What Is A Taste of Evil About?
The premise of A Taste of Evil in 345 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.
In the secluded countryside, a young woman returns to the home she fled as a child, carrying the weight of an unspeakable horror that forced her into hiding for seven long years. Susan Wilcox steps back through the doors of the family estate, hoping the quiet of the rural manor will finally let the shadows of her past recede. The film opens with a palpable sense of unease, the sprawling woods and the echoing rooms of the house already whispering doubts that have haunted her since adolescence.
The household itself is a study in fragile civility. Miriam Jennings, Susan’s mother, clings desperately to a marriage that trembles on the edge of collapse, while her husband, Harold Jennings, drifts through the rooms like a storm‑tossed ghost, his volatile temperament adding a thin layer of menace to the domestic routine. Their interactions are tinged with unspoken grievances, and the estate’s genteel facade masks a tension that seems ready to snap at any moment. A quiet, scholarly presence in the form of Dr. Michael Lomas offers a clinical eye, suggesting that the house’s atmosphere may be as much a character as the people within it.
From the moment Susan crosses the threshold, an invisible current of suspicion begins to coil around her thoughts. The familiar surroundings feel increasingly alien, and fleeting sensations—shadows at windows, muffled sounds in the hallway— conspire to blur the line between reality and imagination. The film’s tone is deliberately oppressive, letting dread seep through every creak of the floorboards and rustle of the surrounding forest, while the ambiguous whispers of the past keep viewers guessing whether the threat is external or born of Susan’s own mind.
A Taste of Evil balances atmospheric suspense with an intimate psychological portrait, inviting the audience to linger in the unsettling liminality between sanity and madness. The interplay of family loyalty, buried resentment, and the lingering echo of trauma creates a world where every glance could be a clue, and every silence a warning, leaving the viewer uneasy yet compelled to follow Susan deeper into the house’s enigmatic heart.
What Happens in A Taste of Evil?
The complete story of A Taste of Evil, from the first scene to the last, in 618 words (about 3 minutes). Spoilers throughout. Names in the text link to 5 cast member pages.
Spoilers ahead
Susan Wilcox Barbara Parkins is a young woman who carries the heavy burden of a brutal rape she endured at the age of 13. The trauma shattered her voice and left her with a long, silent wake of mental decline, ultimately landing her in a Swiss sanatorium for treatment. When she is finally allowed to leave, she returns to the family home only to confront a life that has grown tense and unstable. Her mother, Miriam Jennings Barbara Stanwyck, is clinging to a fragile marriage with Harold Jennings William Windom, an alcoholic husband whose volatility adds a dangerous layer to the house’s hollow domestic warmth. The atmosphere is thick with unease as Susan treks back to the woods where the assault occurred, certain that someone is tailing her, while Miriam insists that Harold was not in the house the night before.
One night, Susan notices a shadow by her window and soon discovers a dead man in her bathtub. She faints, only to awaken in the presence of Dr. Michael Lomas Roddy McDowall. There is no physical trace of a body, and Susan feels a creeping certainty that someone is trying to drive her insane. Miriam, ever pragmatic and anxious to protect the family’s stability, writes off Susan’s visions as symptoms of illness, casting doubt on the wisdom of releasing her from the hospital. The tension escalates when Susan is chased out of the mansion by a figure she believes to be Harold, and later she finds a dead body in a car outside, only for the vehicle to disappear when she seeks help from John Arthur O’Connell, an old family friend who also serves as the gardener. The sequence of strange episodes deepens the mystery, weaving a thread of suspicion around Harold and the house itself.
After confiding in Dr. Michael Lomas, he tries to interpret the events through a psychological lens, suggesting that Susan’s subconscious is pushing her away from Harold as the source of trauma. Yet Susan remains convinced that Harold was the man who raped her. The same day Harold returns to the mansion, someone from the woods calls out to Susan. She ventures into the forest and encounters the same dead man who grabs her leg, forcing her to flee and hide in the cabin where she was assaulted years earlier. Harold arrives soon after and is later found dead, apparently shot by Susan. The authorities inform Miriam that Susan will be returned to the Swiss sanatorium, but the plot twists reveal more than a simple medical verdict: Miriam confesses a lifelong jealousy of Susan, claiming that her father showered Susan with attention while neglecting her. In a shocking reversal, it is revealed that John is the one who raped Susan when she was young.
A shadowy stalker then targets Miriam, seemingly impersonating Harold. Believing John to be the ringleader of the terror, Miriam fires him, and the stalking continues without abating. In a climactic storm, Miriam glimpses the stalker who appears to be Harold, and John appears just in time to be shot by Miriam. She staggers toward the exit, only to find Harold standing in the doorway. In a moment of hysteria, she screams that she “made Susan kill” him, a line that exposes the tangled web of manipulation within the household. The people around Miriam—most notably Dr. Michael Lomas—are unmasked in a counter-conspiracy designed to control Susan’s fate. The reveal reframes the entire ordeal: Harold is alive, his apparent shooting a calculated ruse intended to coerce a confession from Miriam. With the truth laid bare, Miriam accepts the consequences and is led away, leaving a chilling portrait of deceit, jealousy, and psychological manipulation at the center of a family’s unraveling.
