Experiment in Terror (1962)

Director:

Blake Edwards

Writers:

Gordon Gordon (novel) &
Mildred Gordon (novel) ...
(more)

Release Date:

25 June 1962 (Sweden)

Genre:

Crime | Thriller

Tagline:

CHALLENGING! THE FASTEST TWO HOURS THE SCREEN HAS EVER SEEN! SHOCKING! IT PLUNGES YOU INTO A NEW DIMENSION OF FEAR! IMPORTANT! IT RATES WITH THE GREATEST SUSPENSE FILMS OF OUR TIME! (original print ad - all caps)

Plot:

Kelly Sherwood is terrorized by a man with an asthmatic voice who plans to use her to steal $100,000 from the bank where she works...

Plot Keywords:

Sadist | Sister Sister Relationship | Teenage | Swimming Pool | Stuffed Animal

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe.

Cast

Glenn Ford	...	John 'Rip' Ripley
Lee Remick	...	Kelly Sherwood
Stefanie Powers	...	Toby Sherwood
Roy Poole	...	Brad
Ned Glass	...	Popcorn
Anita Loo	...	Lisa
Patricia Huston	...	Nancy Ashton
Gilbert Green	...	Special agent
Clifton James	...	Capt. Moreno
Al Avalon	...	Man who picked up Kelly
William Bryant	...	Chuck
Dick Crockett	...	FBI agent #1
James Lanphier	...	Landlord
Ross Martin	...	Garland Humphrey 'Red' Lynch
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
James T. Callahan	...	FBI agent (uncredited)
Bob Carraher	...	Police Lieutenant (uncredited)
Mario Cimino	...	Cook at The Hangout (uncredited)
Fred Coby	...	FBI agent (uncredited)
Robert Coffey	...	Stadium Announcer (uncredited)
Barbara Collentine	...	Janie, FBI Switchboard Operator (uncredited)
Bob Dempsey	...	Helicopter pilot (uncredited)
Frederic Downs	...	Welk (uncredited)
Don Drysdale	...	Himself - Dodger Pitcher (uncredited)
Harvey Evans	...	Dave, Toby's boyfriend (uncredited)
Mike Foran	...	Danny (uncredited)
Harold Goodwin	...	Truck Driver (uncredited)
Claire Griswold	...	Peggy (uncredited)
Warren Hsieh	...	Joey Soong (uncredited)
Kenny Jackson	...	FBI agent (uncredited)
Helen Jay	...	Waitress at The Hangout (uncredited)
Ray Kellogg	...	Man at ballpark (uncredited)
Tommy H. Lee	...	Chinese waiter (uncredited)
Clarence Lung	...	Attorney Yung (uncredited)
Mari Lynn	...	Penny, Bank Teller (uncredited)
Edward Mallory	...	Dick, Kelly's boyfriend (uncredited)
Kelly McCormick	...	FBI agent (uncredited)
Fay McKenzie	...	Hospital superintendent (uncredited)
Sidney Miller	...	The Drunk (uncredited)
Wally Moon	...	Himself - Dodger batter (uncredited)
George Moorman	...	Radio Man (uncredited)
Judee Morton	...	Louella Hendricks (uncredited)
Bill Neff	...	FBI agent (uncredited)
Karen Norris	...	Saleswoman (uncredited)
Richard Norris	...	FBI agent (uncredited)
Sherry O'Neil	...	Edna (uncredited)
Peggy Patten	...	Housekeeper (uncredited)
Gil Perkins	...	Taxi Driver (uncredited)
Mary Ellen Popel	...	FBI Office Secretary (uncredited)
William Remick	...	The Coroner (uncredited)
Vin Scully	...	Himself - Dodgers Game Announcer (voice) (uncredited)
William Sharon	...	Raymond Burkhardt, Bank Manager (uncredited)
Audrey Swanson	...	Nurse (uncredited)
David Tomack	...	FBI agent (uncredited)
Ken Wales	...	FBI agent (uncredited)
Russ Whiteman	...	TV director (uncredited)
Beal Wong	...	Pastor (uncredited)

Directed by
Blake Edwards

Writing credits
Gordon Gordon		(novel "Operation Terror") (as The Gordons) &
Mildred Gordon		(novel "Operation Terror") (as The Gordons)
Gordon Gordon		(screenplay) (as The Gordons) &
Mildred Gordon		(screenplay) (as The Gordons)

Produced by
Blake Edwards	....	producer
Don Peters	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Henry Mancini

Cinematography by
Philip H. Lathrop

Film Editing by
Patrick McCormack

Art Direction by
Robert Peterson

Set Decoration by
James Crowe		(as James M. Crowe)

Makeup Department
Ben Lane	....	makeup supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Sam Nelson	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Lambert E. Day	....	sound
Charles J. Rice	....	sound supervisor

Stunts
Ed Parker	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Richard H. Kline	....	camera operator (uncredited)

Music Department
Jack Hayes	....	orchestrator
Leo Shuken	....	orchestrator
Henry Mancini	....	musician: "Experiment in Terror" (uncredited)

Other crew
Betty A. Griffin	....	script supervisor (as Betty Abbott)

Production Companies

• Columbia Pictures Corporation
• Geoffrey-Kate Productions

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures (1962) (USA) (theatrical)
• CBS Television (1965) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1995) (USA) (VHS)
• RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video (1987) (USA) (VHS)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (1995) (USA) (video)

Also Known As:

The Grip of Fear (UK)

Runtime:

123 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Certification:

Finland:(Banned) (1962) | Sweden:15 | UK:X (cut) | Argentina:16

Filming Locations:

100 St. Germaine Street, San Francisco, California, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

Movie debut of Roy Poole.

Quotes:

Garland Humphrey 'Red' Lynch: Your sister's all right.
Toby Sherwood: You said she was dying.
Garland Humphrey 'Red' Lynch: I had to find some way to get you here. Take off your clothes. You want me to take them off for you?
Toby Sherwood: [shakes her head]
Garland Humphrey 'Red' Lynch: Then take them off.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Battlestar Galactica: Experiment in Terra (#1.19)" (1979)

Soundtrack:

Gwine to Rune All Night (De Camptown Races)

Excellent and suspenseful

Glenn Ford is an FBI agent; Lee Remick is the victim of someone she's never seen in "Experiment in Terror," directed by Blake Edwards and also starring Stefanie Powers and Ned Glass. Remick is very effective as a plucky bank teller who's approached from behind and told to steal money from the bank where she works. The only thing she can tell the FBI is that it's a man who has heavy, asthmatic breathing.

Ross Martin plays the criminal. He's a thief and murderer; he also is in love with a Chinese woman and is paying for her son's operation. Her terrorizes Remick and her sister (Powers). Martin really died too soon. He was a wonderful actor, and this was a great role for him.

Glenn Ford is a dream FBI agent, and why do I think there are no FBI agents like this? He's gentle, kind, and concerned, not to mention handsome. He has a nice chemistry with Remick.

There are some great scenes in "Experiment in Terror." One of the best takes place in the apartment of a woman who makes mannequins; and several take place right at the beginning, when Martin accosts Remick and later surprises her in her home. The scene in which he kidnaps Stefanie Powers is downright scary. Powers is unbelievably young here, but she was a good actress even then and gives a convincing performance.

The big scene takes place in Candlestick Park which several posters have written about. Not having their expertise, I won't.

I really love the atmosphere Blake Edwards created in this film, and I love the casting of Ford, Remick, Martin, and Powers. This is a fine film, definitely worth a watch if you want to see how good movies are made. Suggested rather than shown violence, no special effects, black and white - yet it still works.