John Russell (
George C Scott) is still reeling from the deaths of his wife and daughter, when he leases an old mansion in Seattle. There, he experiences several supernatural events, prompting him to research the history of the place. He discovers a rather unsettling secret...
This movie contains examples of:
- Adult Fear: After witnessing the death of your only child, you have to re-live the murder of another child, whose spirit won't let you rest until you help him.
- Broken Pedestal: The Senator can't think of his foster father the same way again, ever.
- Cobweb Jungle: The hidden room in the attic.
- Conditioned To Accept Horror: It's implied that the deaths of his wife and daughter have numbed John to the point he can be stoic in the face of nightmare fuel.
- Crusty Caretaker: Subverted. Mr Tuttle's actually quite obliging.
- Damsel in Distress: For a short while, Clair when she's being chased by the wheelchair.
- Deadly Bath: Poor Joseph.
- Dull Surprise: John's reaction to the medal revealing itself. Justified, as by then, he has seen it all.
- Emotional Fainting: John after witnessing Joseph's murder.
- Fascinating Eyebrow: During the seance scene, John tries not to look cynical but fails to dissimulate his skeptical expression.
- First Name Basis: Off-screen, some time during the horse-ride, John and Clair drop the prefixes and surnames.
- Gentleman and a Scholar: John Russell's a Nice Guy and a distinguished composer.
- Girl Next Door: Clair Norman.
- Good Is Not Soft: Russell.
- Haunted House: And not just one.
- Hurting Hero: John Russell's coping with the deaths of his wife and daughter. It's questionable whether having to deal with a Haunted House makes it better or worse.
- Infant Immortality: Averted.
- Just Friends: Implied with John and Clair. Their on-screen relationship also qualifies as Real-Life Relative and Casting Gag, as Scott and Van Devere were Happily Married in Real Life.
- Karma Houdini: Joseph's dad
- Maybe Ever After: The ending implies that Clair will stand by John and help him recover from what has been his second ordeal in less than six months.
- Mirror Scare
- Motif: The red-and-white striped ball represents Russell's inability to get over Kathy's death until it becomes an independent source of horror.
- Nerves of Steel: Russell/G.C.Scott's portrayal of him. What kind of man decides to dig up evidence deep down a haunted well all by himself, in the middle of the night? That too, after the remains of a dead child were found in the same spot just a few hours ago.
- Not So Stoic: A poignant example when Russell cries in bed, thinking of his daughter Kathy, before he is interrupted by the ghostly noises. Another memorable moment: "Joseph! You G**d*** son of a bitch!"
- Nothing Is Scarier: One of the best examples of this.
- Offing the Offspring
- Ominous Music Box Tune: The musicbox found in the hidden room.
- Playing Against Type: A rare example of Scott playing a nice, normal guy.
- Red Herring: Cora.
- Spooky Seance: Provides clues to the reason of the haunting.
- Sympathy for the Devil: Both John and the audience find it hard not to feel sorry for the Senator once we know his role in the story.
- Unfinished Business
- Ungrateful Bastard: Joseph at the end, anyone?
- The Usurper: Deconstructed with Senator Joseph Carmichael.
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