A Taste of Evil Timeline: Every Key Event in Order
13 key events in the order they happen, from “Rape at thirteen and resulting silence” to “Miriam's arrest”. 13 events name a place, across 10 locations.
- 1
Rape at thirteen and resulting silence
Susan is raped by an unknown man in the woods when she is 13. The trauma leaves her mute for two years and lands her in a Swiss sanatorium, beginning a long, fragile healing process. Her memory of the event haunts her as she grows older.
When:age 13 Where:woods; Swiss sanatorium
- 2
Return home after release from the sanatorium
Upon leaving the sanatorium, Susan returns to her old family mansion. Her mother Miriam is in an unstable marriage with Harold Jennings, an alcoholic, which creates a tense and uneasy home life. Susan senses that the past trauma is not fully behind her.
When:shortly after release Where:old family mansion
- 3
Return to the woods and suspicion of Harold
Susan goes back to the woods where she was raped, hoping to confront the memories. She is followed, and she distrusts Harold as the possible watcher, though Miriam insists Harold left the previous night. The tension between the characters deepens as secrets begin to surface.
When:soon after returning home Where:woods
- 4
Night shadow and dead man in the bathtub
One night a shadow appears by Susan's window and she later finds a dead man in her bathtub. She faints, and Dr. Michael Lomas arrives to help. There is no trace of a body, and Susan fears someone is trying to drive her insane.
When:that night Where:mansion
- 5
Miriam doubts Susan; psychiatrist's take
Miriam questions Susan's perceptions, believing she may be hallucinating after release. She doubts the safety of letting Susan stay at home. Dr. Lomas's involvement introduces the possibility that Susan's subconscious is processing Harold as the source of trauma.
When:following the bathtub incident Where:mansion; Dr. Lomas
- 6
Chase at night and missing car
On another night, Susan is chased from the mansion as if by Harold. Outside, she finds a dead body in a car and seeks help from John, the gardener, only to return and find the car missing. The sequence intensifies the sense of danger around the house.
When:that night Where:mansion grounds
- 7
Dr. Lomas's assessment: subconscious rejection of Harold
After Susan recounts her experiences, Dr. Lomas concludes that her subconscious is rejecting Harold as the cause of her trauma. This assessment shifts Susan's focus and fuels new questions about who truly harmed her. The therapy scene deepens the psychological tension between the characters.
When:after recounting to Dr. Lomas Where:Dr. Lomas's office
- 8
The woods call and Susan confronts the dead man again
Harold returns to the mansion, and the woods seem to call out to Susan. She goes into the forest and finds the same dead man who grabs her leg, forcing her to flee. She hides in the cabin where she was raped as danger closes in.
When:the same day Where:woods; cabin
- 9
Harold's apparent murder
Harold arrives at the mansion and is later found dead, apparently shot by Susan. His death marks a dramatic turn in the mystery and deepens the suspicion on Susan. The scene unsettles Miriam and others and raises questions about Susan's innocence.
When:shortly after the forest incident Where:mansion
- 10
Conspiracies revealed: Miriam and John against Susan
Authorities declare Susan will be returned to the Swiss sanatorium, but a larger plot comes to light. Miriam admits she has long envied Susan for the father's attention and conspired with John to disinherit her. It is revealed that John was the one who raped Susan when she was 13.
When:after Harold's death Where:mansion; hospital
Show the other 3 events of A Taste of Evil Hide the last 3 events
- 11
A stalking plot against Miriam
A stalker targets Miriam, appearing to be Harold. She concludes John is tormenting her, and she fires him. The stalking continues, revealing a broader conspiracy behind the scenes.
When:after reveal Where:mansion
- 12
Miriam's fatal decision and the counter-conspiracy
One rainy night, Miriam confronts the stalker and shoots John fatally, believing Harold is threatening her. She tries to leave the mansion, only to find Harold alive in the doorway. In a dramatic confession, she learns that the stalking was a counter-conspiracy masterminded by Dr. Lomas, who uses Harold's supposed danger to trap Miriam.
When:climax Where:mansion
- 13
Miriam's arrest
In the wake of the confession, Miriam is arrested as the truth about the conspiracies surfaces. She must confront the consequences of her manipulation and jealousy, and Susan's future remains uncertain under the shadow of a new plan.
When:end of the events Where:mansion; authorities
Who Are the Main Characters in A Taste of Evil?
