And Now the Screaming Starts! 1973
Directed by
Roy Ward Baker
Made by
Amicus Productions
And Now the Screaming Starts! Plot Summary
Read the complete plot summary and ending explained for And Now the Screaming Starts! (1973). From turning points to emotional moments, uncover what really happened and why it matters.
In 1795, Catherine Fengriffen relocates to Fengriffen House with her fiancé, Charles Fengriffen, and very quickly begins to glimpse a shadowy history that lingers in the estate. Her visions center on an undead corpse with a heavily birthmarked face, empty eye sockets, and a severed right hand, a sight that unsettles her on more than one occasion. On the couple’s wedding night, this malevolent presence invades the couple’s private space, haunting Catherine in her chamber and leaving her shaken by what she has witnessed.
Soon, Catherine encounters Silas [Geoffrey Whitehead], a woodsman who lives in a nearby lodge and bears the same birthmark as the corpse. The family and those closest to Catherine struggle to offer any explanation about Silas, and every attempt to explain the mystery seems to backfire in terrifying ways: Maitland [Guy Rolfe], Charles’ solicitor, is hacked to death with an axe; Mrs Luke [Rosalie Crutchley], the housemaid, is thrown down the stairs; and Aunt Edith [Gillian Lind], Catherine’s chaperone, is strangled by the severed hand, which then vanishes from sight. The atmosphere thickens with dread as Catherine’s pregnancy becomes public knowledge, and the estate’s dark past is pressed into the foreground.
Dr Whittle [Patrick Magee] announces the troubling possibility that Catherine’s visions might reflect mental strain or other psychological causes, urging Charles to reveal the estate’s buried history. Charles resists, and instead calls for psychiatrist Dr Pope [Peter Cushing], hoping a clinical approach might quiet the fear. Pope works with an open mind, pressing Whittle for details, yet the moment he is about to learn more, the severed hand reappears, strangling Whittle and disappearing once more.
The heart of the mystery unfolds as Pope confronts Charles with a family saga stretching back five decades. Charles recounts the infamous crimes of his grandfather, Sir Henry Fengriffen [Herbert Lom]. Half a century earlier, Henry raped the bride of his servant Silas, whose son would grow up to be the woodsman Catherine has seen. When Silas tried to strike back, Henry cut off Silas’ right hand as punishment. Silas’s curse was born: the Fengriffens would never escape the debt he cursed them with — the next virgin bride to enter Fengriffen House would be raped and her child would be tainted, and anyone attempting to warn her would die. In time, Henry’s remorse led him to leave Silas land to the family, where the woodsman’s son remains as a living reminder of the threat.
Catherine becomes the focus of the curse simply by being the first virgin bride to arrive at the estate in generations. To protect her and the unborn child, Pope agrees to stay with the family until the birth. As labor begins, Pope sedates Catherine and oversees the delivery. The newborn’s appearance horrifies Charles: a face marked like Silas’s and a missing right hand. Gripped by fear and rage, Charles heads to Silas’s lodge and shoots the woodsman in the face with pistols. Pope follows to discover Silas dead on the floor, two shots through each eye—a grim echo of the corpse Catherine has seen.
In a final, wrenching act, Charles smashes open Henry’s grave and dismantles the legacy that chained his family to violence, pushing Pope aside as the old abuse is confronted. Pope returns to Catherine and presents the baby—the same cursed sign that marked Silas—bearing a birthmark on its face and, hauntingly, a missing right hand. The revelation seals the fate of the newborn and confirms that the cycle of vengeance and doom tied to Fengriffen House has not ended; it has merely taken a new form to endure.
And Now the Screaming Starts! Timeline
Follow the complete movie timeline of And Now the Screaming Starts! (1973) with every major event in chronological order. Great for understanding complex plots and story progression.
Move to Fengriffen House
During 1795, Catherine moves to Fengriffen House with her fiancé Charles. She begins to experience visions of an undead corpse with a birthmarked face, empty eye sockets, and a severed right hand. The dark history of the estate seems to press in on her from the moment she arrives.
Wedding night assault
On their wedding night, Catherine is attacked and raped by an evil spirit in her bedroom at Fengriffen House. The assault scars her and deepens her visions of the corpse. The house's haunting presence feels more personal than before.
Meeting Silas the woodsman
Shortly after arriving, Catherine encounters Silas, a woodsman who lives in a nearby lodge and bears a birthmark identical to the corpse. The coincidence links Silas to the estate's curse and the visions. She wonders what he knows about the estate's dark history.
