Mr. Sardonicus (1961)

User Rating:

6.6/10   

Director:

William Castle

Writers:

Ray Russell (story)
Ray Russell (screenplay)

Release Date:

1962 (Austria)

Genre:

Drama | Horror | Mystery

Tagline:

A man of evil... with a face that could stop a heart!

Plot:

A search for a winning lottery ticket in his dead father's grave causes Sardonicus' face to freeze in a horrible grimace...

Plot Keywords:

Grave Robbing | Corpse | Mask | 1880s | Leech

Cast

Oskar Homolka	...	Krull (as Oscar Homolka)
Ronald Lewis	...	Sir Robert Cargrave
Audrey Dalton	...	Maude Sardonicus
Guy Rolfe	...	Baron Sardonicus
Vladimir Sokoloff	...	Henryk Toleslawski
Erika Peters	...	Elenka
Lorna Hanson	...	Anna
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Edith Atwater	...	Nurse
James Forrest	...	Wainwright

Also Known As:

Sardonicus (UK)

Runtime:

89 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:(Banned) (1961) | UK:12 | USA:Approved | West Germany:16

Company:

William Castle Productions

Trivia:

The correct term for Baron Sardonicus' condition is hysterical rictus.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: Early in the film, the Baroness claims to be a fan of Arthur Conan Doyle, citing him as a "fascinating writer"; but the story takes place in 1880, and Arthur Conan Doyle did not publish his first minor work until 1883, and was not well-known until the publication of the first Sherlock Holmes story - "A Study in Scarlet" - until 1887. Thus, the Baroness could not possibly have ever heard of Arthur Conan Doyle.

Quotes:

[last lines]
Krull: Master, I'm very sorry, but I missed him. The train had already left.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Creature Features: Mr. Sardonicus (#1.38)" (1971)

Soundtrack:

Foggy, Foggy Dew

Disturbing but memorable!

I saw this in the "show" when I was about 10, and seriously, I have never forgotten it. About 20 years ago, I noticed that it was on a station out of Toledo in the middle of the night, and even though I had to get up in the morning, and they had commercials every 10 minutes, I stayed up (after setting the alarm to GET UP) and watched the whole movie... I guess I am a William Castle fan, I have to admit it. (One other that still kills me is Homicidal, and woo hoo Richard Rust is in it, too, my favorite!) I play the lottery every day now, too, and that storyline about the ticket in the grave just GETS ME!! This is one odd film, like everything Castle does, but ya gotta love it!! It sticks with you, once you've seen it, you are hooked forever.