Maniac - An Unusual Film Noir

I recorded a film called MANIAC off of TCM ages ago and finally watched it recently. It's a neat but flawed Film Noir with lovely locations.

The plot was a bit hard to follow still it was a good way to spend an hour and a half or so. 

Artist Kerwin Mathews dumps his rich girlfriend, who leaves him without transport in a small French village. He becomes involved with a woman and her stepdaughter. He picks the wrong one to fall for, and winds up in a sordid enterprise that turns deadly. I won't give away much more other than the film had some twists I didn't expect, which is not always fun. I kept it on my DVR so I could watch it again, which means I enjoyed it fairly well.

I didn't realize until the end that it was a Hammer Film. Should have known, just by looking at some of the casts' faces. But it was in glorious black and white, not Hammer's usual brilliant color.

Another very interesting black and white Hammer Film is SCREAM OF FEAR with Susan Strasberg. This one is spooky as all hell.  I still recall my first time seeing it, on a cold, rainy afternoon. I was alone, and felt really creeped out. But man was it fun!