History Film / MrSardonicus

* VillainousBreakdown: Baron Sardonicus has one when not only does Krull tell him he lost Sir Robert, but he mocks his inability to open his mouth by eating in front of him.

* EvenBadMenLoveTheirMama: Back when he was Marek Toleslawski, Baron Sardonicus was the sort of man to mourn for his mother's passing.

* AwfulWeddedLife: Strongly implied with Baron Sardonicus and Maud. At best, he treats her distantly and at worst, he outright threatens to disfigure her in order to coerce Sir Robert.
* BerserkButton: Sardonicus does not appreciate it when Sir Robert uses the word "ghoul" to generally describe "horrible people", prompting him to clarify its original definition ("A disgusting creature that robs grave and feeds on corpses").

* {{Foreshadowing}}: Mr. Sardonicus's empty picture frames used to have pictures of his forefathers, but according to Krull, Sardonicus has forsaken his forefathers "in one magnificent gesture". [[spoiler: It later comes into play that Sardonicus forsook his forefathers not just because he blames his father for his disfigurement, but because he's secretly scared of his father's corpse.]]

* AwfulWeddedLife: Strongly implied with Baron Sardonicus and Maud.
* BerserkButton: Sardonicus does not appreciate it when Hasselhoff uses the word "ghoul" to generally describe "horrible people", prompting him to clarify its original definition ("A disgusting creature that robs grave and feeds on corpses").

* BerserkButton: Sardonicus does not appreciate it when Hasselhoff uses the word "ghoul" to generally describe "horrible people", prompting him to clarify its original definition ("A disgusting creature that robs grave").

As with other William Castle films, the movie's main marketing gimmick was the audience's chance to decide the title character's fate by "penalty poll", the outcome of which supposedly affected the film's ending. Though rumor claims only one ending was actually shot, William Castle claims both were shot and the 'good' ending was just never chosen; given Castle's tenuous relationship with the truth, who knows.

When he reaches his destination he finds the reason for him to be there; Baron Sardonicus face has been paralyzed into a [[http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2364/2186924247_5cb2d6583f.jpg?v=0 horrifying rictus grin]] for many years, and he wants Richard's help. But his face is not the only thing twisted...

Set in the year 1880, the film follows Sir Robert Cargrave, a renowned surgeon who specialises in paralysis, who receives a letter from his past love Maude and is invited to the mansion of her husband, Baron Sardonicus, in the [[{{Ruritania}} fictional country of Gorslava]].

When he reaches his destination he finds the reason for him to be there; Baron Sardonicus face has been paralyzed into a [[http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2364/2186924247_5cb2d6583f.jpg?v=0 horrifying rictus grin]] many years ago and he wants Richard's help. But his face is not the only thing twisted...

[[quoteright:183:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/sardonicusmasked_5842.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:183:Baron Sardonicus, masked.]]

''Mr. Sardonicus'' is a horror film from the year 1961. It was directed by Creator/WilliamCastle and stars Guy Rolfe as the eponymous Sardonicus. It was based on the short story "Sardonicus" by Ray Russell.

* FakeInteractivity: In the closing "vote on the outcome" footage, the narrator actually goes through the motions of calling on specific audience members to hold their cards up higher or otherwise clarify their votes, even though there's no guarantee that, e.g., there'll be a woman in the ninth row to respond to his query.

* HenpeckedHusband: Sardonicus was one before the grave robbing incident.

'''''Mr. Sardonicus''''' is a horror film from the year 1961. It was directed by WilliamCastle and stars Guy Rolfe as the eponymous Sardonicus. It was based on the short story ''Sardonicus'' by Ray Russell.

* AntagonistTitle

* TheDogBitesBack: Krull at the end of the film.

* HenpeckedHusband: Sardonicus before the grave robbing incident.

* MeaningfulName: Sardonicus was inspired to pick up his name after reading about [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Risus_sardonicus Risus Sardonicus]].

* AnimalTesting

* GildedCage

* TheIgor: Krull.
* LeanAndMean

* NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast
* NightmareSequence
* OminousFog

* RobbingTheDead
* {{Ruritania}}

* ScreamingWoman

* TortureCellar
* TortureTechnician: Krull.
* VictorianLondon
* WickedCultured

* MultipleEndings: The main marketing gimmick for this film. The film itself is a subversion in that only one ending was filmed; the "punishment poll" was entirely meaningless.

As with other William Castle films, the movie's main marketing gimmick was the audience's chance to decide the title character's fate by "penalty poll", the outcome of which supposedly affected the film's ending (even though only one was shot).

* LotteryTicket

* GraveRobbing

->-- '''Baron Sardonicus'''

* DrivenToSuicide: Sardonicus' wife (when was still Marek Toleslawski) took her life when she saw his face.

* TheDogtBitesBack: Krull at the end of the film.

* FrozenFace: Sardonicus' [[SlasherSmile Slasheriffic]] NightmareFace.

* MultipleEndings: The main marketing gimmick for this film. The film itself subversion in that only one ending was filmed; the "punishment poll" was entirely meaningless.

* MultipleEndings: The main marketing gimmick for this film.