The Haunting (1963) Queer Film A-

DIRECTOR: Robert Wise

As a chic Greenwich Village lesbian named Theo, short for Theodora, whose couture is designed exclusively by the queen of Carnaby street, herself, Mary Quant – the movie was shot in England substituting for New England – Claire Bloom is a knockout in “The Haunting”, Robert Wise’s chilling 1963 movie. A clever adaptation by Nelson Gidding of the Shirley Jackson 1959 novel, “The Haunting of Hill House,” it’s one of the best, if not the best, Haunted House Movie.

SPOILER ALERT!

Theo is one of a panel of experts in the paranormal who are invited to spend a weekend at the notorious Hill House by Dr. John Markway (Richard Johnson), a paranormal researcher. Hill House has stood for 90 years -and will probably stand for ninety more- marked by tragedy, insanity, and violent deaths. In addition to Theo there is Eleanor (Julie Harris) a lonely woman with psychic sensitivity and Luke (Russ Tamblyn), the skeptical heir to the house. The group experiences terrifying phenomena—pounding on doors, ghostly voices, and shifting architecture. Eleanor feels a deep, personal connection to the house, believing it speaks directly to her. Eleanor’s fragile psyche deteriorates as she becomes increasingly isolated and obsessed with Hill House. In a final act, Eleanor drives her car into a tree on the estate, dying in what may be suicide or supernatural compulsion. The film closes with the spine chilling line:

AND WE WHO WALK HERE, WALK ALONE!

This is probably Julie Harris’ most emblematic screen performance and nobody could play fragility mixed with a troubled mind better than she could. You can see why Theo is attracted to her. However, Theo’s moves are always subtle and done with great care and concern, making her one of the cinema’s most enlightened gay characters up to that point. Cheers Claire! You always were a class act.

As the caretaker’s wife, Rosalie Crutchley, has a great departure scene when bidding Theo and Nell goodbye on their first night in the house:

I DON’T STAY AFTER SIX. I LEAVE BEFORE THE DARK COMES, SO THERE WON’T BE ANYONE AROUND IF YOU NEED HELP. NO ONE CAN HEAR YOU IF YOU SCREAM IN THE NIGHT. NO ONE LIVES ANY NEARER THAN TOWN. NO ONE WILL COME ANY NEARER THAN THAT. IN THE NIGHT. IN THE DARK!

The haunting atonal music score, one of my personal favorites, is by Humphrey Searle

Cinematography

Davis Boulton

MGM

STREAMING: AMAZON PRIME VIDEO AND APPLE TV+

https://thebrownees.net/my-54-all-time-favorite-horror-movies/

Seventy Queer Films Made Under the Hays Code (1934-1967)

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https://thebrownees.net/my-75-all-time-favorite-original-movie-scores/