70'S FOCUS : FEAR IN THE NIGHT ... 1972

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PRESENT
A HAMMER PRODUCTION

FEAR IN THE NIGHT
STARRING

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JUDY GEESON as Peggy Heller

RALPH BATES as Robert Heller

JOAN COLLINS as Molly Carmichael

PETER CUSHING as Michael Carmichael

GILLIAN LIND as Mrs Beamish

JAMES COSSINS as Doctor

JOHN BROWN as 1st Policeman

BRIAN GRELLIS as 2nd Policeman

   Assistant Director - Ted Morley  Director of Photography - Arthur Grant  Art Director - Don Picton       Music by John McCabe  Screenplay by Jimmy Sangster & Michael Syson  Edited by Peter Weatherley

                              Produced by Jimmy Sangster     Directed by Jimmy Sangster

Having only recently recovered from a nervous breakdown, Peggy Heller is looking forward to her new life, with her new husband Robert. But has Peggy really recovered? Is the assailant with the artificial arm, real or a figment of her imagination? Can the sinister Michael Carmichael be trusted and what of his stern wife Molly? Left all alone and in the dark.. Has she reason to feel Fear In The Night!!



JOAN TELLS JUDY,,TWO HEADS ARE BETTER THAN ONE
"Fear In The Night" was one of the last of Hammer's cycle of suspense thrillers, in the style of "Les Diabolique" and "Psycho". It also proved to be the last film for Hammer, by their most prolific director and writer Jimmy Sangster. It was the films star Ralph Bates, 5th film for Hammer and his 2nd for Sangster, the other been "Horror of Frankenstein".  The script for "Fear in the Night" had been knocking around the studio since the 60's. It had begun life as a story called "Brainstorm" and went through various stages. Before it finally became "Fear", it had been called "The Claw" and had been set on a houseboat on the Thames. Sangster decided it needed a different angle and gave it to a friend, Michael Syson who reset it in a boy's boarding school. This relocation was enough to get the green light from Hammer bosses to film. Sangster was delighted with his cast and described the film as "The story of a young girl, primed to commit murder!"

 (c) 1972 HAMMER  94 MINS COLOR  REG 1 DVD ANCHOR BAY / REG 2 OPTIMUM DVD

JOAN GETS A HEAD START ON JUDY!

Peter Cushing was still mourning the death of his wife Helen, he had previously pulled out of Hammer's "Blood From The Mummy's Tomb" due to his grief, this was his first major role since her death. Joan was pregnant at the time of shooting the film, but she had failed to mention her condition when accepting the role! She had not said a word to the producers and the news of her pregnancy only came to light when the wardrobe mistress complained that Joan's costumes failed to fit! She asked the producers to tell Joan to stop eating! Joan eventually admitted to her condition and concessions were made! Joan said of her role.

" It's a marvellous script.. I love being the villian of the piece, instead of the heroine.. A real challenge!"







JOAN IS ARMED FOR MURDER!

Judy Geeson had just finished the classic "Ten Rillington Place" and had also co-starred with Joan in "The Executioner", while Ralph Bates would go on to star with Joan in the 1975 shocker "I Dont Want To Be Born". Hammer at that time were not doing too well at the box office, so they decided to release their films as double bills to try and generate better box office returns. "Fear in the Night" was released with another psychological thriller,"Straight on till Morning" which starred Rita Tushingham. But even a Hammer double bill failed to set the box office alight and Jimmy Sangster finished his lengthy run with the company. Box offie hit or not, "Fear in the Night" is a worthwhile thriller and it has an excellant cast, with Joan on fine form as the icy villainess!









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(c) 2010    Mark McMorrow.