The opening scenes alternate between a small group of religious devotees for Christ's Children Evangelical Crusade, responding enthusiastically to the sermons of a minister (Patrick Magee), and a frightened woman running in vain from her doom. Magee pounds the podium with much the same wild-eyed and spittle-spewing enthusiasm that he brought to his wheelchair-bound professor in A Clockwork Orange (1971), which was released that same year. The dynamic opening to The Fiend goes a step further when it continues intercutting between these two establishing scenes while a young black woman from the congregation (Maxine Barrie) belts out a toe-tapping and gospel-infused song ("Wash Me In His Blood"). The music is by Richard Kerr and the lyrics are by Joan Maitland, with Barrie actually singing the song, but what's odd is how although the song itself is diagetic to the scene, it suddenly pops up on the soundtrack with all the force of a rock opera and provides a strange coupling to the film's first unfortunate victim. It's a forceful opening act that announces to its viewers that they're in for an unusual ride, albeit not necessarily a scary one.
What follows is a story of sexual repression that has its roots with an over-affectionate mother, Birdy Wemys (Ann Todd), and her coddled son, Kenny Wemys (Tony Beckley) who works as both a security guard and a pool attendant - albeit the kind of pool attendant who scolds topless women into covering themselves up so, obviously, he doesn't make too friends beyond mom. Added to the mix is a young nurse (Madeleine Hinde) who is brought in to help the diabetic Mrs. Wemys. When the nurse gets a glimpse into some odd things at the Wemys household (and it doesn't take too long) she encourages her sister, a reporter (Suzanna Leigh), to get involved.
There are quirks a-plenty in this film, what with the murderer having a penchant for tape-recording his victims, a mother crippled with guilt over her own sexual fantasies, and a ruthless priest who demands detailed confessions and a deadly penance. Interlaced amidst the impending train wrecks you have dollops of hedonistic nudity and eye-catching mini-skirts to remind you that, yeah, man, amidst this repression London was still hopping.
While horror fans will likely be disappointed by the lack of tension, more forgiving viewers can take a peek at a colorful London era and might enjoy this odd duck for having decent production values along with accomplished thespians flexing their muscles in strange situations. Also of interest is how this overlooked film probably carries more weight now, especially in the U.S., since it ultimately pits medicine against religion. The filmmakers, knowing that religious fanaticism is more widespread in the U.S. than in London, even went so far as to make clear that although Christ's Children Evangelical Crusade was in London, its origins could be traced back to Arizona.
Redemption's dvd of The Fiend presents the film in its original 1.78:1 aspect ratio and includes a theatrical trailer and stills gallery.
For more information about The Fiend, visit Image Entertainment. To order The Fiend, go to TCM Shopping.
by Pablo Kjolseth
