The Anniversary Details

Britain's Hammer studios took a break from monsters and ghoulies of the past to produce contemporary chillers for a brief period. Here, Hollywood grande dame Bette Davis provides the scares, and some laughs, as an eyepatch-wearing virago ruling an ill-assorted family in England's suburbia. The rest of the cast is no match for Davis, but Sheila Hancock, Jack Hedley and, particularly, James Cossins, hold their own. This slice of Grand Guignol was based on a play and, despite Brighton Rock cinematographer Harry Waxman's excellent colour photography, the atmosphere is resolutely theatrical. Still, Davis is always watchable, even if one has the decided impression that she regarded this film as slumming, despite the fact that she had quite a say in the production.

Agreeable but over-talkative black comedy with a splendid role for its star and some good scattered moments, marred by a general lack of style.