What Is How Awful About Allan About?
The premise of How Awful About Allan in 315 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.
In a dimly lit house perched on the edge of a quiet town, a fragile sense of normalcy trembles beneath layers of suppressed trauma. Allan has just been released from a mental hospital after an eight‑month stay, still haunted by the aftermath of a fire that left him without sight and his family forever scarred. Returning to the familiar yet strange world of his sister’s home, he hopes to rebuild a shattered life, but the walls seem to echo whispers of the past he cannot quite place.
The house is shared with Katherine, his sister, whose own face bears the lingering mark of the blaze. Their strained bond is a quiet undercurrent, each carrying the weight of unspoken grievances and memories of a demanding father. Into this uneasy equilibrium drifts a new boarder, a silent presence who claims a throat injury and communicates only in hushed tones. The stranger’s arrival injects a subtle, unsettling tension that ripples through the household, turning routine moments into shadows of doubt.
Against this backdrop, Olive—the woman who once meant so much to Allan—re‑enters his life, offering a tentative bridge between his inner turmoil and the outside world. Their tentative reconnection is tinged with careful observation, as both try to discern what is real and what might be a product of Allan’s fragile psyche. The lingering scent of incense, the faint rustle of newspaper pages, and the occasional, almost imperceptible whisper create a suffocating atmosphere that blurs the line between perception and paranoia.
The film moves with a deliberate, claustrophobic pace, heightening the sense that every creak and whispered name could be a warning or merely the echo of a mind in distress. The tone is one of quiet dread, inviting the audience to share Allan’s uncertainty as he navigates a world where safety feels as fragile as his broken vision, and every familiar face may hide a hidden motive.
What Happens in How Awful About Allan?
The complete story of How Awful About Allan, from the first scene to the last, in 745 words (about 3 minutes). Spoilers throughout. Names in the text link to 4 cast member pages.
Spoilers ahead
Allan Colleigh has psychosomatic blindness after a fire that claimed his father, a renowned academic who punished him during childhood. That same blaze also left his sister, Katherine, scarred on her face. The accident happened when Allan had left cans of paint thinner near a heater, a mistake that would haunt him as he tries to rebuild his life.
Returning home after months in a mental hospital, Allan begins to re-acclimate to a world that feels both familiar and threatening. His sister Katherine has an ex-boyfriend who calls the house, and she also takes in a peculiar boarder who claims to suffer a throat injury and can only speak in a whisper. Allan grows increasingly wary of this mysterious lodger, and soon he starts hearing his name whispered and glimpsing a shadowy figure edging closer to him. He records these sensations and suspicions on a reel-to-reel tape in his bedroom, seeking something like proof or a defense against what could be real danger—or a dangerous illusion.
Olive, Olive, Allan’s fiancée before the fire, tries to reopen contact and support him as best she can. At first reluctant, Allan accepts a renewed interaction but asks Olive to keep a lookout for the silent lodger so he can describe him more clearly. The plan leads them on a trip into town; Olive drops books at the university library, leaving Allan alone in the car. In that moment, the whispers return, and his fear spirals into a desperate urge to escape, culminating in a crash when he tries to drive away.
As the tension deepens, the blurry whispering figure intensifies Allan’s paranoia. He endures further disturbances—episodes where the voice seems to lure him toward danger, and a moment in which he slashes his own skin in a startled reaction to a delivery boy at the kitchen window. Katherine presses him to seek psychiatric help again, while Olive reports seeing Katherine’s boyfriend in town, a claim Katherine denies. Allan remains convinced there is a conspiracy to send him back to the hospital, and his dreams grow darker, filled with recollections of his father’s punishment and a childhood spent hiding in a dark cupboard. In another nightmare, the whispering voice draws him toward a room that appears burnt, where the ceiling timbers collapse, and he wakes certain that the night’s events were real. The evidence seems to corroborate his fear when he finds a piece of burnt wood in the house.
