Um Grito de Terror

Perky college co-ed (Sian Barbara Allen, who looks a bit like Jessica Harper) talks her way into job as housekeeper for a famous sculptor and his elderly mother; soon, she's curious about the person living in the room over the garage, a woman she's told is incurably insane. TV-made extension of "Psycho"'s theme, lacking at the very least one big jolt (no shower scene here). Instead, "Scream, Pretty Peggy" is full of chit-chat, relying on a single plot-hook in which to hang all its weary exposition. The performances are unusually strong for a television feature, particularly by Ted Bessell as the artist, but the reedy-thin story is stretched to the breaking point. Interesting location, appropriately scary music from Bob Prince, pithy supporting work from Bette Davis. Otherwise, pretty tame.

Bette Davis, a great actress, unfortunately has nothing to do in this one except give dire warnings to the heroine. After the first half-hour, you know how this one is going to end; the clues are just that easy. I give it high marks for atmosphere, but other than that, this made-for-TV chiller doesn't do much. Good for wasting time on a Saturday afternoon if nothing else is on.

Fairly competent early '70's, made for TV suspense flick is notable mainly for the presence of Bette Davis who breathes some much needed life into Jimmy Sangster's ultra-conventional script that was apparently written after too many viewings of PSYCHO. This small screen release can't hold a candle to that classic chiller, but at least director Gordon Hessler does an adequate job of handling the familiar material, and this is undeniably one of the most stylish and professional-looking TV films ever.

I don't know about "Pretty Peggy" but I did notice a "Pushy Peggy" in the film. Peggy has a way of pushing, she pushed herself in to the lives of the Elliott family... even pushing her way to stay with them and using the car when she wants to most of the time. Peggy's pushing almost got her killed as she tried to push her way into finding out more about Jennifer Elliott, the sister of the man Peggy is falling in-love with, Jeffrey.

This is a decent made for TV mystery-thriller, horror film. The movie is worth a looksy. Bette Davis is great as usual, this time playing the weird, drunk mom of Jeffrey & Jennifer.

7/10

A creepy 1973 TV movie that seems to give nods to PSYCHO and William Castle's HOMICIDAL.Pretty Peggy,a college student and budding artist,goes to work in an old mansion as a housekeeper for a mysterious old lady(Bette Davis) and her oddball sculptor son(Ted Bessell).There is also a deranged daughter who lives in a room above the garage.Peggy starts become more unnerved when a man visits the house looking for his daughter who was the previous housekeeper.He sees a light shining above the garage and,well,is not seen again.Jimmy Sangster worked on the script,and he's infamous for many Hammer horror classics and a lot of American TV.Very atmospheric and spooky,I haven't seen this movie on TV since I was a kid.A darn shame!Good TV horror is not exactly plentiful,so it's very sad that movies like this remain unseen by new generations of horror fans.