The Terror
Lt. Duvalier (Jack Nicholson), separated from his regiment, rides his horse along the coastline, hopelessly lost. His compass having failed, he throws it away and continues on. Passing out from thirst and fatigue, he falls from his horse on the beach. This is noticed by Stefan (Dick Miller), servant of Baron Von Leppe (Boris Karloff), from a rocky cliff. Awakened by the incoming tide, he gets up and notices a girl (Sandra Knight) standing in the hollow of an offshore rock formation where the waves crash through. Calling out to her, he asks if she has drinking water. She makes her way back to shore saying nothing. He follows her to a mountain spring flowing from rocks into the sea. She tells him he may drink of this clear water. He crouches and cups the water in his hands to drink and splash his face. As he straightens up to thank her, she seems to have vanished. Looking around, he sees her drawing spring water from a bucket tied to a rope. He engages her in conversation and she says her name is Helene. He follows her through the forest and up the mountain, ending up back on the beach, where she heads back to the rock opening in the sea. He calls to her and questions her but she stares blindly. Wading back into the sea, he follows her but is attacked by a falcon. He struggles with the bird for a few moments and passes out when a wave overcomes him.He comes to in a shack, covered by a blanket. He looks up and sees Helene smiling at him. Suddenly the image becomes the face of an old woman, Katrina (Dorothy Neumann) the witch. She offers him some tonic from an old bottle, poured into a wooden spoon which she urges him to take. He asks about Helene, but the old woman indicates that it is the falcon, which is seen fluttering its wings. He tells her the bird attacked him but she denies this, trying to show that the bird is friendly. He tells her to take it away and asks about the girl. She says there is no girl, that maybe he had a pleasant illusion. She introduces Gustaf (Jonathan Haze) a mute, who enters. She says it was he who rescued Duvalier and tended to his horse. Later, he is awakened by the window shutter blown by the wind. Getting up, he sees the bird eating a mouse and then flying out an open window. Noticing on the table the blue dress the girl wears when she is Ilsa, he leaves and follows the bird through the forest, finding the girl by the rocky stream again. He speaks to her and she approaches, not speaking. She rests her head on his shoulder, then kisses him and walks away. He follows her through the forest until he runs into Gustaf, who speaks in a whisper, warning him to wait. Picking up a large rock, he throws it onto the ground where it begins to sink. Realizing the girl was leading him to quicksand, he tells Gustaf she meant to kill him. Gustaf tells him the girl is possessed and has no mind of her own. He tells the officer to seek her at the Von Leppe castle and that Eric knows the story. Citing danger, Gustaf runs away. Returning to the shack, Duvalier draws a picture of the girl. The witch comes in and suggests he leave to rejoin his regiment. He asks for Gustaf, but is told that he is away. When questioned about why he wants Gustaf, Duvalier replies he wants him to show him the way to the Barons castle. She asks what he wants with the Baron, to which he says he didnt say he was interested in the Baron, but believes the girl lives there. She says the castle has been uninhabited for many years. He says he will find it himself. She warns him not to go, saying there is no girl. He shows her the drawing, which brings a noticeable reaction of recognition to her face. As he leaves, she tells him not to deal with things he doesnt understand. Even though she told him the Baron was dead, she begs him not to inform the Baron that she is living there.Riding along on his horse on mountain roads, he encounters a small avalanche but sees no one who could have caused it. He returns to the spring to splash water on his face, and standing again sees the castle high on a mountaintop. Arriving at the castle in full uniform, he ties his horse and enters the outer courtyard, looking up around him and calling out to see if anyone is home. The girl appears at the window but says nothing. He approaches and knocks on the large oaken doors. Getting no response, the officer shouts that the door should be opened in the name of the government of France. Opening the door is Baron Von Leppe, who says he didnt hear the knock. Inquiring what a French soldier would want, and being told shelter, for one, the Baron suggests he would find better accommodations in the village. Refusing that, Duvalier tells him that he would not want to inconvenience a French officer and is admitted entrance.