A hospital call is placed, but the psychiatrist is away. Allan must take a cab to meet the doctor when he returns. The moment the cab arrives, Allan slips on the path, and the driver turns out to be Eric, Katherine’s boyfriend, who has a croaky whispering voice he attributes to a cold. Olive comes to help, guiding Allan back into the safety of the house. Later, Olive and Katherine speak privately; Katherine says she will send Allan back to the hospital the next morning, unable to endure the strain any longer. Allan, who had tried to convince Olive that there was a plot against him, discovers that the night’s whispered voice can be heard again on the tape—yet Olive is not present when it plays back. In a moment of rage or despair, Allan smashes the tape recorder to the floor.
The danger peaks when the whispering voice lures Allan into the kitchen pantry and the door locks behind him. A fire has been started inside, and Allan, grabbing flour to douse the flames, manages to break the door down and struggle with a shadowy attacker. As the mask behind the attacker comes off, Allan’s vision returns, and he recognizes his sister Katherine in the disguise. She confesses that she had the hideous scar removed but argues that the scar should have remained as a mark of Allan’s supposed crime against their father—the so-called murder of the greatest man who ever lived.
After a period of recovery, Allan returns home with Olive, who is preparing dinner and guiding him toward a semblance of normal life. He has started a music appreciation course and seems steadier, yet the past hints remain. A letter arrives, presumably from Katherine, who is now in a psychiatric facility, begging for release. Reading it unsettles him, and, as he contemplates the future, his vision darkens once more, plunging him into blindness again, leaving his fate and the truth of what happened between family members unresolved in a world still shadowed by fear and memory.
How Awful About Allan Timeline: Every Key Event in Order
14 key events in the order they happen, from “Earlier fire and trauma” to “A moment of fragile normalcy and a note”. 14 events name a place, across 11 locations.
- 1
Earlier fire and trauma
Years earlier, a fire caused by cans of paint thinner near a heater kills Allan's father and scars his sister Katherine. Allan's punishment as a child under his father's rule is implied to have contributed to his psychosomatic blindness. The trauma haunts the family and sets the stage for what unfolds later.
When:years earlier Where:Family home
- 2
Return from the hospital
Allan returns home after months in a mental hospital, trying to readjust to life with his family. He remains haunted by memories of the fire and his father's discipline. He begins recording his suspicions and fears after his return.
When:shortly after return Where:Home
- 3
The odd lodger arrives
Katherine takes in a mysterious boarder who can only speak in a whisper due to a throat injury. Allan grows suspicious of the lodger and fears an unseen threat in his own home. He starts documenting his worries on a reel-to-reel tape in his bedroom.
When:after return Where:Home (Allan's house)
- 4
Taping suspicions
Allan records his suspicions on a reel-to-reel tape in his bedroom as the whispers grow louder and the figure seems to close in. He begins to doubt his own sanity while fearing an intruder in the house. The act of recording becomes a coping mechanism against the creeping paranoia.
When:ongoing Where:Allan's bedroom
- 5
Olive reconnects
Olive, Allan's fiancée before the fire, tries to renew contact with him. He is reluctant at first but agrees to see her again and asks her to watch for the lodger. The couple tentatively rebuilds their relationship amidst rising tension.
When:after return Where:Home
- 6
Trip to town and crash
Olive drives Allan into town and leaves him alone in the car while she returns books to the university library. He thinks he hears the whisper again and, in a panic, tries to drive away, crashing the car. The crash intensifies his fear of being watched.
When:during trip Where:Car; town
- 7
Pressure to seek help
Katherine pressures Allan to see the psychiatrist again, and Olive claims to have seen Katherine's ex in town. Allan senses that Katherine is hiding something and that someone wants to have him sent back to the hospital. The tension between suspicion and care grows.
When:after crash Where:Home; town
- 8
Nightmare replay of trauma
Allan experiences nightmare episodes that revisit his father's punishment, including hiding in a dark cupboard. In another dream, the whisper lures him toward a burnt-looking room where the ceiling timbers seem to collapse. The next morning he finds burnt wood as supposed proof that the room was real.
