The Couch (film)
The Couch | |
---|---|
Owen Crump | |
Screenplay by | Robert Bloch |
Story by | Blake Edwards Owen Crump |
Produced by | Owen Crump |
Starring | Grant Williams Shirley Knight Onslow Stevens William Leslie Anne Helm Simon Scott |
Cinematography | Harold E. Stine |
Edited by | Leo H. Shreve |
Music by | Frank Perkins |
Production company | |
Distributed by | Warner Bros. |
Release date |
|
Running time | 100 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
The Couch is a 1962 American
Plot
A man phones the police and announces that a murder will be committed at seven o'clock. At the stroke of 7:00 p.m., he stabs a stranger on the streets with an icepick; escaping, he then reports to Dr. Janz for his daily psychiatric session. Although it is after 7:00, the young man tells the waiting receptionist, Terry, that it is exactly 7:00 – she has mislaid her watch and is unaware of the exact time. He returns the icepick to the bar in the practice, from where he had taken it.
The man is revealed to be Charles Campbell, who has been paroled following a two-year prison term for rape on condition that he undergo daily psychiatric treatment. While for the most part maintaining a calm demeanour, he always approaches the analyst's couch with trepidation and occasionally becomes aggressive and shows signs of inner turmoil during sessions. Beyond being Janz's patient, he is carrying on a romantic relationship with Terry, who is also Janz's niece. As fraternization with patients is not permitted, they keep their relationship clandestine. On a walk together one night, Charles tells Terry, who is not privy to patient histories, that he is seeing Dr. Janz as a condition of parole following a manslaughter conviction in the death of his dear sister, Ruthie, and that he is tormented with guilt for being at the wheel in the car accident that claimed her life.
Several days after the first murder, he commits another murder in the same manner, again announcing this in advance to the police. This sets off a
Charles's next victim is Dr. Janz himself, who has become suspicious of him and the significance of 7:00 in the killings. After stabbing the doctor in a crowded passageway at a football stadium, Charles goes to Janz's office to meet Terry. The meeting had been arranged by the two in order to reveal their relationship and plans to marry to Dr. Janz; as Charles had falsely told her that Dr. Janz said he could discontinue treatment at any time, she believes there is no obstacle to their being together. Charles also lies to her that he has come from another meeting confirming a large inheritance, telling her he is now free to do anything. Terry asks him what he means, but Charles does not reveal more and instead attempts to
Charles meanwhile explores the hospital, his identity concealed by an operating gown and mask taken from a supply room. After an unsuccessful attempt at killing Janz on the operating table, he enters the recovery room in which Dr. Janz is lying. When he has taken Dr. Janz on a
Cast
- Grant Williams as Charles Campbell
- Shirley Knight as Terry Ames
- Onslow Stevens as Dr. Janz
- William Leslie as Dr. David Lindsay
- Anne Helm as Jean Quimby
- Simon Scott as Lt. Kritzman
- Michael Bachus as Sgt. Bonner
- John Alvin as Sloan
- Harry Holcombe as District Attorney
- Hope Summers as Mrs. Quimby
Notes
Three of the performers in this film appeared in multiple episodes of
See also
References
- novelizemy screenplay I put back my fantasy-and-hallucination material and... explored the murderer's mind more deeply... [1] As a result, The Couch [novel] is very much along the lines of Bloch' s subjective psychological thrillers, The Scarf and Psycho."
- ^ Psychotherapists on Film, 1899-1999: A Worldwide Guide 0786412976 John Flowers, Paul Frizler - 2004 "The Couch. 1962, Warner Brothers, U.S., 100 min. Director: Owen Crump. Screenplay: Blake Edwards. Based on a story by Robert Bloch, Owen Crump. Cast: Grant Williams, Charles Campbell, Shirley Knight, Terry, Onslow Stevens, Dr. Janz, ."
- ^ IMDb, Hope Summers
- ^ IMDb, Hal Smith
- ^ IMDb, Ronnie Dapo
- ^ IMDb, The Couch
External links
- The Couch at IMDb
- The Couch at Rotten Tomatoes