"House of the Long Shadows" is famous for the casting of horror legends Vincent Price, Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing and John Carradine in the same picture. Director Pete Walker handles these veteran performers admirably.
American author Kenneth Magee (Desi Arnaz Jr.) bets his publisher Sam Allyson (Richard Todd) $20,000 that he can write a novel in 24 hours while holed up in a creepy old mansion in Wales. Driving to the mansion Magee meets newlyweds Andrew and Diane Caulder (Richard Hunter, Louise English) when he stops for directions.
Arriving at the mansion and expecting it to be unoccupied, he first meets the "caretakers" (John Carradine, Sheila Keith) and then the young girl he had seen when he met with Allyson (Julie Peasgood). She warns him of imminent danger should he remain in the house.
Soon other mysterious persons arrive. First is Sebastian Grisbane (Peter Cushing) and later Lionel Grisbane (Vincent Price). All gather in the dining room and we learn that the caretakers are actually Lord Grisbane (Carradine) and his daughter/care giver Victoria (Keith).
We learn that 40 years earlier, the Grisbanes had locked their younger brother away for the murder of a young woman and now they all have returned in order to settle the matter. Into the fray comes Corrigan (Christopher Lee) who claims to be the potential buyer of the mansion. To further complicate matters, the Caulders, whom Magee had met on the way, arrive having lost their way.
Then things start to happen. The tires of the cars are all slashed. There is no escape. Then they go to the imprisoned brother's room but he has escaped. Grisly murders ensue as Magee and the young girl Mary Norton (Peasgood) run through the mansion to try and escape the murderer. Then Corrigan reveals his secret and.............................
The veteran actors now getting up in years still manage to give excellent performances. Price with his excellent diction starts us off with a creepy "I have returned" upon his entrance. Cushing as the slightly tipsy Sebastiasn, gives us what little humor there is in the film. Lee as always dominates the screen with his "I've got a secret" performance. And John Carradine also contributes as the old Lord of the manor.
Of the others, Sheila Keith is good as the sister and Julie Theasgood makes a likable if not deceptive love interest. Richard Hunter has a gruesome death scene. The best that can be said about Arnaz' performance is that as an actor he made a fair singer. And it was good to see Richard Todd once again.
You should be prepared for not one but two surprise endings which explains all of the goings on in the story.
American author Kenneth Magee (Desi Arnaz Jr.) bets his publisher Sam Allyson (Richard Todd) $20,000 that he can write a novel in 24 hours while holed up in a creepy old mansion in Wales. Driving to the mansion Magee meets newlyweds Andrew and Diane Caulder (Richard Hunter, Louise English) when he stops for directions.
Arriving at the mansion and expecting it to be unoccupied, he first meets the "caretakers" (John Carradine, Sheila Keith) and then the young girl he had seen when he met with Allyson (Julie Peasgood). She warns him of imminent danger should he remain in the house.
Soon other mysterious persons arrive. First is Sebastian Grisbane (Peter Cushing) and later Lionel Grisbane (Vincent Price). All gather in the dining room and we learn that the caretakers are actually Lord Grisbane (Carradine) and his daughter/care giver Victoria (Keith).
We learn that 40 years earlier, the Grisbanes had locked their younger brother away for the murder of a young woman and now they all have returned in order to settle the matter. Into the fray comes Corrigan (Christopher Lee) who claims to be the potential buyer of the mansion. To further complicate matters, the Caulders, whom Magee had met on the way, arrive having lost their way.
Then things start to happen. The tires of the cars are all slashed. There is no escape. Then they go to the imprisoned brother's room but he has escaped. Grisly murders ensue as Magee and the young girl Mary Norton (Peasgood) run through the mansion to try and escape the murderer. Then Corrigan reveals his secret and.............................
The veteran actors now getting up in years still manage to give excellent performances. Price with his excellent diction starts us off with a creepy "I have returned" upon his entrance. Cushing as the slightly tipsy Sebastiasn, gives us what little humor there is in the film. Lee as always dominates the screen with his "I've got a secret" performance. And John Carradine also contributes as the old Lord of the manor.
Of the others, Sheila Keith is good as the sister and Julie Theasgood makes a likable if not deceptive love interest. Richard Hunter has a gruesome death scene. The best that can be said about Arnaz' performance is that as an actor he made a fair singer. And it was good to see Richard Todd once again.
You should be prepared for not one but two surprise endings which explains all of the goings on in the story.