The Haunting (1963)

A parapsychologist (Richard Johnson) takes a lease on Hill House which has a reputation for being haunted. The house's owner (Fay Compton) insists that her nephew (Russ Tamblyn) be in attendance as part of the agreement. Two women: a lesbian psychic (Claire Bloom) and a fragile woman (Julie Harris) who had a paranormal experience as a child are part of the study. It doesn't take long for the house to come alive. Based on the novel THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE by Shirley Jackson and directed by Robert Wise (THE SAND PEBBLES). One of the great horror films of all time, director Wise shows all he learned from his mentor Val Lewton. Shot in crisp atmospheric black and white, Wise avoids showing us anything. But the sophisticated sound design and Davis Boulton's off kilter cinematography and especially Elliot Scott and John Jarvis' production design and set decoration give the film an unsettling distinctive style. The performances of Harris and Bloom rank with their best screen work and are among the greatest performances in a horror film. If the film has any flaws, it's the clumsy score by Humphrey Searle which adds nothing to the proceedings. With Lois Maxwell and Rosalie Crutchley.