Fanatic

This effectively creepy little Gothic horror tale is one of Hammer's finest psychological-thrillers, and a valiant attempt to duplicate the success of American thrillers like "WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE?" and "HUSH..., HUSH, SWEET CHARLOTTE" featuring aging, flamboyant female stars in macabre, unusual roles. This film is a showcase for the talents of the great Tallulah Bankhead whose last film this was. She manages to be both amusing and terrifying at the same time. It's a blissful performance, and next to LIFEBOAT it's her finest hour on screen. A very young Stefanie Powers(then age 23) also comes through with a remarkably strong performance as the terrorized daughter-in-law. The movie also features Peter Vaughan as Bankhead's menacing handyman, and in an early role Donald Sutherland as an imbecile who also works at the place. The workman-like script was written by Richard Matheson, from the novel NIGHTMARE by Anne Blaisdell.