Paranoiac is a 1963 thriller directed by Freddie Francis and starring Oliver Reed,Janette Scott and Sheila Burrell.
The film begins with a church service being held for Mr.and Mrs. Ashby who were killed in a plane crash. They have three children who are sent to live with their aunt, Harriet(Burrell). One of the sons, Tony, kills himself by jumping into the sea. His body is never found. Eleanor Ashby(Scott) is fragile. She thinks that she has seen her dead brother. Her other brother, Simon(Reed) is not a nice person. He wants to have Eleanor committed to an insane asylum so he can get her money. A nurse has been employed to look after her. Her name is Francoise. She tells Eleanor that her brother is dead and that she cannot have seen him. Simon and Aunt Harriet do not get along. He is spending money on drinking.
Eleanor sees Tony(Alexander Davion) in the garden. She runs around looking for him. The others find her and she is hysterical because he has vanished. Simon talks to Francoise. He employed her and they are having an affair. He wants her to help him to get Eleanor committed. Simon is going to investigate the solicitor who is handling the family affairs. He knows his son, Keith and he gets money from him. Eleanor is distraught at the visions of her brother and she is going to kill herself.
She is stopped by a man who turns out to the long lost Tony. The butler recognises him. Simon isn't happy to see his long lost brother. Aunt Harriet is suspicious of him and she wants to know more about him. Eleanor is very happy that he has come home and she wants him to stay.
Tony is worried about Eleanor. Harriet and Simon bring the solicitor to talk to Tony.He asks him questions. It turns out that Tony IS an impostor and he was hired by Keith to help him embezzle money from the Ashby's. Tony is attacked. Elanor says that she heard an organ playing and someone singing beforehand. Simon messes with the car. Eleanor almost dies in a crash but Tony saves her. They hear the music again and this time they follow it and see Simon playing the organ and there is a child in there with him. The child is wearing a mask. They catch the kid and it is Aunt Harriet! She was protecting Simon, who is insane. Eleanor kisses Tony and she is horrified as she thinks that he is her brother. She decides to end it all. She is in love with him. He tells her that he is not her brother.
Francoise decides to leave. She is caught by Simon and he kills her. Tony asks Eleanor to leave with him. He dismantles the organ and he finds a corpse hidden behind it. Simon shows up and he he tells Tony that he killed his brother. He attacks Tony. He then brings out the corpse and sits it on a chair while he p;lays the organ. Simon plans to kill Tony. Aunt Harriet finds him and she sets the place on fire. Eleanor saves Tony before he is burned to a crisp. Simon goes in to get the corpse of his brother and he can't get out so he dies as he looks at his dead brother's remains.
This was a very good thriller. I liked the cast, especially Oliver Reed. He was perfect as the horrible Simon. He really made this movie better. The story was good and it was interesting to find out the real story at the end. It is a Hammer movie and the director Freddie Francis is responsible for some fine Hammer horror movies such as The Evil of Frankenstein and Dracula Has Risen from the Grave!! I highly recommend this one as I enjoyed it. I will give it a 7/10.