Kerwin Mathews plays Jeff Farrell, an American painter on vacation in the South of France. He is soon caught between two females: a bar owner named Eve Beynat (Nadia Gray) and her stepdaughter Annette (Liliane Brousse), although ultimately decides to pursue the older woman. He then gets mixed up in the effort to help Eves' husband escape from incarceration in a mental asylum. Much to his regret, of course.
Written and produced by the great Hammer screenwriter Jimmy Sangster, "Maniac" is a fairly efficient film combining romance and chills. It's very nicely shot in the actual Carmarque region of France, with a pleasing amount of black & white widescreen visuals. Sangsters' story is engaging, and although some people may see some of its twists coming, it's the twist delivered to us in the closing minutes that makes it all worthwhile.
Mathews comes off as a real jerk at first, although it's revealed that he wasn't getting along with the companion (Justine Lord) he has at the start of the film. He's okay, but some of the supporting players come off better. Donald Houston is a good poster boy as the crazed Henri, Brousse is appealing, Norman Bird very likeable as easygoing cop Monsieur Salon, and Hammer repertory player George Pastell is once again solid as a rock in the role of a savvy police inspector.
This does suffer a little from an antagonist who's rather like a Bond villain who wastes time chattering away, and will also leave the hero's presence, convinced that everything will go according to plan.
In general, good entertainment given capable direction by Hammer executive / sometime filmmaker Michael Carreras.
Seven out of 10.
Written and produced by the great Hammer screenwriter Jimmy Sangster, "Maniac" is a fairly efficient film combining romance and chills. It's very nicely shot in the actual Carmarque region of France, with a pleasing amount of black & white widescreen visuals. Sangsters' story is engaging, and although some people may see some of its twists coming, it's the twist delivered to us in the closing minutes that makes it all worthwhile.
Mathews comes off as a real jerk at first, although it's revealed that he wasn't getting along with the companion (Justine Lord) he has at the start of the film. He's okay, but some of the supporting players come off better. Donald Houston is a good poster boy as the crazed Henri, Brousse is appealing, Norman Bird very likeable as easygoing cop Monsieur Salon, and Hammer repertory player George Pastell is once again solid as a rock in the role of a savvy police inspector.
This does suffer a little from an antagonist who's rather like a Bond villain who wastes time chattering away, and will also leave the hero's presence, convinced that everything will go according to plan.
In general, good entertainment given capable direction by Hammer executive / sometime filmmaker Michael Carreras.
Seven out of 10.