Taglines: The night the loving ended and the killing began!
Crescendo movie storyline. New York based graduate student Susan Roberts (Stefanie Powers) has just arrived in France to do research for her Masters thesis on the works of the late composer, Henry Ryman. She is staying indefinitely at the rural isolated estate of Ryman’s widow, Danielle Ryman (Margaretta Scott), on her invitation. There, Susan will have access to Henry’s materials. Beyond Danielle, Carter the valet, and Lillianne the maid, the only other person living at the estate is Henry and Danielle’s son, Georges Ryman.
Georges is wheelchair-bound from an accident suffered six years ago, which ended what looked to be the start of a promising tennis career. Georges admits that he probably disappointed his parents by not being musically inclined like most people in their family. Susan learns that she has a strong resemblance to Georges’ ex-girlfriend Catherine, who left him after the accident.
Susan can see that Georges suffers both from physical and emotional pain, the latter more than just the emasculation he admits he feels from being in a wheelchair. Susan also learns that Georges has a dependency on both his mother and Lillianne, beyond just what he can’t do from being in a wheelchair. But the longer that Susan stays at the estate, more secrets of the family are uncovered, those secrets which may threaten her life, and show that her coming to the estate was not by accident.
Crescendo is a 1970 British psychological thriller film directed by Alan Gibson and starring Stefanie Powers, James Olson and Margaretta Scott. It was made by Hammer Film Productions. Crescendo premiered in London on May 7, 1970 at the New Victoria Theatre. It received a general release on June 7, 1970 by Warner-Pathe in support of Taste the Blood of Dracula. It was distributed in the United States by Warner Brothers on November 29, 1971.
Alfred Shaughnessy wrote the script in the mid 60s. In 1966, Michael Reeves approached Hammer Films with the script. James Carreras tried for two years to make it with Joan Crawford but could not get financing. In 1969, the project was reactivated, with Jimmy Sangster hired to rewrite the script and Alan Gibson to direct.
Crescendo (1970)
Directed by: Alan Gibson
Starring: Stefanie Powers, James Olson, Margaretta Scott, Jane Lapotaire, Joss Ackland, Kirsten Lindholm
Screenplay by: Jimmy Sangster, Alfred Shaughnessy
Production Design by: Hugh Harlow
Cinematography by: Paul Beeson
Film Editing by: Chris Barnes
Art Direction by: Scott MacGregor
Makeup Department: Ivy Emmerton, Stella Morris
Music by: Malcolm Williamson
MPAA Rating: None.
Distributed by: Warner-Pathe
Release Date: May 7, 1970 (London), June 7, 1970 (United Kingdom)
Views: 193