Mysterious killings deter truth-tellers
Those who attempt to explain Silas's presence fall under the curse's reach. Maitland is hacked to death with an axe; Mrs Luke is thrown down the stairs; Aunt Edith is strangled by the severed hand, which then vanishes. The killings sow fear and silence within Fengriffen House.
Pregnancy announced; silence about the past
With Catherine's pregnancy announced, Dr Whittle urges Charles to reveal the estate's past. Charles refuses, treating the tale as superstition rather than fact. Tension between science and superstition grows as Catherine seeks answers.
Dr Pope invited to investigate
Charles instead calls in psychiatrist Dr Pope, who approaches the mystery with an open mind. He nearly draws out the truth from Whittle, but before Whittle can speak, the severed hand re-materialises and strangulates him before vanishing again. The supernatural threat becomes undeniable.
Pope confronts the family history
Pope confronts Charles, who recounts the Fengriffen family’s crimes and old grievances surrounding Sir Henry Fengriffen. The story traces a pattern of violence and a curse tied to Silas and his son. The revelation sets the stage for a confrontation with the estate's legacy.
The backstory of Sir Henry Fengriffen
Fifty years earlier, Sir Henry Fengriffen rapes the bride of his servant Silas. In revenge, Silas's son, the woodsman, bears a matching birthmark. Henry cuts off Silas's right hand, catalyzing a curse that targets the next virgin bride to enter Fengriffen House.
The curse revealed
Silas's curse declares that the next virgin bride will be raped and her child tainted, and that anyone warning her will die. Henry later expresses remorse and bequeaths Silas land, but the prophecy remains active, awaiting its target. Catherine, as the first eligible bride in decades, now seems bound to become the cursed instrument.
Pope stays through Catherine's birth
Pope agrees to stay with the Fengriffens until Catherine gives birth, providing a rational counterpoint to the estate's curse. The doctors and priests balance belief and evidence as they wait for the child. The mood remains tense, with danger lurking at every corner.
Labor and delivery
Catherine goes into labor, and Pope sedates her to facilitate delivery. He assists in delivering the baby, whose unsettling appearance shocks Charles. The birth makes the estate's dark legacy feel all too real.
Charles confronts Silas' lodge
Charles travels to Silas' lodge and shoots the woodsman in the face, attempting to end the threat himself. The violence marks a direct confrontation with the curse's origin. Silas dies with the same mutilation seen in Catherine's visions.
Pope and the revelation at the lodge
Pope follows and discovers Silas dead on the floor, shot through both eyes—matching Catherine's vision of the corpse. The parallel between dream and reality strengthens the case for the supernatural. The living and the dead seem to collide on the estate.
Henry's grave is opened
Charles smashes open Henry's grave and destroys his remains, a desperate attempt to eradicate the source of the curse. He shoves Pope away when the doctor tries to intervene. The act shows how far the family will go to end the haunting.
The newborn and the final revelation
Pope returns to Catherine and presents the baby, who bears the birthmark and has no right hand. The child embodies the culmination of the curse and its perpetual cycle. Catherine's union with Charles has produced a tainted heir that seals Fengriffen's dark legacy.
And Now the Screaming Starts! Characters
Explore all characters from And Now the Screaming Starts! (1973). Get detailed profiles with their roles, arcs, and key relationships explained.
Catherine Fengriffen (Stephanie Beacham)
A young bride who experiences disturbing visions of an undead corpse and a severed hand upon entering Fengriffen House. She becomes the focal point of the family curse, her pregnancy heightening the stakes. Courageous yet vulnerable, she endures the estate's threats as secrets unfold.
Charles Fengriffen (Ian Ogilvy)
Catherine's fiancé who initially dismisses the legends and tries to protect the family's name. His skepticism clashes with the supernatural events, driving him toward a dramatic confrontation with the estate's dark past. He is capable, stubborn, and ultimately implicated in the unfolding tragedy.
Silas / Woodsman (Geoffrey Whitehead)
The surviving son of the man Henry Fengriffen wronged, Silas embodies the vengeful legacy that haunts Fengriffen House. His birthmark mirrors the corpse Catherine sees, and his presence signals the curse's reach. Quiet and formidable, he remains a menacing force.
Dr Whittle (Patrick Magee)
The physician who initially attributes Catherine's experiences to mental disorder and urges caution. He reveals key backstory elements about the estate and the curses, acting as a bridge between superstition and explanation. His fate underscores the danger that accompanies uncovering the truth.
