Night Must Fall

Albert Finney (who also co-produced) stars in this remake of the 1937 MGM thriller (which, in turn, was based upon a play by Emlyn Williams), as a psychopathic killer named Danny. After axing off a woman's head in the first scene, Danny poses as a redecorator and moves into the home of an elderly, handicapped woman, Mrs. Bramson (Mona Washbourne). Danny soon begins playing psychological games with her and the maid and romances her daughter Olivia (Susan Hampshire). Meanwhile, he holds disturbing rites with the head of his previous victim (stored in a hatbox) when alone in his room and indulges in other bizarre antisocial behavior. Before long, Olivia catches on that something is amiss. Directed and co-produced by Karel Reisz (Isadora, The French Lieutenant's Woman), this thriller features unusual cross-cutting and transitional techniques as well as expert camera work from Freddie Francis.