The Young Poisoner's Handbook (1995)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

Benjamin Ross

Writers:

Jeff Rawle (writer)
Benjamin Ross (writer)

Release Date:

23 February 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Tagline:

Meet Graham. He's not your ordinary teenager.

Plot:

This film is based on a true story about a British teenager who allegedly poisoned family, friends, and co-workers...

Plot Keywords:

Poison | Psychiatrist | 1960s | Black Comedy | London England

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Tobias Arnold	...	Young Graham
Ruth Sheen	...	Molly
Roger Lloyd-Pack	...	Fred (as Roger Lloyd Pack)
Hugh O'Conor	...	Graham Young
Norman Caro	...	Mr. Goez
Dorothea Alexander	...	Mrs. Goez
Charlotte Coleman	...	Winnie
Paul Stacey	...	Dennis
Samantha Edmonds	...	Sue
Robert Demeger	...	Mr. Dexter
Jack Deam	...	Mick
Peter Pacey	...	Dickie Boone
Joost Siedhoff	...	Dr. Scott
Vilma Hollingbery	...	Aunty Panty
Frank Mills	...	Uncle Jack

Also Known As:

Das Handbuch des jungen Giftmischers (Germany)

MPAA:

Rated R for murders by poisoning, language and some nude photos.

Runtime:

99 min

Country:

UK | Germany | France

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Australia:MA | Finland:K-16 (video premiere) | Germany:16 | Portugal:M/12 (video premiere) | Sweden:15 | USA:R | UK:15

Company:

Bavaria Film and Television Fund

Trivia:

The story is based on the story of Graham Young, known locally as The Bovingdon Poisoner.

Goofs:

Factual errors: At the end scene, Young scratches/grinds his mother's diamond with a razor blade. It's simply impossible as steel hardness is way below that of diamonds.

Quotes:

Graham Young: I want to be the greatest poisoner the world has ever seen.

Movie Connections:

References A Clockwork Orange (1971)

Soundtrack:

The Gren Green Grass Of Home

One of the Best Sleepers

I truly love this film. The look on young Graham's face when he got his first chemistry set was probably like the one on my own when I got mine. Because I loved my family, I chose other areas of research and never experimented on them. That said, I found the humor in this black comedy right on target and I actually felt sorry for the young poisoner. If he had worked for Q branch he most likely would have received a knighthood rather than a prison sentence. I have no idea how close to the truth this movie is but it is on my top 20 films of all time.