Hysteria ** (1965, Robert Webber, Anthony Newlands, Jennifer Jayne, Maurice Denham, Lelia Goldoni) – Classic Movie Review 5,653

‘TERRIFYING SUSPENSE… it will shock you out of your seat!’ The 1965 film Hysteria is the third and last of director Freddie Francis’s enjoyable Psycho-esque Hammer Horror psychological mystery thriller trilogy. 

‘TERRIFYING SUSPENSE… it will shock you out of your seat!’

The 1965 film Hysteria is the third and last – and least – of director Freddie Francis’s enjoyable Psycho-esque Hammer Horror psychological mystery thriller trilogy, after Paranoiac (1963) and Nightmare (1964).

Written, like its predecessors, by Jimmy Sangster (1927–2011), it follows a story about an American car-crash amnesiac called Chris Smith (Robert Webber) who comes to in an English hospital, and employs a private detective named Hemmings (Maurice Denham) to find his memory.

The ruthless Dr Keller (Anthony Newlands) and his beautiful mistress (Lelia Goldoni) are plotting to frame Smith for the murder of Keller’s wife.

They soon find a body in a shower, but, when it vanishes, it turns out that Smith (Webber) is being framed for murder.

Mostly predictable and unexciting, this 1965 Hammer Films’ teasing chiller is nevertheless lifted by some tense scenes and the excellent performances from Webber and Denham.

Also in the cast are Lelia Goldoni, Anthony Newlands, Jennifer Jayne, Peter Woodthorpe, Sue Lloyd, John Arnatt, Sandra Boize, Marianne Stone, Irene Richmond, Kiwi Kingston, Maxwell Craig, Derek Martin and John Tatum.

Apparently, both Lelia Goldoni and Sue Lloyd are dubbed.

Hysteria is directed by Freddie Francis, runs 85 minutes, is made by Hammer Films, is released by MGM, is written by Jimmy Sangster, is shot in black and white by John Wilcox, is produced by Jimmy Sangster, is scored by Don Banks, and is designed by Edward Carrick.

Release dates: 27 June 1965 (UK) and April 1965 (US).

It was made at MGM British Studios, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, England.

It was a box office disappointment, so Hammer Films turned away from murder mystery films.

Unfortunately for credibility if not for the actor, you can see the body found in the shower has a pulse in the neck.

Full movie: https://uk.video.search.yahoo.com/search/video?fr=mcafee&p=Hysteria+%2A%2A+%281965#id=2&vid=1b50bd84da8ea2f5f1496b9283898177&action=click

Trailer: https://uk.video.search.yahoo.com/search/video?fr=mcafee&p=Hysteria+%2A%2A+%281965#id=3&vid=70ad5f1e20ac8b57dd98875510da3947&action=view

The cast are Robert Webber as Chris Smith, Anthony Newlands as Dr Keller, Jennifer Jayne as Gina McConnell, Maurice Denham as Hemmings, Lelia Goldoni as Denise James, Peter Woodthorpe as Marcus Allan, Sandra Boize as English girl, Sue Lloyd as French girl, John Arnatt as Mr James, Marianne Stone as Miss Grogan, Irene Richmond as Mrs. Keller, Kiwi Kingston as French girl’s husband, Maxwell Craig, Derek Martin and John Tatum.

It was released on DVD by Warner Home Video on 2 November 2011.

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 5,653

Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com