The House Of Mortal Sin

Also known as The Confessional Murders, Pete Walkers 1976 movie The House Of Mortal Sin gained Walker unexpected notoriety both during the year of its release, but a further 8 years later when having appeared on video for a couple of years, the movie found itself banned in its native England. Why did the movie find itself outlawed in the UK? Because it committed the ultimate sin, in delivering horror spills it also had a rather hostile stab at the often believed corruptness of the Roman Catholic Church, something they simply would not allow to happen.

 

While out shopping, and in a slightly distracted manner Jenny Welch (Susan Penhaligon) steps into the path of an oncoming car, fortunately its driver is a very good one and stops before any damage is done. This isolated incident brings together childhood friends when it transpires that the driver is old school friend Bernard (Norman Eshley) now a priest newly arrived to work in the nearby Roman Catholic Church. Having enjoyed the reunion over a coffee, Jenny is enriched by this reunion; and in celebrating this feeling she heads for the church where Bernard works. Believing that Bernard is giving confession, Jenny heads for the booth where she finds Father Xavier Meldrum (Anthony Sharp). Realising that Jenny has something heavy on her shoulders to offload, Father Meldrum persuades her to give confession, during which she reveals that boyfriend Terry some months earlier made her pregnant and forced her to have an abortion. Unbeknown to Jenny however that is Father Meldrum records all his confessions, and opts to make all of his flock’s and in particular Jenny’s problems disappear, regardless of exactly how he achieves his goals.

 

House Of Mortal Sin, is in many ways unlike a lot of other Walker movies; no lesbian overtones as in House Of The Whipcord, No power drill cannibals as in Frightmare, no incest crazed families as in Die Screaming, Marianne; no House Of Mortal Sin comes off for a large part like a traditional Hammer Horror movie. But from this more traditional shell, Walker splinters something of the insane upon his audience creating a horrific terror in a warm and cosy environment.

 

Sadly this tale of a psychopath priest who will happily kill to protect those who confess to their sins to him, takes a decidedly dull path to its conclusion. Please don’t get me wrong as a whole the movie is a superior if not quirky piece of British filmmaking, what happens with The House Of Mortal Sin is a sad tale of unfulfilled promise. The reason of the downfall is after the best part of an hour of pretty much near blinding, curious, enchanting storytelling; the movie stumbles off down the route of being like any old 70’s horror movie that England turned out during that time, slightly stuffy and incredibly familiar.

 

Until that final portion though I really enjoyed the movie, I loved the thought of this religious character shuffling around in the night snuffing out anyone that interferes with the hopes and dreams of an innocent party; while the movie focuses on Jenny’s story all around you see the wreckage of a dozen other families ripped asunder by Father Meldrum’s unique tool of justice. What of course stands out about the movie is the thought of hindsight, while often in our darkest hours we wish ill of those that offend us deep down in the pit of our stomach we really don’t mean it. Not only does the movie cover that ground, but also looks at the ground of mistaken identity, of people being caught in the wrong place at the wrong time and finding themselves caught in a terribly bloody crossfire.

 

Like all other Pete Walker movies the cast are sure-fire products of the day lead actress Susan Penhaligon had shot to fame through the movies The Land That Time Forgot and No Sex Please Were British as well as cameo performances in the likes of Doctor Who and Upstairs Downstairs. Anthony Sharp who played Father Meldrum was a well loved actor of the day that appeared in pretty much any British movie you might find, from A Clockwork Orange, Barry Lyndon to popular re-occurring roles in TV shows like Steptoe And Son, Sharp was a much loved character of the day so his appearance here was most out of character, his real fame however came after his death when he became a bit of a cult hero. Popular actress Stephanie Beacham who had suddenly shot to fame, was only at the beginning of her career here just a few short years after her legendary Playboy centrefold. Norman Eshley took the role of Bernard, an actor who was appearing in two successful British comedy shows of the day Man About The House, and George and Mildred. As well as a scattering of other British stars of the day there was of course a place for Pete Walker favourite Sheila Keith, who here as with all her other Walker collaborations (except House Of The Long Shadows) played a rather understated villain.

 

Unlike a lot of other Walker features the actors here are on fine form, never once did I find myself on the verge of laughter because of a terrible performance, not one piece of ham acting to be found here.

 

As an around piece and in comparison to the dreary Amicus (a similar rival to Hammer, Hammer at this time having fallen into a sudden decline) offerings of the day, The House Of Mortal Sin is a pretty inspiring piece of British horror.