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How Awful About Allan

"A Tense Psychological Thriller"

After an eight-month stay in a mental hospital, a tormented man comes home to live with his sister; but a mysterious boarder may be trying to kill him.

Top Cast

  • Anthony Perkins

    Anthony Perkins

    Allan

  • Julie Harris

    Julie Harris

    Katherine

  • Joan Hackett

    Joan Hackett

    Olive

  • Kent Smith

    Kent Smith

    Raymond

  • Robert H. Harris

    Robert H. Harris

    Dr. Ellins

  • Molly Dodd

    Molly Dodd

    Inmate

  • Billy Bowles

    Billy Bowles

    Harold Dennis

  • Bill Erwin

    Bill Erwin

    Dr. Ames

  • Jeannette Howe

    Jeannette Howe

    Katherine - Child

Overview

After an eight-month stay in a mental hospital, a tormented man comes home to live with his sister; but a mysterious boarder may be trying to kill him.

Rating

6.0 / 10
22 Reviews
0 Popular

2 Reviews

  • talisencrw
    talisencrw
    7 Apr 7, 2016

    Pretty decent moody, intense, creepy psychological thriller with two of my favourite thespians in that department--Anthony Perkins and Julie Harris. It's a tad claustrophobic and difficult to get into at the start, because of this aforementioned intensity, but if you stick with it, it's quite intrinsically rewarding and definitely not a late-night waste of 90 minutes. When Perkins' 'Allan' picks up a picture and says, 'Mother,' I couldn't help but smile. What an interesting and ill-fated actor.

  • talisencrw
    talisencrw
    7 Apr 7, 2016

    I had previously read about director Curtis Harrington in Barron's excellent book for cinephiles, '501 Movie Directors', though I had unfortunately not been able to find any of his films before this. He definitely has fine technique for getting across moodiness and suspense, at least in this type of film. Hopefully I'll eventually find and watch all of his work. 'How Awful About Allan' is a pretty decent moody, intense, creepy psychological thriller with two of my favourite thespians in that department--Anthony Perkins and Julie Harris. It's a tad claustrophobic and difficult to get into at the start, because of this aforementioned intensity, but if you stick with it, it's quite intrinsically rewarding and definitely not a late-night waste of 90 minutes. When Perkins' 'Allan' picks up a picture and says, 'Mother,' I couldn't help but smile. What an interesting and ill-fated actor.

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