Paranoiac (1963)

Their parents killed in a plane crash some years previously, a spoiled spendthrift and alcoholic (Oliver Reed) is attempting to drive his sister (Janette Scott) crazy in order to inherit all the family wealth. But when a mysterious stranger (Alexander Davion) turns up claiming to be the long lost brother they thought dead, things get ugly ..... and deadly. Loosely based on the novel BRAT FARRAR by Josephine Tey and directed by cinematographer turned director Freddie Francis (TALES FROM THE CRYPT). Outside of a terribly hammy over the top performance by Oliver Reed which I'll give a pass because this was so early in his career, this is a decent Hammer thriller. It's well done even though the screenplay doesn't offer any surprises. The wide screen B&W lensing by Arthur Grant (TOMB OF LIGEIA) is quite nice and rare for an early 60s film, the underscore is composed by a woman, Elisabeth Lutyens. With Maurice Denham, Sheila Burrell, Liliane Brousse, John Bonney and Marianne Stone.