Rainey Dawn To brag about the film: the sets, costuming, the overall look and feel to the film everything is beautiful. Lots of eye candy for those that enjoy Gothic atmosphere. ***************Spoiler***************** The disappointment: In the end of the film Sir Richard was not shocked at all to find out he had a murderous look-alike brother that was kept secret from him all these years. He seemed like he did not care at all nor was he surprised. I agree with another reviewer that Sir Richard was ill-tempered almost all the time and could have solved this mystery early on in the movie if he was calm and used his thinking skills. Apparently Sir Richard had the same uneven temperament his grandfather had -- while his twin(?) brother had the same anger problem plus the mental derangement of his grandfather. ************************************This movie had the potential to be an excellent film - I think it needed a bit more work on the script and character development. The movie is still worth watching if you like Gothic "ghost" stories and mysteries.6.5/10

The_Void The only film I'd seen from director Robert Hartford-Davis prior to seeing this sixties flick was the lamentable 'Incense for the Damned', so as you can imagine; I didn't go into The Black Torment with the highest of hopes. While this film is hardly a great horror masterpiece, or even one of the best British horrors of the sixties; it's certainly a good film, and a million times better than Incense for the Damned. The film focuses more on its atmosphere, and Hartford-Davis ensures that the themes of murder and insanity are always bubbling on the surface of the movie. The film gets off to a very slow start, and I wasn't too impressed with it once the first half hour had elapsed. Luckily, things improve later on, and the first half of the movie merely sets up the basics of the story. We follow Sir Richard Fordyce upon his return home to his eerie mansion along with his new wife, Lady Elizabeth. His first wife killed herself at her home, and the memory still haunts the lord of the manor. Furthermore, his servants believe that he has been present at the mansion prior to his return...Huge mansion houses are a tried and tested location for horror, and the one in this film works well considering the story. The film is all about atmosphere, and the director does a good job of racking up the tension in an effort to ensure that the endings works as it should. The characters are nothing to write home about, and the script doesn't do a very good job of balancing them with the plot. The mystery comes about through several small threads, and although the climax is easy to guess; it's fun getting there. The film benefits from several well worked set pieces, many of which involve the ghost of Sir Richard's first wife. The Gothic themes provide the film with a dark horror atmosphere and are sure to appeal to fans of gloomy horror. The acting is, like the characters, rather drab; and the unknown British cast don't do much to grab your attention. It's clear that Hartford-Davis wanted the film to be more like Roger Corman's The Fall of the House of Usher, as it features ideas such as a long line of family members, and also sees a scene set in a portrait gallery, much like the Vincent Price classic. Overall, it has to be said that The Black Torment is slightly disappointing; but fans of sixties Gothic are likely to find something to like here.

Coventry Please note that I'm deliberately exaggerating a bit in this user comment. "The Black Torment" might not be a genuine horror masterpiece – it does has its flaws and shortcomings – but this film is so drastically overlooked and underrated that I wish to praise it a little extra, hoping that fans of classic Gothic horror will go through more efforts to track it down! This film really deserves a wider audience and it's not because Hammer or Amicus studios didn't produce a certain horror film that it's automatically inferior. "The Black Torment" is a hugely atmospheric and beautifully photographed horror/costume drama directed by Robert Hartford-Davis. Noticing the director's name alone is a surprise already, since Harford-Davis' other horror films ("Incense of the Damned" and "The Fiend") were both irredeemably bad and quite ugly to look at. This film is a world of difference; stylish, compelling and featuring several sequences that qualify as genuinely unsettling. Sir Richard Fordycke returns to his wealthy father's estate with a new bride because his first wife sadly committed suicide for not being able to bear children. He doesn't receive a warm welcome, though, since several superstitious villagers spotted him during his absence and he supposedly even killed a local girl. Shortly after his return, Richard himself starts to have visions of his deceased wife walking through the garden. The whole explanation to the "mystery" is rather rational and unsurprising, but it's the sinister atmosphere that sticks to you. The scene in which the veiled 'ghost' rides through the woods screaming out the word "MURDERER" truly sent cold shivers down my spine! That definitely is the most wonderful effect a horror movie can give you! Highly recommended!

magpie-5 Sir Richard Fordyce returns to his home after staying in London with his newly married wife. Upon his arrival the people of his estate greet him rather strangely. As it turns out while Fordyce has been away people have sworn that they have seen him at his home, there have also been several young women who have been killed. Fordyce also sees ghostly figures on the grounds of his estate. Is Fordyce slowly going mad or is there something more sinister at play.