Someone At
The Top Of
The
Stairs
(ITC Movie title "Someone At The Top Of The Stairs")
Original UK transmission: 28th April 1973
Original US transmission: 12th February 1973
WRITTEN BY: Brian Clemens
DIRECTED BY: John Sichel
PRODUCED BY: John Sichel
MAIN CAST: Donna Mills (Chrissie Morton), Judy Carne (Gillian
Pemberton), Francis Wallis (Gary Masters), Alethea Charlton (Mrs
Oxhey), Brian McGarth (Elgar), Peter Cellier (Colonel Wright),
Clifford Parrish (Thurston), Scott Forbes (Mr Patrick), Rhoda
Lewis (Emma Patrick), Alan Roberto (Jonathan Patrick), Laura
Collins (Sally Thurston), David DeKeyser (Cartney)
Teaser
Sequence
The camera pans over the
Thames at twilight to an imposing-looking Victorian house, where
within a young girl ascends a flight of stairs in a trance-like
state. Reaching the top, she turns and heads blindly up a short
stairwell towards a door; the door opens and she enters,
whereupon it closes again. There is a moment of silence, and then
a piercing scream rings out.
Plot
Summary
Chrissie and Gillian are
students who take up lodgings in an ancient Victorian boarding
house. Despite their delight with their new room and the low
rent, the other occupants of the house are so peculiar that
within days Chrissie is already talking of leaving. Gillian
insists she stays, however, and she does - in spite of the
curious habits of the residents and the strange fact that none of
them ever seem to leave the house. When a man arrives at the door
searching for his missing daughter, Chrissie suspects foul play
but is unable to prove anything. The following day, she is forced
to spend the night away against her better instincts, and Gillian
inevitably comes face to face with the mysterious occupant at the
top of the stairs...
Comments
This was never one of my favourites but upon recent viewing I
find that it does in fact have a lot to commend it. Certainly the
air of oddness about the house and its inhabitants is very well
realised, as is the sense of foreboding regarding the mysterious
character living above Chrissie and Gillian's room. For me, the
problem comes with the ending which, while unexpected, doesn't
quite seem to live up to all the build up. Donna Mills would
return in two further stories, One Deadly Owner and Killer
With Two Faces.
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