This is a low-budget British horror film but it's genuinely creepy with a splendid villain. It also pushes the envelope a bit as far as sex is concerned.
The Great Vorelli ( Bryant Haliday ) is a stage hypnotist and ventriloquist whose doll Hugo apparently moves and speaks for itself. An intrigued reporter Mark English ( William Sylvester ) investigates him and asks his socialite girlfriend Marianne to volunteer at a performance. Vorelli recognises her and uses his powers to move in on her.
Yvonne Romain ( as Marianne Horn )
Sex : Marianne has sex in a car with Mark then is raped under hypnosis by Vorelli. In both cases the main action is offscreen but the lead up goes further than before.
Death : Survives
Yvonne gets to show off her dancing skills in a good role although it's a pity she's not in the second half of the film that much.
Sandra Dorne ( as Magda )
Sex : Magda reveals most of her enormous boobs whilst asleep. She is Vorelli's mistress.
Death : Hugo is manipulated into stabbing her by Vorelli, shortly after a final shag .
Sandra was originally Joan Smith from Keighley. A popular pin-up she had some good roles in fifties crime pictures but was slipping into supporting roles and work became scarcer after the early seventies. Unfortunately her last picture was the execrable Eat the Rich in 1987. She died in 1992 aged 68.
Trixie Dallas ( as Miss Penton )
Sex : No
Death : Survives
This was Trixie's only screen role. She has quite a few lines as English's secretary.
Heidi Erich ( as Grace )
Sex : Grace is Magda's successor as Vorelli's stage partner and mistress
Death : Survives
Heidi was a bit part actress who spoke fluent German. She disappeared from view in the late sixties.
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