Scream of Fear is a brilliantly crafted thriller that deserves more attention. Perhaps it has flown under the radar for decades because it has a relatively unknown cast, aside from Christopher Lee in a supporting role. (He's great as always, but a tad underused.) For whatever reason, this film has not garnered a large following and that is a shame, because it deserves some recognition. I love how this script builds the story, and creates tension. We are puzzling through things with the main character, and must work to piece together what exactly is going on, and who is involved. I'll admit that I was fairly confident I had guessed the truth early in the film, because the plot does have some similarities to other movies I've seen in the past. Yet even though I was right about some things, there were still details that I didn't know and that made for a good surprise in the end.
Susan Strasberg is wonderful as Penny Appleby, and she brings a level of nuance that is sorely needed for this kind of role. She is great at playing the terror that comes from this ordeal she is going through, yet she brings more than just being a screaming damsel in distress. She also has smarts, and appears in control of some situations. Ronald Lewis is also great as the main confidante for the protagonist, and Ann Todd is perfect as the step-mother who appears nice at first but seems to have something to hide. Between the well-written story, and the great work from the cast, Scream of Fear is a marvelous film. It's also one of those movies that is instantly worth watching a second time because the entire movie is recontextualized when you know all the mysteries. I would highly recommend everyone take a chance on Scream of Fear, it's a winner.
Susan Strasberg is wonderful as Penny Appleby, and she brings a level of nuance that is sorely needed for this kind of role. She is great at playing the terror that comes from this ordeal she is going through, yet she brings more than just being a screaming damsel in distress. She also has smarts, and appears in control of some situations. Ronald Lewis is also great as the main confidante for the protagonist, and Ann Todd is perfect as the step-mother who appears nice at first but seems to have something to hide. Between the well-written story, and the great work from the cast, Scream of Fear is a marvelous film. It's also one of those movies that is instantly worth watching a second time because the entire movie is recontextualized when you know all the mysteries. I would highly recommend everyone take a chance on Scream of Fear, it's a winner.