I nervi a pezzi

Twisted Nerve is a rather well made film that deals with the psychopathology of a 21 year old man. His illness is "triggered" when he leaves his troubled home (a rich demanding father and infantilizing mother) to live as a border in the home of a college student (Haley Mills) and her mother (Billie Whitelaw).

The film works especially well when his sexuality is aroused by both Haley Mills and Billie Whitelaw, with disastrous results.

The movie takes its time to unfold. Although it does have some shocking scenes, this film isn't your typical slasher/psycho movie, as the advertisements suggest, its much more than that.

Not at all bad. From an uneasy, start complete with voice-over to try and mitigate the non PC nature of the main thread of the film, this builds very nicely to a very decent climax. Hywell Bennet is most effective as the young man who tries to break from his mother and Hayley Mills surprisingly good playing against type.

If it hadn't been for the controversy surrounding the film regarding 'Mongols', she may have gone on to a much more interesting career. Good pacing and fleshed out secondary characters help to make this an absorbing psycho thriller, with some quite nasty moments and a splattering of blood.

Like many I knew this film only from the review in Phil Hardy's "Encyclopedia of Horror Films." Based on that I expected a piece of totally exploitative trash that would prove highly offensive. Having now seen it, I ask "what film did he watch?" The Twisted Nerve I just watched is a surprisingly good, well made thriller that does not deserve it's critical drubbing or audience ignorance (It is also not a Splatter" movie as the review states). Back in the day it seems that it caused a firestorm of controversy in it's native England as many mistook Martin/Georgie's split personality for mental retardation. It is his brother, not Martin, that is mentally retarded and in no way a threat to anyone. Martin is in fact, a split personality. As Georgie, he is a very likable man/child, sweet and innocent. But as Martin, he's cold, calculating, and dangerously clever. I think this makes for a fascinating hero/villain and Hywell Bennet carries it off with extreme effectiveness. Hayley Mills and Billie Whitelaw are at their loveliest, and overall the cast does extremely well. Could be a tad overlong at nearly 2 hours, but the film never drags once. Forget what the critics say and it's controversial legacy. Give it a chance, you'll be rewarded.

Martin/Georgie is a mommy obsessed psychopath with a mental age of an infant.Georgie dupes his way into beautiful Hayley Mills' residence and the sinister things begin to happen..."Twisted Nerve" is a psychological thriller strongly influenced by Alfred Hitchcock's "Psycho".The camera-work is outstanding as is the acting.There are only two murders shown in the film,so fans of horror will be disappointed.The soundtrack by Bernard Herrmann of "Psycho" fame is truly memorable as is the whistling theme later used by Tarantino in "Kill Bill Vol 1".The characters are well-written and there is strong emphasis on oedipal complex.8 out of 10.

Hayley Mills and Hywel Bennett who scored big in The Family Way, she as the eager bride and him as the groom with nervous performance problems, made several films after that together. But Twisted Nerve is about as different from The Family Way as you can get. Hayley Mills still had some box office clout via the Disney films she made. But it's Bennett here who has a meaty role as a narcissistic sociopath.

He meets Hayley Mills when both are suspected of shoplifting in a London toy store. But Mills and Bennett both get out of it after he puts on a second personality, a man with the development of a seven year old. Mills feels sorry for him and Bennett makes a note of her address and makes sure to bump into her.

He may act a seven year old as a ploy calling himself Georgie. But in is real life role as Martin, Bennett is getting an understandable case of the hots for Mills. She can't take him seriously though in his little boy persona. That's when Bennett's narcissism takes over and he goes full blown psychotic.

Bennett dominates this film, he enters the room your eyes are on him even if he's not speaking. Beautiful as Hayley Mills was at the prime of her life, she can't keep your attention when Hywel is in the scene.

The film fills you full of anticipation. You never know when Bennett is going to finally lose it, but when he does you are fearful of this man/child.

Nothing like The Family Way, but still a good film.