THE HOUSE IN MARSH ROAD

 

THE HOUSE IN MARSH ROAD is a 1960 British-made ghost story. The movie gets a mention in Jonathan Rigby's book ENGLISH GOTHIC, but there's nothing particularly Gothic about it. 

The Lintons are a married couple with a lot of issues. David (Tony Wright) is a disagreeable fellow who complains that he needs time to write a novel, while Jean (Patricia Dainton) knows that her husband drinks too much and doesn't really want to work. Jean's aunt passes away, and she leaves her niece a sum of money and the family home, called Four Winds. David and Jean move in, and immediately find out that the place is considered haunted by the locals. A number of strange occurrences take place in the house, and David tries hard to convince his wife to sell it, but she refuses. The bitter David starts up an affair with a woman named Valerie (Sandra Dorne), who he has hired to type up a manuscript. David and Valerie want to go off together, but Jean is the one that controls all the money--and the house. Valerie suggests that Jean be done away with, but David finds out this isn't all that easy, since the spirit that inhabits Four Winds is protective of the woman. 

THE HOUSE IN MARSH ROAD is more of a soap opera than a true supernatural tale, with the problems of the Lintons front and center. Tony Wright's David is such an annoying jerk that one wonders why any woman--let alone attractive blondes like Jean and Valerie--would want to have anything to do with him. He's such a tiresome character that it's hard to get into the story. 

The story, by the way, is set in contemporary times, and the film is in black & white. The production has almost no atmosphere whatsoever--the exterior and interiors of the house of the title are rather basic. Four Winds looks just like a typical English country home instead of a place with a notorious reputation. The few supernatural occurrences feel more like random events than forceful statements by a powerful spirit. (It doesn't help that said occurrences are staged and filmed in a basic manner.) The idea that the house is somehow protecting Jean isn't developed or articulated properly. 

I was not familiar with the two lead actors, and they're not all that charismatic (they spend most of their time onscreen arguing with each other). Sandra Dorne as homewrecker Valerie does have a bit of a Diana Dors vibe, while Anita Sharp-Bolster steals scenes as the Lintons' Irish cleaning lady, who calls the house's spirit "Patrick"--she's kind of a poor man's Una O'Connor. Sam Kydd, who appeared in a few Hammer films, has a small role. 

This movie was directed by Montgomery Tully, a British B movie veteran who obviously was more interested in getting things done as quickly and as efficiently as possible instead of injecting any sort of style or suspense. The main plot point of the film--a protective force from beyond that wreaks vengeance on those that actually deserve it--has plenty of possibilities, but THE HOUSE IN MARSH ROAD doesn't go through on them. While watching this film on Tubi last night, I kept thinking how the usual 1960 Hammer crew could have made this much, much better.