Two on a Guillotine

Two on a Guillotine is a 1965 psychological horror film directed by William Conrad and starring Connie Stevens, Dean Jones, and Cesar Romero. The movie is a blend of suspense, mystery, and a touch of romance, all wrapped up in a Gothic atmosphere that was popular in thrillers of the era. Its story revolves around the strange circumstances involving a famous magician's will and his haunted estate.

The film opens with the flamboyant and enigmatic magician and illusionist, Duke Duquesne, played by Cesar Romero, who is known not only for his captivating performances but also for his chilling stage acts which often involve the macabre and the grotesque. His daughter, Cassie Duquesne (Connie Stevens), has been estranged from her father since childhood after the mysterious disappearance of her mother, who was also part of Duke's act. Cassie's life is suddenly disrupted when she learns of her father's death and is summoned to attend the reading of his last will and testament.

At the will reading, Cassie discovers that her father has left her his considerable fortune, but with a disturbing and bizarre stipulation. She must spend seven consecutive nights in his eerie, cliff-top mansion, where he lived and performed his most secretive magic acts. This ancestral home is filled with Duke's memorabilia, strange artifacts, and presumably, his restless spirit. The house, an imposing character in itself, is replete with secret passages and an unsettling ambiance that suggests the presence of supernatural entities.

Connie Stevens's Cassie is portrayed as both vulnerable and determined; the young woman is enticed by the opportunity to learn more about her enigmatic father and the chance to claim her inheritance, but she is understandably troubled by the unnerving conditions of the will. Cassie's emotional turbulence and curiosity set the stage for the suspenseful and often chilling events that follow.

Dean Jones plays Val Henderson, an earnest and ambitious journalist who sees Cassie's ordeal as his ticket to a big story. In hopes of gaining an exclusive, Val aligns himself with Cassie, initially feigning a sympathetic stance towards her situation, but as they spend time together, his true feelings become more complicated. Henderson is both Cassie's confidant and her suitor, a role that adds a dynamic to the story that vacillates between practical support and the potential for romance.

As Cassie starts her week-long vigil in the house, strange occurrences begin to unfold, suggesting that she is not alone. Objects move inexplicably, eerie sounds permeate the night air, and visions of her father's guillotine act, which took her mother from her, haunt Cassie. The guillotine itself, a horrific symbol from her past and an instrument used in one of her father's most famous—and dangerous—magic acts, becomes a focal point of the film's suspense as Cassie questions whether her father's death was truly the end of his dark influence.

The mansion becomes a character of its own, casting long shadows over the unfolding mystery. Each room Cassie explores, every dark corridor and hidden chamber she uncovers further complicates the puzzle of her father's past, her mother's fate, and the secrets the house contains. As she becomes increasingly entangled in the mansion's history, the line between illusion and reality begins to blur. This culminates in a balance of terror and intrigue as Cassie and Val attempt to understand the supernatural phenomena and determine if a malevolent force truly does haunt the estate.

William Conrad, best known for his work on radio and television, including the role of Marshal Matt Dillon in the radio version of "Gunsmoke" and later as the star of the TV series "Cannon," brings a seasoned hand to the film's direction. With a keen eye for psychological nuance and atmospheric tension, Conrad utilizes shadows, sound design, and the actors' performances to generate a sense of dread and anticipated horror throughout the film.

The late-mid-century special effects might seem quaint by modern standards, but they serve the era well, augmenting the film's surreal and spine-chilling elements without overplaying them. The score further underscores the film's moody sense of foreboding, enhancing key scenes to resonate with the audience's fears and expectations.

Two on a Guillotine, while perhaps not a classic within the larger context of the horror genre, is an exemplar of its period, offering a suspense-filled storyline, convincing character dynamics, and a satisfyingly eerie atmosphere that would appeal to fans of old-school psychological thrillers and supernatural mysteries. It stands as a testament to the storytelling styles and cinematic techniques of the 1960s, and, with its compelling narrative and engaging performances, remains a curio for those interested in the spookier side of vintage Hollywood.