Paranoiac
Director: Freddie Francis
Actors: Janette Scott, Oliver Reed, Sheila Burrell
PlotIn a remote English estate, the wealthy Ashby family is haunted by past tragedies. The supposed suicide of the eldest son, Tony, years earlier left the family in disarray. Eleanor, his sister, struggles with mental instability and is cared for by her domineering aunt, Harriet. Simon, the younger brother, has grown into a reckless alcoholic who is intent on gaining control of the family fortune once Eleanor is institutionalized. Harriet's strict oversight and Simon’s unrestrained debauchery create a tense atmosphere within the manor. Just as Simon plots to secure his inheritance, a mysterious figure claiming to be Tony appears, sending shockwaves through the family, particularly affecting Eleanor's fragile mental state. The reappearance of Tony brings both curiosity and suspicion as questions arise about his true identity.
As the supposed Tony integrates himself into the household, secrets long buried begin to surface. Eleanor finds solace in Tony's return, but Simon grows increasingly hostile and suspicious, determined to expose him as an impostor. Underneath the veneer of civility, simmering hostility and fear brew, leading to dark discoveries and unforeseen alliances. As tensions rise, unsettling events occur that threaten to unravel the family's carefully maintained facade. With motives questioned and loyalties tested, the family's quiet despair spirals toward an inevitable, dramatic confrontation. Amidst the unfolding chaos, the truth that emerges may either liberate or further entrap those within the sinister grip of their own memories and machinations.
Writers: Jimmy Sangster, Josephine Tey
Release Date: 15 May 1963
Runtime: 80 min
Rating: Not Rated
Country: United Kingdom
Language: English
Home Video Reviews
Paranoiac remains an engrossing thriller with standout performances, a new 2K scan, and rich extras, despite modest audio-video quality constraints.
Read our review of Paranoiac Blu-ray Collector's Edition to find out more