“You’ve got a small waist — measurements: 34-22-35 — right? Oh, I know a lot about you, Miss Sherwood.” — Red Lynch
EXPERIMENT IN TERROR (1962)
Lee Remick plays bank teller Kelly Sherwood who is being terrorized by ‘Red’ Lynch (Ross Martin) a psychopath with an asthmatic voice like sandpaper who schemes to use her in a plot to steal $100,000 from the bank where she works. Lynch kidnaps Sherwood’s younger sister Toby played by Stephanie Powers, and then threatens to kill her, if she tells the police. Enter Glenn Ford as F.B.I. agent Ripley who is now on the case… setting off a feverish game of cat & mouse between Remick, Martin and Ford.
Directed by Blake Edwards, this is one hell of a gripping Film Noir/ Thriller, with a screenplay by The Gordons, based on Mildred and Gordon Gordon’s 1961 novel Operation Terror.
I love Ross Martin’s portrayal of the murdering, smarmy crushed velvet jacket wearing, tv host art critic Dale Kingston in Columbo’s “Suitable for Framing”
… and Martin inhabits ‘Red’ Lynch giving him a most bizarre sort of vicious earning him the persona here as Fiend of The Day!
See you soon!-MonsterGirl
Martin deserved an Oscar nomination, but no doubt he would be pleased with the honour you bestow. “Experiment in Terror” is a dandy!
BRRR!!! Joey, I concur with our friend and fellow blogger Caftan Woman: Ross Martin really did deserve an Oscar nomination, and EXPERIMENT IN TERROR is one of the most chilling, nail-biting thrillers I’ve seen. No doubt about it: Martin’s portrayal of Red Lynch deserves to be crowned (in every sense, because I wished I could leap into the screen and smack him upside the head over and over!) Fiend of the Day! Until then, Happy Thanksgiving, and stay happy and safe, y’all!
I’m so glad you agree about Red. He’s almost as vile as Harry Powell from Night of The Hunter. I’m always thinking of who should get the honor of Fiend…Martin, is such a good actor too. Have you seen any of the Columbo episodes? BTW He’s one of my favorite characters…Peter Falk and his little shabby raincoat. Martin is great as a cold, calculating art snob who kills his uncle for 2 Degas worth half a million…great fun. Again Happy Turkey Day to you and yours….see ya soon