The only film I'd seen from director Robert Hartford-Davis prior to seeing this sixties flick was the lamentable 'Incense for the Damned', so as you can imagine; I didn't go into The Black Torment with the highest of hopes. While this film is hardly a great horror masterpiece, or even one of the best British horrors of the sixties; it's certainly a good film, and a million times better than Incense for the Damned. The film focuses more on its atmosphere, and Hartford-Davis ensures that the themes of murder and insanity are always bubbling on the surface of the movie. The film gets off to a very slow start, and I wasn't too impressed with it once the first half hour had elapsed. Luckily, things improve later on, and the first half of the movie merely sets up the basics of the story. We follow Sir Richard Fordyce upon his return home to his eerie mansion along with his new wife, Lady Elizabeth. His first wife killed herself at her home, and the memory still haunts the lord of the manor. Furthermore, his servants believe that he has been present at the mansion prior to his return...
Huge mansion houses are a tried and tested location for horror, and the one in this film works well considering the story. The film is all about atmosphere, and the director does a good job of racking up the tension in an effort to ensure that the endings works as it should. The characters are nothing to write home about, and the script doesn't do a very good job of balancing them with the plot. The mystery comes about through several small threads, and although the climax is easy to guess; it's fun getting there. The film benefits from several well worked set pieces, many of which involve the ghost of Sir Richard's first wife. The Gothic themes provide the film with a dark horror atmosphere and are sure to appeal to fans of gloomy horror. The acting is, like the characters, rather drab; and the unknown British cast don't do much to grab your attention. It's clear that Hartford-Davis wanted the film to be more like Roger Corman's The Fall of the House of Usher, as it features ideas such as a long line of family members, and also sees a scene set in a portrait gallery, much like the Vincent Price classic. Overall, it has to be said that The Black Torment is slightly disappointing; but fans of sixties Gothic are likely to find something to like here.
