Hysteria ** (1965, Robert Webber, Anthony Newlands, Jennifer Jayne, Maurice Denham, Lelia Goldoni) – Classic Movie Review 5653

‘TERRIFYING SUSPENSE …it will shock you out of your seat!’ The 1965 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 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 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.

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

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