STEP DOWN TO TERROR
US, 1958, 76 minutes, Black-and-white.
Colleen Miller, Charles Street, Rod Taylor, Josephine Hutchinson, Jocelyn Brando.
Directed by Harry Killer.
This is a small budget supporting feature from the late 50s, a story of a charming and sinister man with mental problems.
Those familiar with Hitchcock’s Shadow of a Doubt, will quickly realise that this is another version (also filmed for television in 1991). As might be expected, this is a slight version compared with the original.
However, Charles Drake makes an impression as the charming Johnny Walters who is initially seen evading pursuers. But he sends a message that he is returning from New York to California after six years of silence to visit his mother and family.
He is welcomed by his over-doting mother, Josephine Hutchinson. His brother has died the year before and his widow, Helen (Colleen Miller) is living in the house with her son. Johnny is welcomed and all seems to be very nice.
Johnny acts suspiciously as he tears an item from a newspaper, rousing Helen’s curiosity. He also wants to avoid a reporter and a photographer who are coming to the house to do a story about the family and to photograph the house. The reporter is played by Rod Taylor during his early years in Hollywood. In fact, he plays an investigator, trying to discover whether Johnny is a serial murderer – of widows, stealing their jewellery.
Johnny can be extravagant in his use of money, especially in supporting his nephew, an avid baseball player, offering to build a clubhouse. But he does not want the boy to have a bicycle, remembering an accident with his brother, and he drives over the bike. Johnny can erupt with anger, and this is particularly true of his dealings with Helen, her suspicions, attempting to kill home by manipulating wooden staircase. Then Johnny tries to poison her – but, the investigator is attracted to her, tries to phone, the phone off the hook, then finding her and reviving her.
Ever the gentleman, Johnny agrees to go quietly so that they do not upset his mother.
Entertaining in a small-time way in itself, and interesting as an echo of Hitchcock.
