Hysteria in the House

House on Haunted Hill (1959)

 There is a moment where Dr. Trent questions whether or not Nora is just overwhelmed with hysteria after she claims a ghost floats about with white eyes, in a black dress, clinched fingers, and this purposely fiendish expression as if to scare the hell out of her. Even Lance, her closest friend she meets once they arrive at a party they were invited to, eyeing for $10K gather at wealthy Mr. Loren's "hired house", questions what she thought she saw. Carolyn Craig, as Nora, is the kind of easy prey that might send plenty of female viewers into a blind rage. She nearly faints and falls into a pit of acid in the basement seemingly because of Watson Prichard's story about violence in the house, describing victims (including his own family)...that's all that it took to weaken her. The decaying severed prop head in a clothing box certainly doesn't help, nor do the caretakers trying to get her to leave through fear. Throughout the film, Nora's mental state, her very sanity, is tested. Lots of screams and freaking out, Nora is the one Mrs. Loren hopes will believe that her husband is trying to kill her, encouraging a descent into madness. All Mrs. Loren needs is for Nora, with gun in hand, to fire a couple of bullets into her rich husband...and Voila! Lots and lots of money. Ghosts and all that aren't as likely as murder. Or at least that is what Vincent's disembodied head tells us at the introduction. Watson sure believes ghosts are in the house. But the real villains in Castle's film are a couple plotting to kill Mr. Loren. Still, the chandelier that nearly drops on Nora...that certainly didn't kick the night off well for her.

This is one listed among Shudder's Essentials Collection, not too long ago added to the site. It isn't a surprise since this film could probably be found just about anywhere.

***when Mrs. Loran and Dr. Trent set up their scare tactics to send Nora off in a freakout panic, the entire setpiece funnily reminded me of "The Ghost and Mr. Chicken".***

Seriously, all Mrs. Loren would have to do is push the skeleton down to the ground. And would a light skeletal hand push a woman into a vat of acid? Sometimes in order to enjoy a film such as this, you just have to go with it. Castle's films are a part of their particular era, a little niche of horror I love with all my heart.