Kiss Me
And Die
(ITC Movie title "The Savage Curse")
Original UK transmission: 9th February 1974
Original US transmission: 25th February 1974
WRITTEN BY: Terence Feely based on a story by Brian
Clemens
DIRECTED BY: John Sichel
PRODUCED BY: John Sichel
MAIN CAST: George Chakiris (Robert Stone), Jenny Agutter
(Dominie Lanceford), Anton Diffring (Jonathan Lanceford), Russell
Hunter (Old Fred), John Sharpe (Jack Woodbridge), Stephen Greif
(Ben Kroom), Peggy Sinclair (Miss Faversham), John Atkinson (Ben
Hawkes), Barry James (Tom Whidden), Raymond Mason (Bill Gurney),
Sue Robinson (Jenny), Peter Casillas (Jim Stone)
Teaser
Sequence
The camera zooms in on the
spire of a fancy manor house, then cross fades to the face of a
man in fancy costume. As he rouses from unconsciousness, he looks
about in horror and begins to cry out ever more loudly "No,
no...let me out! Please, somebody, let me out!" With his
last cry, the solitary candle that was his only light is
extinguished, and he is left in darkness.
Plot
Summary
Robert Stone arrives in
England on a search for his brother Jim, who has vanished without
trace following a fancy dress party at the mansion of Jonathon
Lanceford, the overprotective guardian of the beautiful young
Dominie. Stone feigns his way into the house in order to question
the girl, but once inside finds a strange atmosphere accentuated
by the owner's obsession with Edgar Allen Poe. Dominie seems
oddly evasive about Jim Stone, and insists that he left her.
Lanceford for his part appears friendly and accommodating, but is
obviously hiding something. When Dominie confesses to Robert that
she is falling in love she begs him to leave the village, but the
American refuses to depart until he has determined the truth.
Then, unexpectedly, he receives an invitation to attend a fancy
dress party up at the house...
Comments
The sublime Jenny Agutter is the main attraction in this story,
and she turns in a remarkably enigmatic and wistful portrayal of
the mysterious Dominie. The brief opening teaser sequence is one
of the most memorable in the entire series, although its
effectiveness is somewhat reduced in the movie version. The
village locals are a likeable bunch, especially the character of
Old Fred (played by Russel Hunter of Callan fame). The
addition of the Poe elements was truly inspired, creating a
genuinely macabre and haunting story. A must see.
Trivia: the haunting piece of music heard during the opening titles of the "movie" version is a genuine Laurie Johnson composition called "Lonely Stranger"
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