Gregory (Derek Jacobi) has inherited the stately home of Swanbrook, a charming Elizabethan mansion. He has a talent for painting, a love of beauty, and a certain generosity of spirit which impels him, sometimes, to treat his servants as equals.
Above all, Gregory wants children to whom he can entrust this heritage, and although he is already the father of four-year-old Edgar and two-year-old Katya, this desire becomes an obsession which drives him to take a mistress, Carlotta (Anna Gaël), during the absence of his wife, Lily (Fiona Lewis) a professional singer.
While Lily sings and Gregory paints, a succession of governesses take care of the children – with special services for Gregory.
The sinister oily-haired butler, Tom (Oliver Reed with an odd South African accent), has always been at Swanbrook, and he rules in the drawing room as he does in the kitchens.
He is indispensable to Gregory, who trusts him implicitly with the management of his estates and with the supervision of the staff. But Tom cares nothing for Gregory’s trust. He has but one aim – to possess.
Tom conceals his loathing for his master beneath a servile facade while stirring rebellion amongst the other servants. He incites them to covet Gregory’s property, to raid his cellar, to exploit his weaknesses, to smoke pot and to deprave themselves.
He has transformed their respect into jealousy, their dignity into selfishness. He satisfies their senses, and everyone has learned to treat him as master.
Soon, he reveals himself to the latest governess, young German girl Beate Krug (Meg Wynn Owen), who is plagued by strange seizures of violence and hallucinations of occult ceremonies led by Tom and involving the death of Gregory’s young son, Edgar.
Beate is finally driven by Tom’s influence to brutalise the children and is dismissed.
Aided by Carlotta (who is easily influenced by the scheming Tom), Tom laces Gregory’s wine with LSD, causing him to experience a terrifying nightmare which destroys his will completely.
Tom can now take control of Swanbrook, the children, Lily and Gregory himself.
Filmed on location at Longleat House in Wiltshire and featuring lovely colour photography, the film suffers from a talky script and slow pace, which make watching it incredibly tedious, and the occult angle is presented very clumsily.
It’s difficult at times to know just what is going on, as Tom induces hallucinations of black masses, murder and suicide.
Tom
Oliver Reed Lily
Fiona Lewis Carlotta
Anna Gaël Gregory
Derek Jacobi Beate Krug
Meg Wynn Owen Clurman
John Rainer Jones
Richard Davies Agnes
Gwyneth Owen Cocky
Patrick Carter Serena
Elaine Ives-Cameron Morrell
Tim Wylton Dr Barratt
Hubert Rees Mrs Barratt
Dilys Price Gerrard
Andrew McCall Susannah
Sally Anne Newton
Director
Andrew Sinclair
Video
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While Lily sings and Gregory paints, a succession of governesses take care of the children – with special services for Gregory.
Beate is finally driven by Tom’s influence to brutalise the children and is dismissed.
