NEVER TAKE CANDY FROM A STRANGER Icons of Suspense: Hammer Films

U.K. | 1960 Directed by Cyril Frankel Starring Gwen Watford Patrick Allen Felix Aylmer B&W | 81 Minutes | Not Rated Format: DVD (R1 - NTSC | 3-disc set) Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

Hold your mouse pointer over an image for a pop-up caption

		EC Home Review List Coming Soon Downloads
		Review by Troy Howarth Film:9 DVD:9

NOTE: DVD Rating is for entire 6-film set

Peter Carter (Patrick Allen), his wife Sally (Gwen Watford) and their young daughter Jean (Janina Faye) move to a sleepy Canadian village, where Peter has been hired as a school principal. Their idyll is shattered when Jean becomes the victim of an elderly, and extremely powerful, pedophile (Felix Aylmer)...

Originally titled Never Take Sweets from a Stranger, this unusual Hammer production was adopted from a play titled The Pony Cart by Roger Garis. The theme of child molestation was something of a taboo at the time, and no doubt the idea of a company like Hammer — best known for their colorful exploitation fare — producing such a film put many viewers off the idea of seeing it. This is to be regretted, as it emerges as one of their most potent, but delicately handled, films.

Expatriate American filmmaker Joseph Losey (These Are the Damned) had hoped to direct the film, but Hammer ultimately settled on documentary filmmaker Cyril Frankel. While one can only guess at what Losey would have done with the material, Frankel is to be commended for doing a truly superlative job. He handles the material with discretion, but this is not the detriment of the film's impact. It is that truly rare beast — a Hammer 'message' film — but it never becomes unduly heavy-handed in its moralizing. Frankel would go on to direct the Nigel Kneale-scripted The Witches (1966) for the studio, but he failed to recapture the magic of this first outing for the company.

The film benefits from a superb ensemble, though its lack of star power surely hurt its chances at the box office. Patrick Allen (Night Creatures) and Gwen Watford (Taste the Blood of Dracula) are perfect as the couple whose existence is threatened when they dare to bring charges against the elderly pedophile. Allen's square-jawed looks made him ideal in 'men of action' roles, but he also possessed genuine acting ability; his strong voice also made him prolific in the dubbing field — for example, he looped Leon Greene's entire performance in Hammer's The Devil Rides Out (1967). Good as Allen and Watford are, however, they are upstaged by Janina Faye (Horror of Dracula) and Felix Aylmer (The Mummy). The former gives one of the most beautifully realized and heart-rending child performances imaginable, while the latter emerges as the most frightening monster in Hammer's filmography. Aylmer was best known for playing stern authoritarian types, and his distinguished work on stage and screen would earn him a knighthood, so his casting in this film was something of a coup. It took guts for the veteran actor to risk sullying his image in playing such a role, but what most sticks in mind is what a powerful presence he conveys with absolutely no dialogue. Indeed, the lack of dialogue is a strength in this instance, helping to make him seem even more creepy in his characterization. The role affords Aylmer a chance for pathos in his last moments, and he certainly makes the most of it. The supporting cast includes a few familiar faces from other Hammer films, including Niall MacGinnis (Curse of the Demon) and Michael Gwynn (The Revenge of Frankenstein). Most of the cast — excepting Allen, Watford and Faye — are required to drop their English accents to lend verisimilitude to the Canadian setting; by and large, the actors are successful in this.

The film was also the only Hammer film photographed by the great Freddie Francis. Francis was a fan of the play and he made some key suggestions to the filmmakers — including recommending the avant garde composer Elisabeth Lutyens to compose the spare soundtrack. Francis would later use Lutyens on some of his best directorial work (The Skull, The Psychopath, Dr. Terror's House of Horrors, Paranoiac) and her contribution to 'sound' of British horror has never been properly appreciated. Francis' lighting and camerawork helps to make the film look richer and more lavish than it really was. The same year as this film, he would photograph Sons and Lovers — which would net him his first of two Oscars for cinematography (he won the second for the Civil War epic Glory, 1989).

Never Take Candy from a Stranger is far removed from the usual Hammer fare. It deals with a complicated topic with intelligence and passion, but successfully avoids bad taste at every turn. The finale, in which Aylmer stalks his prey through the woods, is far scarier than anything in the typical Hammer Dracula or Frankenstein film — for the simple reason that this sort of thing actually does happen. The drama packs a punch, and the tension is kept taut throughout, making it one of Hammer's most accomplished productions. Alas, it failed to find an audience in its day — Columbia bought the film for U.S. consumption, but they seemed unclear on how to handle the film. Critics who actually bothered to view it were impressed, but audiences stayed away. As is so often the case with great films, it took time for its reputation to build, and it is now rightly regarded as an important film on its topic.

Never Take Candy from a Stranger kicks off Disc 3 of the Icons of Suspense: Hammer Films collection, paired with These Are the Damned. (The other films in the set are Stop Me Before I Kill!, Cash On Demand, The Snorkel, and Maniac.) Sony has done a remarkable job with the transfer. Previously available only via a dupey-looking, inaccurately framed transfer from Sinister Cinema, it is now presented in its full Megascope glory. The 2.35/16x9 transfer is in terrific condition — print damage is kept to a bare minimum, detail is razor sharp, and the cinematography truly benefits from the full sweep of its widescreen framing. The mono soundtrack is also in excellent condition, and optional English subtitles and captioning have been included. A fullscreen, panned-and-scanned theatrical trailer is also included. 4/24/10

HOME | REVIEWS | TOP