House of Mortal Sin (1976)

A pregnant teenager confesses her sins to the local Roman Catholic priest, Father Xavier Meldrum (Anthony Sharp) and then commits suicide.

Meanwhile, Meldrum’s colleague Father Bernard Cutler (Norman Eshley) is in need of a place to stay and bumps into old friend Jenny Welch (Susan Penhaligon) whose sister, Vanessa (Stephanie Beacham) is his old flame, from his days before he joined the church. Father Bernard moves in with them.

Jennny’s ‘showbiz’ boyfriend has left her and she’s in a state. Looking to Father Bernard for comfort, she accidentally goes to confession with Father Meldrum. But he’s not like your average priest.

He records her confession and uses the tape to take control of her.

Father Meldrum doesn’t like other men being near Jenny, bumping off one suitor with a coffee pot and another with an incense burner.

Jenny knows Meldrum is killing off others in her life but as a respected priest, he isn’t an easy man to implicate.

Will he be stopped before he kills off everyone in Jenny’s life? And what’s the story behind the priest’s one-eyed housekeeper, Miss Brabazon (Sheila Keith) and his silent mother?

All is eventually revealed before a strange and largely unexpected finale.

Released in the US as The Confessional.

Father Xavier Meldrum
Anthony Sharp
Jenny Welch
Susan Penhaligon
Vanessa Welch
Stephanie Beacham
Father Bernard Cutler
Norman Eshley
Miss Brabazon
Sheila Keith
Mrs Meldrum
Hilda Barry
Terry Wyatt
Stewart Bevan
Mrs Davey
Julia McCarthy
Robert
John Yule
Mr Davey
Bill Kerr
Dr Gaudio
Victor Winding
GP
Jack Allen
Valerie Davey
Kim Butcher
Gravedigger
Ivor Salter

Director
Pete Walker

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