Deadly Strangers is a 1975 film directed by Sidney Hayers (Circus of Horrors, Assault) and starring Hayley Mills (Twisted Nerve), Simon Ward (Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed, The Monster Club) and Sterling Hayden (Venom).
Belle Adams (Mills) has narrowly avoided being raped by a scuzzball lorry driver but runs into travelling salesman Steven Slade (Ward) who is glad of the company and so agrees to get her to her desired destination of Wycombe. Clicking on the radio, in true horror film style, a news announcer warns of a lunatic on the run from the local asylum. After turning off the report before we learn any more details about the escapee, we are soon alerted to the fact that Slade is perhaps not all that he seems – he appears unfamiliar with his own car, struggles to recount personal details and most worryingly, lies to Adams to ensure she misses her train and is stuck with him for the foreseeable future. On the off-chance we have any doubts whatsoever, Ward seems very keen to avoid the numerous roadblocks dotted around the countryside to try and capture the fugitive, blaming his bashfulness on the fact he’s drink-driving (very reassuring).
After spending the night in the car, Stevens awakes to find Adams has vanished and assumes she’s gone for good – in actual fact, she’s just nipped along to the local shop but Steven’s heightened emotions lead him to drive off at high speed alone. Finding herself abandoned, Adams meets the charming American, Malcolm Robarts (Hayden) who, despite his advancing years, manages to woo her into his car with the promise of dinner (and breakfast). Adams has started to suffer occasional flashbacks to sexual abuse she suffered at the hands of her drunken uncle. Stevens and Adams are soon reunited but they are trailed by Robarts who seems to be trying to warn one of the pair of some imminent danger. Failing, he contacts the police as we are forced to contemplate that perhaps Adams is not the damsel in distress we had originally assumed…or maybe she is. Or maybe it’s someone else.
The film offers us three very clear options; it’s either Adams, Stevens or an unlikely third who is the escaped lunatic. As we are given the entire film to mull this over, the ending can’t be a surprise of any sort, though it’s handled relatively well. Neither of the leads are particularly likeable – this is fine in terms of Stevens (though he does seem to be channelling the spirit of Michael York, somewhat) as he is the most likely culprit, but Adams is not a character we warm to, even having seen the scenes of her younger self being abused. Her primness (though we are treated to an unlikely nude scene) and the lack of discernible threat throughout the majority of the film leaves the film a rather flat experience.
The introduction of Robarts and one of cinema’s most remarkable beards turns out to be little more than a distraction, offering much but seemingly having a good deal of the role written out mid-way through. The film does reveal a gloriously grotty view of 70’s England, greasy spoon cafes, confused fashions, unconvincing bikers and a hopeless police force all there for us to enjoy. The setting of Weston-Super-Mare, near Bristol, is perfectly unassuming and bland, the every-day community being home to crazy psychopaths being a staple of 70’s British horror and thrillers. The score by Ron Goodwin is unremarkable, a disappointment from a man capable of scores such as Where Eagles Dare and The Day of the Triffids.
Daz Lawrence
