The Mad Room

Two teenage siblings, George and Mandy, are released from a mental institution and go to live with their big sister (the gorgeous Stella Stevens), who is a live in companion to a rich widow (Shelley Winters). They were institutionalised for the murder of their parents but the identity of the killer is a twist that I saw coming a mile off, in that respect the plot is rather weak. Filmed and set in Vancouver, Canada, this is a good looking and colourful movie, it boasts nice cinematography which combines with an effective musical score to produce some genuinely creepy moments. Quite gory for its time too, plenty of blood is splashed about and the sight of a shaggy dog walking around with a severed human hand in ts mouth is very memorable. The acting is good though 18 year old George was played by 22 year old Michael Burns and his 16 year old sister was played by 24 year old Barbara Sammeth, so a pair of oldish looking teens! Apparently this is a remake of "Ladies in Retirement" (1941), a movie that I have never seen but will be seeking it out. As psycho chillers go Mad Room is no classic but worth a watch.

Without trying to spoil too much of the whackiness here, in this ditty, you got a dog making off with someone's severed hand, you got your menacing foot bridge swaying in the breeze and you got your Stella Stevens and your Shelley Winters squaring off in the ham acting department, a few years before they both turned upside down in the Poseidon Adventure. One of them loopy movies following Joan and Bette from ... Baby Jane, where 2 sort of has been actresses vie for screen time by screeching at each other. Stella has a rather spacey look in her eye and Shelley, well, she always was a drama queen. Fun for a few laughs.

This is more camp than thriller. Stella Stevens is beautiful, but even as a fan, I find her dramatic scenes not up to her usual level of competence. Shelley Winters is hilariously cranky ( rumor has it she was on the set as well). The scene stealer in this piece is Beverly Garland as the alcoholic wife of Winter's "masseur."

The beautiful and sexy Stella Stevens has always been regarded as a gifted comedy actress, and with good reason. But occasionally, Stevens has turned in a credible and strong dramatic performance. THE MAD ROOM exploits this serious side of Stevens best. A remake of the 1941 Ida Lupino vehicle LADIES IN RETIREMENT, this film features Stevens as a young housekeeper who has been hiding a dark and disturbing secret from her wealthy employer(the great Shelley Winters). The secret is that Stevens has a younger brother and sister who have been committed to an asylum for brutally murdering their mother and father years before. However, it seems that the skeletons that Stevens has worked so hard to keep hidden, may at last tumble out of her closet. The doctor that has been treating Stevens' siblings insists that they are cured and should be released. Needless to say, this will interfere with Stevens' plans to wed her employer's handsome stepson. A fine tale of suspense, THE MAD ROOM features several bizarre twists and shocking scenes, and terrific performances by the all-star cast. Stevens is magnificent as the tormented housekeeper, Winters is superb as her bitchy employer, and Michael Burns and Barbara Sammeth are appropriately menacing as Stevens' disturbed siblings.

From the opening credits this film gives off a creepy feeling. You are never quite sure which character is trustworthy. Stella Stevens gives the right amount of instability in her performance of a woman who is unsure of her future. The younger siblings, played by Michael Burns and Barbara Sammeth, are equally as creepy. This is a must have film for people who like suspenseful movies with minimal gore. As another reviewer noted I am surprised that this movie has not been released on DVD. It would be interesting to have a commentary by Stella Stevens.

PS: The writers of To Die For with Nicole Kidman must have been fans of this film, since the opening credits are similar to The Mad Room's credits.