Many folks remember that Jeremy Brett was made famous by starring in a ton of wonderful Sherlock Holmes episodes in the 1980s up to his death in 1995. For Conan Doyle fans like myself, they are simply the best versions of the classic tales. So when I saw that Brett played a crazed intruder in this 1960s film, I had to see it! The only other film I recall seeing him in was "My Fair Lady".
Tracey (Anne Heywood) is a married lady who has done some modeling. A crazed man (Brett) has apparently seen her photos in magazines and has convinced himself that they are in love and he MUST possess her. She learns of this when he breaks into her house and attacks her. She is able to fight him off and her husband's arrival home results in his running. After, he continues to watch and follow her as well as make threatening phone calls to her. This has all made her life a living hell and the marriage is suffering as well. Ultimately, the man is caught...but this isn't a complete end to her problems.
I appreciated that this film was not just a thriller but focused a lot on the psychological damaged done to the victim. The effect on her sex life, the marriage and her depression are shown very well in this movie and this impressed me about the film. It had surprising depth and realism. It also showed the degree to which the marriage disintegrated...a sadly overlooked problem in cases involving some rapes. attempted rapes and the like.
By the way, according to IMDb, Miss Heywood was Miss Britain in 1949 or 50 (it says both years).
