Return of a Stranger

John Ireland has been imported for this rather routine crime thriller. He is "Ray", happily married to "Pam" (Susan Stephen), and newly resident in a small village with their small son. Not long after they arrive, she notices a strange man watching them. Not unsurprisingly, she gets a bit spooked and regales her husband with a rather ghastly story from her childhood and of her suspicions that this man is the very one who perpetrated an heinous crime upon her. What now ensues could have been a rather more menacing cat and mouse affair, but sadly neither the acting nor the writing do much to generate any real sense of peril as the hour this takes to conclude drags along. The photographer has had a go at creating something a little tense and the last ten minutes benefit a little from that, but ultimately this is all rather procedural Saturday afternoon fayre that throws in the odd red herring but is really all a shade too predictable.

This is a sort of cut price CAPE FEAR from the Danziger Brothers, the people who also gave us a bargain basement Dirty Dozen, TARNISHED HEROES, though in both instances the films were released prior to the appearance of their more illustrious Hollywood counterparts, several years before in the case of HEROES.

Bill Le Sage's incongruously jaunty music over the opening credits hardly sets the tone for the grim events to befall Ray and Pam Reed, married with a young son, with Ray in line for promotion at an advertising agency. Pam begins to be stalked and menaced by a creep whom she realises with horror is the man who (apparently) raped her when she was just fourteen, and whom is still obsessed with her. Though he was convicted she has not told Ray about it and more surprisingly doesn't mention it to the police when they commence their inadequate attempts to protect her and the family. The rape incident is not referred to again, as if it wasn't a matter of that much importance, but as we've been hearing quite a bit recently, things were different then. Events build to a melodramatic and slightly absurd confrontation with the offender, and it also stretches credibility that this individual could carry out a murder by sabotaging a lift in an office block. Even so, this is a gripping little film. John Ireland was an actor who could be convincing even with unpromising material and Susan Stephen is sympathetic as Pam. There's even a little bit of location shooting albeit in one of the premises of ubiquitous nineteen sixties supermarket chain Fine Fare.

John Ireland, Susan Stephen, and their little boy move into a new house. Ireland's future is bright at his advertising agency, and their home is very nice, but some one is watching them. It's Cyril Shaps, who had raped Miss Stephen when she was a teenager, and had gotten away with it. The police can't do anything about it, don't really believe it, and Ireland's abstraction loses him a promotion at work.

Perhaps my take on this movie is affected by the rise of the "Me Too" movement, but I don't really believe in Shaps' ability to stalk and menace this couple, and the way the character is written, as a delusional maniac, doesn't help much. Everyone performs as well as can be expected under the direction of Max Vanel, but this Danziger Brothers production didn't do anyone any favors beyond a paycheck. Miss Stephen later said that her three movies for the producers were a big factor in her deciding to retire.

Ray, Pam, and their young son Tommy are happy in their new home; Ray is set for a promotion at work. Their happiness is disrupted by the arrival of a stranger in town. An unknown man has gone to great lengths to find Pam, but for what purpose?

It's a somewhat effective thriller from the era; I quite enjoyed it. It has some sinister and creepy moments. It builds up well, gathers pace as it develops, and we're given a suitably dramatic conclusion.

There are some baffling moments; why on earth did Ray go out and leave Pam and Tommy in the house alone? It makes no sense. There are a couple of moments when you'll question if Pam is making it up, a pity they didn't go a little further with that.

It takes an average amount of time for us to see the face of Cyril Shaps; he's good when he eventually appears. John Ireland and Kevin Stoney were always good value. I was more interested in Susan Stephen; I can only think of her from Carry On Nurse.

The music is really intrusive; it's so heavy and is likely to get on your nerves. Thanks, TPTV, once again.

6/10.

This thriller does manage to hold its suspense ,at least till near the climax,but eventually rather loses credibility.There are too many plot holes,which at times make it all seem rather silly.John Ireland is effective as the husband.Like many American stars on the decline he has been brought over to try and help get the film an American distribution.It is difficult to realise just how prolific the Danzigers were.However this was really the last decade in which the double bill would play a part in cinemas and in particular B features such as this.they would be replaced with dreadful 20 minute travelogues by the likes of Global Queensway.