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Drama Cult Classic

College student Peggy uncovers secrets behind the locked doors of a crumbling mansion.

SCREAM, PRETTY PEGGY

1973 · 1h 14m · NR · Drama / Horror / Mystery / Thriller / TV Movie · IMDB TMDB

A sculptor hires young college girls to take care of his elderly mother and his supposedly insane sister, both of whom live in the old family mansion with him.

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Vault Note

Proof that every mansion with a sculptor in residence is hiding at least one skeleton—sometimes upstairs.

Programmer's Pick

With Bette Davis glowering in her gothic mansion and a script by Jimmy Sangster, this made-for-TV chiller serves up a generous helping of Psycho-inspired suspense and family dysfunction. Sian Barbara Allen’s Peggy may be plucky, but she’s way out of her depth among sculptors, secret siblings, and a house where the help keeps vanishing. If you like your mystery with a side of melodrama and a dash of mid-70s TV flair, you've found your next viewing assignment.

— SassyFlix Programmer
Quick Answer
What is Scream, Pretty Peggy about?

Scream, Pretty Peggy is a 1973 United States drama-horror TV movie directed by Gordon Hessler about a college student who takes a housekeeping job in a mansion haunted by family secrets and mysterious disappearances.

Details & Specs
Director
Gordon Hessler
Writers
Jimmy Sangster, Arthur Hoffe
Release
1973
Runtime
1h 14m
Country
United States of America
Language
English
Also Known As
L'ombra di Jennifer, Um Grito de Terror

Synopsis

Peggy is a college student and aspiring artist who works as a housekeeper in the mansion of mysterious recluse Mrs. Elliott and her oddball sculptor son Jeffrey. She becomes suspicious when George Thornton comes to the house looking for his missing daughter, who once worked in the position she now holds, and even more so when she learns Jeffrey's sister, whom she was led to believe was on an extended European vacation, actually is mentally deranged and living in the apartment above the garage. Undaunted by warnings from her employer, Peggy is determined to befriend the girl, a decision that leads to a lot of mysterious doings and a Psycho-inspired climax.

Why Cult

Bette Davis Gothic Turn

Screen legend Bette Davis brings formidable presence to the role of Mrs. Elliott, the reclusive matriarch with secrets to spare.

Psycho-Inspired Climax

The film builds toward a finale that tips its hat to Hitchcock, with psychological twists and family revelations.

TV Movie Sleaze Meets Mystery

A made-for-TV blend of melodrama, oddball characters, and mysterious doings, all packed into a brisk 74 minutes.

Sangster-Scripted Suspense

Jimmy Sangster, a veteran of Hammer horror, co-writes a tale of missing girls, sinister artists, and unreliable narrators.

Scene Gallery

Questions from the Vault

What is Scream, Pretty Peggy about? +

Scream, Pretty Peggy follows a college student who becomes a housekeeper for a reclusive family, only to stumble upon disappearances and hidden madness in the mansion.

When was Scream, Pretty Peggy released? +

Scream, Pretty Peggy was released in 1973.

Who directed Scream, Pretty Peggy? +

Scream, Pretty Peggy was directed by Gordon Hessler.

How long is Scream, Pretty Peggy? +

Scream, Pretty Peggy has a runtime of 74 minutes.

What genre is Scream, Pretty Peggy? +

Scream, Pretty Peggy is a drama, horror, mystery, thriller, and TV movie.