7 characters, among them Miriam Jennings (Barbara Stanwyck), John (Arthur O'Connell) and Dr. Michael Lomas (Roddy McDowall): who each one is and the part they play in the story. Every profile links to the actor’s page.
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Miriam Jennings (Barbara Stanwyck)
Played by Barbara Stanwyck
Miriam is Susan's mother, trapped in an unstable marriage with Harold and consumed by jealousy. She manipulates the situation to keep Susan dependent and aimed at disinheriting her daughter. Her veneer of concern masks a calculating, controlling nature.
- 💰 Inheritance
- 🗝️ Deceit
- 🫂 Family dynamics
-
John (Arthur O'Connell)
Played by Arthur O'Connell
A longtime family friend and the gardener, John hides a predatory past behind charm. He is revealed as the man who raped Susan when she was thirteen and becomes entangled in Miriam's scheme, before meeting a violent end.
- 💔 Betrayal
- 🗝️ Secret past
-
Dr. Michael Lomas (Roddy McDowall)
Played by Roddy McDowall
A psychiatrist who recognizes Susan's subconscious rejection of Harold and then orchestrates a counter-conspiracy to test her recovery. He manipulates situations to provoke revelations, pushing boundaries of ethics for control. The twist exposes his role as the mastermind behind the stalking.
- 🧠 Psychology
- 🕵️♂️ Manipulation
- SW
Susan Wilcox (Barbara Parkins)
Played by Barbara Parkins
The traumatized center of the story, Susan struggles to distinguish memory from reality after the abuse. Her fragile grip on sanity is tested as she confronts manipulation within the family and the threat of being sent back to the sanatorium. Her resilience drives the emotional throughline of the film.
- 🧠 Trauma
- 🎭 Fear
- 💪 Resilience
-
Harold Jennings (William Windom)
Played by William Windom
Miriam's alcoholic husband whose volatility underscores the mansion's tension. He is accused of assault, becomes a key figure in shifting suspicions, and is later found dead, apparently shot by Susan.
- 💔 Domestic conflict
- 🧪 Alcoholism
- S(
Sheriff (Bing Russell)
Played by Bing Russell
The local lawman who appears as the investigation unfolds, providing a steady presence amid escalating paranoia and helping to uncover the truth.
- 🕵️ Authority
- 🗺️ Investigation
- YS
Young Susan (Dawn Frame)
Played by Dawn Frame
The younger version of Susan who endures the initial rape, serving as the catalyst for the trauma that drives the later events. Her experience sets the stage for the present tension.
- 🫂 Trauma
- 🕊️ Past
Where and When Is A Taste of Evil Set?
A Taste of Evil is set in Mansion, Woods and Swiss Sanatorium. Here is why the place matters to the story.
Where
Mansion, Woods, Swiss Sanatorium
The story revolves around a remote mansion and its surrounding woods, where Susan’s trauma and suspicions unfold. A Swiss sanatorium from Susan’s past adds clinical contrast to the mansion’s claustrophobic atmosphere. The secluded setting heightens paranoia as shadows and whispers become clues in a web of secrets.
- 🏰 Mansion
- 🌲 Woods
- 🏥 Sanatorium
What Are the Themes of A Taste of Evil?
3 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Trauma, Deception and Power and Jealousy.
-
01
Trauma
Susan’s rape at thirteen and the resulting breakdown drive the narrative, shaping how memory and fear distort reality. The film tracks how trauma lingers and resurfaces under stress, influencing perceptions and actions. The suspense hinges on the fragility of memory when past wounds erupt.
-
02
Deception
Miriam and John weave a web of manipulation to control Susan’s recovery and inheritance. Dr. Lomas’s later counter-conspiracy upends the apparent threats, revealing how appearances can mask ruthless motives within a family.
-
03
Power and Jealousy
Miriam’s jealousy over Susan’s father’s attention drives most actions, including attempts to disinherit her daughter. The mansion’s stormy nights mirror the moral storms as truth struggles to emerge. Envy and ambition spiral into deadly consequences.
What Kind of Film Is A Taste of Evil?
Tense in tone, with steady pacing and a complex story, going by the plot summary.
- Tone
- Tense
- Pacing
- Steady
- Story
- Complex
- Intensity
- High
- Ending
- Bittersweet
An intensely suspenseful and claustrophobic psychological thriller that immerses the viewer in a young woman's paranoid reality as she unravels a web of family lies and manipulation orchestrated to drive her insane.
- anxious
- claustrophobic
- paranoid
- suspenseful
- oppressive
- unsettling
- psychological thriller
- trauma and recovery
- gaslighting
- family secrets
Content notes: sexual assault, psychological trauma, gaslighting, child endangerment.
Quiz
How well do you remember A Taste of Evil? Test yourself on the story.
