Hysteria *solved*

[TheDirector]

In approx 1995 I watched an old black and white US film perhaps from 50s about a man who gets paranoid that his neighbour has been murdered and that because he had had an argument with her, that the police would think he did it. MOst of the film is set in his apartment with his growing paranoid.



I think it was called Paranoia or Paranoid or something?? Does anyone know it?

[aaron]

Originally posted by TheDirector@Aug 22 2005, 06:11 PM

In approx 1995 I watched an old black and white US film perhaps from 50s about a man who gets paranoid that his neighbour has been murdered and that because he had had an argument with her, that the police would think he did it. MOst of the film is set in his apartment with his growing paranoid.



I think it was called Paranoia or Paranoid or something?? Does anyone know it?

Sounds very Alfred Hitchcock.........Dial m for murder/rear window etc?

[DB7]

Originally posted by aaron@Aug 24 2005, 03:49 AM

Sounds very Alfred Hitchcock.........Dial m for murder/rear window etc?

I was thinking maybe Hammer's Hysteria.

[D Cairns]

I think the reason it sounds like Hitchcock is because it's Cornell Woolrich, who wrote the story REAR WINDOW is based on Woolrich's THE CORPSE NEXT DOOR has this exact plot. But the only film version I can find is UNION CITY (1980).



However, several Woolrich stories were adapted for anthology shows like Hitchcock's, and you may have seen a 50s version not listed on the imdb.

[mysteriesofedgarwallace]

It does soound rather like HYSTERIA

[Jack Gurney]

It definitely is HYSTERIA. The man is Robert Webber, playing an amnesiac recently released from hospital, and he keeps hearing an argument through the wall of the adjacent apartment, which is obviously set up to 'drive him maaaaaaaaaaaad' as they used to say back then. At one point he finds the body of the apparently muredered woman in the shower- wonder where Sangster and Francis got that idea from?



I'm not going to spoil anyone's fun by revelaing the ending, but let's just intimate that the words 'Les' and 'Diaboliques' do tend to spring to mind. You don't say.

[TheDirector]

Is hysteria on DVD? Would love to see it again.

[Dave Rattigan]

It's not on DVD, but I recorded it on my Sky+ a couple weeks ago. It was on either Film Four or TCM. Haven't seen it yet, but I am looking forward to it, as it's one of a handful of Hammers I've never seen. Since they often repeat films, I recommend you keep an eye out.



Unfortunately, I have no means to do you a copy, sorry.

[DocRobertPepper]

I recorded this from Sky also so if anyone wants this just send me a PM

[DB7]

name='Jack Gurney']

I'm not going to spoil anyone's fun by revelaing the ending, but let's just intimate that the words 'Les' and 'Diaboliques' do tend to spring to mind. You don't say.

With Taste of Fear and Paranoiac also, somebody must have really admired Les Diaboliques at Hammer.

[DB7]

Btw, Hysteria is on Wednesday evening on TCM.