United States

One of the finest screen chillers ever made. A series of bizarre murders alarms everyone in a quiet New England town... murders with a peculiar link - each victim was disabled in some way. In this terror-stricken town lives Helen Capel (DOROTHY McGUIRE) who has not spoken since childhood. She works as servant to the ailing Mrs Warren (ETHEL BARRYMORE) who presides from her bed over a 'strange' household. In the house are her stepson, Professor Warren (GEORGE BRENT); her own reckless son Steven (GORDON OLIVER); the Professor's secretary Blanche (RHONDA FLEMING); and three other servants. Mood and atmosphere have never been so brilliantly created for the sole purpose of terrifying an audience.