When:one of the nights Where:Dreams; home
- 9
Call to the hospital
Allan tries to contact the hospital to arrange a meeting with his psychiatrist, but the doctor is away. He resolves to take a cab to meet the doctor when the doctor returns, hoping for relief from his condition.
When:soon after nightmares Where:Home; outside
- 10
The cab ride and reveal
The cab arrives for Allan, but as he heads toward it he slips on the path. The cab driver is Eric, Katherine's boyfriend, whose whispering voice he attributes to a cold. Olive arrives and helps Allan back into the house, avoiding a possible further crisis.
When:moment of departure to hospital Where:Outside house; cab
Show the other 4 events of How Awful About Allan Hide the last 4 events
- 11
Katherine's ultimatum
Katherine tells Allan she will have him sent back to the hospital the next morning, unable to bear the situation. Allan recalls that the whispered voice was on his tape, but Olive is not in the room to confirm it. In a fit of frustration he smashes the tape recorder on the floor.
When:that night Where:Home
- 12
Pantry confrontation
The whisper lures Allan into the kitchen pantry and the door locks behind him. He discovers a fire burning inside, then douses it with flour and breaks the door down to confront his attacker. When he pulls off the mask, he discovers his sister Katherine.
When:night of confrontation Where:Kitchen pantry
- 13
Katherine's truth
Katherine confesses that she had the facial scar removed, arguing that it should have remained as a mark to reveal Allan's supposed crime. The revelation reframes the family tragedy as a personal vendetta rather than a simple accident.
When:immediately after pantry confrontation Where:Kitchen/pantry during confrontation
- 14
A moment of fragile normalcy and a note
Allan returns home and appears more normal, taking a music appreciation course and sharing meals with Olive. He then receives a letter from Katherine, who has been placed in a psychiatric facility, pleading for his help to release her. Just after reading the letter, his vision goes dark and he is blind again.
When:some time after pantry confrontation Where:Home
Who Are the Main Characters in How Awful About Allan?
11 characters, among them Allan Colleigh (Anthony Perkins), Olive (Joan Hackett) and Katherine (Julie Harris): who each one is and the part they play in the story. Every profile links to the actor’s page.
-
Allan Colleigh (Anthony Perkins)
Played by Anthony Perkins
A man returning from a mental hospital after a fire that killed his father and scarred his sister. He struggles with psychosomatic blindness, whispers, and nightmares that blur reality, and his paranoia intensifies as he questions whether threats are real or imagined.
- 🧠 Psychological
- 🫥 Suspenseful
- 🕵️♂️ Paranoid
-
Olive (Joan Hackett)
Played by Joan Hackett
Allan's fiancée who tries to reconnect and assist him, encouraging him to face the mysterious lodger. She is supportive and perceptive, serving as a bridge to the outside world and the truth she senses.
- 💑 Romantic
- 🕵️♀️ Investigative
- 🗣️ Communicative
-
Katherine (Julie Harris)
Played by Julie Harris
Allan's sister who bears a scar from the fire and appears protective yet evasive. She harbors a dangerous secret and manipulates circumstances to influence Allan's fate.
- 🚪 Secretive
- 🩹 Scarred
- 🗝️ Manipulative
- E(
Eric (Trent Dolan)
Played by Trent Dolan
Katherine's ex-boyfriend whose croaky whispering voice becomes a source of fear for Allan. He is connected to the lodger and speaks with a distinctive, hidden menace.
- 🗣️ Whispered
- 🧭 Mysterious
- 🧊 Cold
- DE
Dr. Ellins (Robert H. Harris)
Played by Robert H. Harris
The psychiatrist figure associated with Allan's care, representing the medical route to coping with his condition and the tension around treatment.
- 🧑⚕️ Doctor
- 🧠 Psychiatry
- 🕰️ Therapy
- R(
Raymond (Kent Smith)
Played by Kent Smith
A figure tied to the family history and the house, anchoring the domestic drama and the legacy of the father’s influence.
