Penthouse, The (1967)

Married estate agent Bruce Victor (Terence Morgan) and his mistress, shop girl Barbara (Suzy Kendall,) are having a secret affair in a borrowed – unoccupied and isolated – luxury penthouse when they are disturbed in their love nest by intruders Tom (Tony Beckley) and Dick (Norman Rodway), a knife-wielding pair of villains posing as meter readers.

They tie Bruce up and force him to watch them ply his girlfriend with whisky and pot and degrade her for their entertainment. He also has to listen to their self-justifying monologues and musings on the sad state of the world.

Barbara is so lost in booze and well-rolled joints that she will do anything she’s told, and the two men take turns raping her while Bruce is left helpless and being ranted at.

Suddenly, the men have gone as quickly as they arrived. Barbara and Bruce are puzzled.

Another knock on the door reveals Harry (ex-Bond girl Martine Beswick), who is apparently the boys’ parole officer. She proceeds to bring the two goons back into the apartment to continue their macabre mind games.

This was director Peter Collinson’s first feature film for the cinema after his many award-winning successes in television. He followed it up with the big box office success Up The Junction (1967) – also with Suzy Kendall.

The original 1964 stage play, The Meter Man, was probably more effective; the film version, however, comes across as grim, tasteless, unpleasant and pretentious. But it’s the sort of film you’ll never forget.

Bruce Victor
Terence Morgan
Barbara Willason
Suzy Kendall
Tom
Tony Beckley
Dick
Norman Rodway
Harry
Martine Beswick

Director
Peter Collinson