The Baron and the officer talk and sit at a table where a drink is offered. Stefan enters upon command and is told to fetch cognac for our guest. As the drinks are poured, Duvalier asks about the girl, which brings a surprise to the Barons face. He shows the officer a painting of the Baroness Ilsa Von Leppe, now deceased, which bears resemblance to the girl seen. Insisting the girl is very young and active, Duvalier insults the Baron, who tells him you are speaking of the Baroness Von Leppe, my wife. He is told that Stefan will show him to his room.During the night, when the girl walks through the cemetery, the horse is spooked and forces open the stable door and escapes. Duvalier is studying the drawing when the wind blows into the room and extinguishes the candles. Looking out the window, he sees Helene walking toward the chapel and calls to her to wait until he comes down. She goes inside the chapel, which leads to a mausoleum. Finding his door is locked from the outside, he finds something to try and get the door open. He hears a scrambling and screeching at the door, as if someone is there. Fetching his pistol, he calls for the door to be unlocked, threatening to shoot. At the sound of the door unlocking, he opens it and finds no one. Going downstairs, he goes outside and enters the chapel. Here he observes the crypt entrance to the Baroness Ilsa Von Leppe. He re-enters the castle and notices that the portrait is missing from its frame. Returning to his room, he finds the drawing of the girl ripped apart down the middle.Later, the Baron is eating and speaking with his servant, who suggests maybe the officer has heard rumors in the village. The Baron says that is nonsense, but tells Stefan that Duvalier should leave as soon as possible, cautioning that proper respect is shown the Lieutenant.Coming back to the chapel, Duvalier is questioned by Stefan of his purpose. The officer reminds the servant that he must remember his place. When the name of Eric is mentioned, Stefan shows recognition, but tells the officer to not meddle in affairs of the dead. Duvalier says he will tend to his horse, but the servant stops him, telling him the horse bolted during the night and that he will get him another from the village.Duvalier enters the castle and confronts the Baron abruptly. Incensed, the Baron confesses to the murder of his wife twenty years ago. When he had gone away to war, he returned a year later to find her with another man. It is revealed than Stefan killed her lover and that the Baron has mourned and remained in the castle all these years. It is believed the ghost of Ilsa began coming two years ago and now the Baron looks forward to seeing her.Gustaf talks with Helene on a cliff overlooking the ocean. He tells her that her name is Ilsa and not to trust the old woman. She tells him the witch summoned her from the sea and he says she must return to the sea. He mentions that the Frenchman can help her. At this point the falcon appears and the girl empathically receives a message from the old woman, warning Gustaf not to interfere and that the witch will no longer tolerate him.Stefan goes by night to the witchs shack and observes through the window as she prepares a potion which she pours into a basin, causing a flash of light. Now the girl is seen being hypnotized by the witch, who is using a multi-colored rotating lantern and a magnifying glass while chanting words in Latin. She tells the spirit of Ilsa to fully inhabit the girls body and mind, so the witch can have her vengeance. When the spell is complete, Stefan observes the chair empty. Confronting the old witch, Stefan tells her to leave by tomorrow (for she is squatting on the Barons land) or he will return and burn the shack down. She asks if he knew who lived there years ago and he repeats the question back to her. Eric, she replies.Back at the castle, Stefan tells the Baron that the Frenchman refuses to leave and suggests they kill him. The Baron absolutely refuses and warns him to stay away from the crypt. Meanwhile, Duvalier explores rooms in the castle. He finds a gun case containing two pistols which he examines. Before leaving the room, he finds the missing portrait inside an armoire. Coming out into the hall, he hears the Baron approaching and hides in a room. Then he follows the Baron, who goes to his own room. Duvalier hears voices inside, including the girls. Impulsively he bursts into the room to find only the Baron sitting. Rising quickly, the Baron accuses him of rudely intruding into his bedroom unannounced. After an apology, Duvalier confesses he thought he heard voices. He is lambasted by the Baron, who informs him that he should leave as soon as Stefan returns from the village with a new horse. The officer agrees. When Stefan arrives and presents the animal to Duvalier, he explains that the Barons ways may seem strange to an outsider and that he fears the Baron has never recovered from the death of his wife. Before leaving, the officer asks who Eric is. It is revealed that Eric was the Baronesss lover when the Baron returned from the war.Wandering the beach on his steed, the officer sees Gustaf walking along the cliffsides. At one point he is signaling by waving his arms for Duvalier to go back. The officer stops to observe. Suddenly the falcon appears and attacks Gustaf. After a struggle the bird has pecked out Gustafs eyes and disappeared. Bloody and blind, Gustaf stumbles around and falls off the cliff to rocks below. The officer hurries down and with his last words, Gustaf tells him that the girl loves Duvalier and her soul should be freed tonight if he will return to the castle.That