Die! Die! My Darling!

A fanatical woman (Tallulah Bankhead) locks up her dead son’s ex-fiancé (Stefanie Powers) in order to purify her soul.

Fanatic (Die! Die! My Darling! in the USA) is a textbook example of a missed opportunity. The film’s premise, a fanatical woman kidnaps her dead son’s ex-fiancé, is perfect for either a serious horror film or a black comedy. Unfortunately, the filmmakers behind Fanatic deliver neither, opting instead for a mess that’s best described as boring.

The script by Richard Matheson takes a while to get going, although it’s clear from the get-go that Tallulah Bankhead’s character is nuts. Then, once she finally locks Stefanie Powers’ character up, Matheson seems to run out of ideas. Bankhead reads the bible, Powers tries a couple of lame escape attempts, but it quickly becomes uncomfortably clear that the story isn’t going anywhere.

Compounding matters is a truly awful music score that seems to contradict whatever mood the performers are attempting to establish.

On the plus side, the production is up to Hammer’s usual standards, with the great sets and costumes belying the small budget, and the performers are universally good given the meandering material, including a young Donald Sutherland as an intellectually disabled albino.

Yeah, I know. Albino Donald Sutherland, how could you go wrong? Watch Fanatic and find out.