- 🧭 Familial
- 🧪 Academic
- 🕰️ Heritage
- HD
Harold Dennis (Billy Bowles)
Played by Billy Bowles
An odd lodger with a throat injury who can only speak in a whisper, contributing to Allan's sense of danger and the film's eerie atmosphere.
- 👤 Whisperer
- 🏚️ Lodger
- 🗝️ Secretive
- DA
Dr. Ames (Bill Erwin)
Played by Bill Erwin
Another physician in Allan's circle, providing additional medical context to his care and the narrative's tension around treatment.
- 🩺 Doctor
- 🧠 Psychology
- 🕰️ Therapy
- I(
Inmate (Molly Dodd)
Played by Molly Dodd
A character encountered within the mental hospital setting, representing the institution's pressure and the darker aspects of confinement.
- 🚪 Prison
- 🔒 Confinement
- 🧑⚕️ Care
- A-
Allan - Child (Kenneth Lawrence)
Played by Kenneth Lawrence
A younger version of Allan that hints at childhood punishment and the roots of his trauma.
- 🧒 Childhood
- 🪶 Memory
- 🕯️ Trauma
- K-
Katherine - Child (Jeannette Howe)
Played by Jeannette Howe
A younger Katherine that reflects the family dynamics and foreshadows her adult actions and the secrets she keeps.
- 🧒 Childhood
- 🪶 Memory
- 🕯️ Trauma
Where and When Is How Awful About Allan Set?
How Awful About Allan is set in Home, Mental Hospital, University Library and Town (Early 1970s). Here is why the time and place matter to the story.
When
Early 1970s
The events take place in a contemporary setting relative to the film's release, with a domestic atmosphere that reflects the era's attitudes toward trauma and mental health. The fire and its aftermath anchor the narrative in a recent past, influencing the characters' perceptions and fears. The story shifts between the home, hospital, and occasional outings, all within a present-day timeframe.
Where
Home, Mental Hospital, University Library, Town
The story mostly unfolds in a family home where Allan returns after months in a mental hospital. Key scenes also occur in a university library and in town during a tense car trip, highlighting the contrast between domestic space and public life. The hospital setting provides the framework for Allan's treatment and psychological struggle.
- 🏠 Home
- 🏥 Hospital
- 📚 University Library
- 🏙️ Town
What Are the Themes of How Awful About Allan?
3 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Psychosis, Family Secrets and Truth vs. Deception.
-
01
Psychosis
Allan's psychosomatic blindness and whispered voices blur the line between reality and illusion. Trauma reshapes his perception, making the world feel dangerous and deceptive. The narrative relies on unreliable perception to sustain tension and suspicion. Viewers are kept uncertain about what is real versus what the mind conjures.
-
02
Family Secrets
A buried history—fire, scars, and an implied murder—drives the family drama. Katherine's actions and the branding of guilt reveal how secrets fester when truth is suppressed. The siblings' loyalties and rivalries push Allan toward discovery or self-doubt. The plot hinges on revelations that upend perceived loyalties.
-
03
Truth vs. Deception
Whispers, recordings, and memories create shifting realities that challenge what characters believe. Allan's tape recorder becomes a focal point for suspicion and misinterpretation. Katherine's concealed motives and disguise demonstrate how appearances can mask dangerous truths. The theme underscores fragile trust within the family and home.
What Kind of Film Is How Awful About Allan?
Tense in tone, with slow pacing and a moderate story, going by the plot summary.
- Tone
- Tense
- Pacing
- Slow
- Story
- Moderate
- Intensity
- High
- Ending
- Ambiguous
A slow-burning, deeply unsettling thriller that traps the viewer in the paranoid, claustrophobic perspective of a psychologically fragile man, creating a constant sense of imminent danger and psychological dread.
- claustrophobic
- paranoid
- unsettling
- oppressive
- anxious
- tormented
- psychological thriller
- family trauma
- mental health
- guilt and blame
Content notes: child abuse, psychological abuse, self-harm, arson, mental illness, disfigurement.
Quiz
How well do you remember How Awful About Allan? Test yourself on the story.