night the officer returns and sees the girl waiting at the door of the chapel. He approaches and they go inside. After a greeting and kiss, they sit and she tells him this is the only place she is free from the spell (inside the chapel). He tells her that she is free everywhere when she is with him. He suggests doctors who can help her in Paris if she will accompany him. There is an agreement and another reassuring kiss. They emerge together from the chapel and Duvalier tells her to wait at the chapel gate. He walks away but when he looks back, she is gone.Back inside the castle, the officer sees the Baron open a portcullis by pulling a chain and pulley, then entering. As he follows, the Baron twists a candlestick and opens a secret door leading down to the crypt below. [This scene is also seen at the beginning of the film.] The Baron is seen kneeling over the coffin of his wife and speaking to her. Her voice can be heard telling him to kill himself by flooding the crypt so they can be together. He says he cannot do this unforgivable sin. She insists he must. Looking up, he sees Ilsa telling him to take his own life. At this point, Duvalier interrupts and runs in, trying to see the woman, who disappears. After unsuccessfully calling for Helene, he sees to the collapsed Baron. Upstairs, Stefan attends to the Baron who is in his bed. The officer is told that this sickness is based on what happens when the girls spirit torments the Baron and that he will soon recover. Duvalier asks for keys to the chapel and they go. Unable to open the door leading to the crypt, the officer asks for a crowbar. As they go outside, Stefan pauses, noticing a light being carried in the tower window. He tells Duvalier that room has been sealed since the death twenty years ago. They hurry upstairs. When told that only the Baron has the room key, Duvalier kicks open the door. They look inside and the officer finds and asks about a childs crib found there. At this moment the Baron arrives and gives Stefan a gun to escort Duvalier from the castle, telling him to shoot if he resists. Another conversation between Ilsa and the Baron convinces him to commit suicide.Outside, the officer is warned by the servant never to return at risk of death. At this point the girl is seen in front of the chapel. Duvalier struggles with Stefan, finally knocking him out with the gun. As he follows the girl into the cemetery, suddenly the witch appears from behind a tombstone. He grabs her arm, threatening her, only to see the falcon approaching to kill him. Cocking the gun, he tells Katrina to call off the bird. She does, informing him that it doesnt matter because tonight the Baron will pay with his own immortal soul for the offence against her. He asks what offence the Baron did her. She tells him that the Baron killed Eric, her son.Stefan, recovered from his blow, returns to the castle to see the Baron raise the portcullis to enter. He tries to interfere, but is struck in the head. Going to the front doors, he opens to Duvalier, who seizes him and asks where the Baron is. He is told that the Baron has gone downstairs to flood the crypt. The officer tells Stefan that the old woman lured Helene to coax the Baron into killing himself to avenge the death of her son Eric, not knowing that it was really Stefan who killed him. Enraged, the witch tries to attack Stefan, who reveals that it was not Eric who was killed that night, but the Baron. For twenty years Eric has pretended to be the Baron. The witch realizes that her son and the girl will soon die in the flood. The officer and the servant rush into the castle and try to follow the Baron. When they are unable to open the secret door, Stefan takes an ax to try to open it. Duvalier says he will try to enter through the chapel. As he runs to the chapel, he grabs the old womans arm, saying he will need her. She fights and cries no, citing that she may not enter the house of God, for she has made her pact with the devil. She breaks away from him at the threshold and turns back to the gate, where she is struck by lightning and her body bursts into flames and is consumed. Duvalier watches in stupefaction, then goes into the chapel. Unable to open the crypt door, he gets a pry bar and works on it. Meanwhile, the Baron, hearing Ilsas voice, pries open the coffin, revealing the body covered in a shroud. She tells him to flood the crypt and he does so, turning a large spindle that opens an underground floodgate. She tells him to look at her by removing the shroud. When he does, he is horrified to see her rotten corpse. She confesses that she is the spirit of Ilsa who has tricked him into giving his soul so hers can be free. Then she calls him Eric. He goes to undo the spindle and the girl struggles with him as the waters flood the room. Stefan, having broken through the secret door, hurries downstairs. Seeing them struggling in the water, Stefan dives in and tries to separate them. The foundations of the castle break under the pressure of the floods and begin to collapse. Finally Duvalier breaks through the crypt door and rushes through underground passages to find the three of them in the water. Diving in, he removes the girl from the water and carries her out. The bodies of Stefan and the Baron are shown in the water, face down. The officer carries Helene outside the chapel and leans her up against a tree. He tells her she is safe now and free. She opens her eyes and looks at him. Free? she replies. He kisses her, but soon recoils in horror as her face begins to bleed and deteriorate. As he looks away and then looks back, her face is melting away to bone.
cult, revenge, gothic