Dr Pope (Peter Cushing)
A psychiatrist with an open mind who pushes for a rational investigation. He questions the family legends, works to extract the truth from the past, and becomes a steady ally to Catherine. His method contrasts with fear-driven responses around him.
Sir Henry Fengriffen (Herbert Lom)
The debauched patriarch whose past crime against Silas set the curse in motion. His remorse contrasts with the brutality of the original acts, and his actions loom large over the present danger. He is the ancestral threat whose sins echo through generations.
Maitland (Guy Rolfe)
Charles's solicitor who begins to uncover the estate's dark history but is murdered for pursuing the truth. His fate illustrates the protective reach of the curse and the peril in exposing secrets.
Mrs Luke (Rosalie Crutchley)
The housemaid whose loyalty to the Fengriffens leads to a brutal death by the hand that haunts the house. She embodies the personal risk surrounding those who dare to meddle with the past.
Aunt Edith (Gillian Lind)
Catherine’s chaperone who becomes another victim when the severed hand reaches into the living world. Her death underscores the reach of the curse and the peril of confronting it.
And Now the Screaming Starts! Settings
Learn where and when And Now the Screaming Starts! (1973) takes place. Explore the film’s settings, era, and how they shape the narrative.
Time period
1795
The events take place in 1795 England, a period of rigid social hierarchy and superstition. The estate’s age and the surrounding countryside emphasize tradition and secrecy. Within this late 18th-century frame, sleep-ruining visions and violent acts escalate toward a fatal reckoning.
Location
Fengriffen House, Silas' Lodge
Set on the Fengriffen estate in rural England, the story unfolds around an opulent country house and a nearby woodsman’s lodge. The mansion’s creaky corridors, moonlit grounds and hidden histories provide the backdrop for a generational curse. The setting blends aristocratic luxury with Gothic menace, creating a claustrophobic world where warnings go unheeded.
And Now the Screaming Starts! Themes
Discover the main themes in And Now the Screaming Starts! (1973). Analyze the deeper meanings, emotional layers, and social commentary behind the film.
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Gothic Horror
The film relies on a moody, claustrophobic atmosphere, spectral visions and a family curse to generate dread. Crumbling rooms, hidden histories and a foreboding presence anchor the supernatural elements. The sense of inevitable doom comes from the estate's age-old secrets rather than explicit explanation.
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Family Curse
A curse tied to the Fengriffen bloodline threads tragedy from generation to generation. Birthmarks, a severed hand and a vengeful woodsman bury past crimes in the present. The notion that violence repeats across heirs drives the tension and reveals the estate's dark legacy.
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Rationalism
Dr Pope and Dr Whittle represent a scientific approach to the mystery, challenging superstition. They probe the estate's legends with reason, even as fear lingers in the halls. The clash between medical rationality and haunted belief threads through the investigation.
And Now the Screaming Starts! Spoiler-Free Summary
Discover the spoiler-free summary of And Now the Screaming Starts! (1973). Get a concise overview without any spoilers.
In the waning years of the eighteenth century, newlyweds Catherine and Charles Fengriffen arrive at their ancestral manor, a sprawling stone house that dominates the bleak countryside. The estate, steeped in the weight of generations, exudes a brooding elegance that feels both welcoming and oppressive. As they settle into the grand yet shadowed rooms, the couple senses that the house holds memories that whisper from its walls, hinting at a past that refuses to stay buried.
From the moment they cross the threshold, Catherine is plagued by unsettling visions of a disembodied figure—a corpse marked by a birthmark, empty sockets, and a severed right hand—that seems to linger just beyond the edge of perception. These specters are not merely dreams; they echo through the corridors, suggesting that a curse lingers within the very foundation of the Fengriffen line. A reclusive woodsman known only as Silas appears on the periphery of the estate, bearing the same uncanny mark, and his presence deepens the sense that something older and more vengeful watches the newlyweds.
Concerned by the growing unease, the family summons the skeptical Dr. Whittle, a local physician, and the enigmatic psychiatrist Dr. Pope to provide a rational explanation for the disturbances. Their arrival sets up a tension between scientific inquiry and the house’s inexorable, supernatural atmosphere. Each attempts to untangle the knot of fear that binds the present to the past, while the manor itself seems to conspire to keep its secrets hidden.
The mood is a relentless blend of gothic dread and quiet oppression, where every creak and flicker of light feels loaded with meaning. Within the ornate halls, the legacy of the Fengriffens hangs like a heavy curtain, promising that the arrival of a new generation will awaken forces long restrained. The film invites the audience to linger in this unsettling world, asking whether love and rationality can ever truly dispel the shadows of ancestral sins.
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