles offers an inspired plot with quite a few nifty twists and turns. Kudos are also in order for Kenneth Talbot's sharp cinematography and Malcolm Williamson's shuddery score. Well worth a watch.