‘A horrendous tale of supernatural passion!’
Tormented is a 1960 American horror film about a man who lets a former girlfriend fall to her death rather than let her interfere with his new relationship. However, her ghost returns to disrupt his impending nuptials.
The movie was directed and co-produced by Bert I. Gordon from a screenplay co-written with George Worthing Yates (Earth vs. the Spider; War of the Colossal Beast).
The movie stars Richard Carlson (Creature from the Black Lagoon; The Maze; It Came from Outer Space), Susan Gordon (Picture Mommy Dead), Lugene Sanders, Juli Reding and Joe Turkel (the barman in The Shining).
Plot:
Jazz pianist Tom Stewart (Richard Carlson), who lives on a Cape Cod island community, is preparing to marry his fiancee Meg. Shortly before the wedding, Tom’s old girlfriend Vi (Juli Reding) visits and informs him that she will end Tom’s relationship with Meg, using blackmail if necessary.
While arguing on top of a lighthouse, the railing Vi is leaning against gives way. She manages to briefly hang on, but Tom refuses to help and watches her fall to her death.
The next day, Tom sees Vi’s body floating in the water. He retrieves her only to see the body turn into seaweed. Tom tries to forget what he’s seen, but over the next several days, all manner of strange occurrences happen. Vi’s watch washes up on the beach and mysterious footprints appear in the sand. Before long, Vi’s ghost appears and tells Tom that she will haunt him for the rest of his life.
One day, Meg’s little sister Sandy shows up and asks Tom if she can see the engagement ring. As Tom shows it to Sandy, he’s spooked by a disembodied hand that soon makes off with the ring. Soon afterwards, a party is held for Tom and Meg. Vi’s disembodied head makes a small appearance in a photo taken of Tom and Meg, and when he’s alone, Vi taunts Tom that she’ll now use her voice to tell the world how Tom Stewart killed her.
To add to Tom’s dilemma, a ferry-driving beatnik (Joe Turkel) comes looking for Tom, intent on collecting the $5 Vi owes him for her trip to the island. Tom’s haste to pay the fellow off causes the shifty man to stick around, where his attempts to blackmail Tom lead to the ferryman’s death. However, unbeknownst to Tom, Sandy has inadvertently witnessed the murder…
“A totally routine display of crawling hands, ghostly footprints, floating head and sinister superimpositions, although the first appearance of Reding’s corpse – smothered in and then becoming seaweed – it’s quite effective.” The Aurum Film Encyclopedia: Horror book
Cast and characters:
Richard Carlson … Tom Stewart
Susan Gordon … Sandy Hubbard
Lugene Sanders … Meg Hubbard
Juli Reding … Vi Mason
Joe Turkel … Nick, The Blackmailer
Lillian Adams … Mrs Ellis
Gene Roth … Mr Nelson, lunch stand operator
Vera Marshe … Mrs Hubbard (as Vera Marsh)
Harry Fleer … Frank Hubbard
Merritt Stone … Clergyman
George Stanley … Wedding Guest
Dick Walsh … Wedding Guest
Leslie Thomas … Wedding Guest
Paul Frees … Frank Hubbard (voice)
Technical specs:
1 hour 15 minutes
Black and white
Aspect ratio: 1.37: 1
Audio: Mono
Fun facts:
According to an interview with Bert I. Gordon, an alternate edit of the film was made for foreign release that featured actress Juli Reding fleetingly naked.
Trailer:
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