brilliant actors, brilliant editing

A film with more than the usual spoiler issues. Talking about it in any detail feels akin to handing you a gift-wrapped present and saying, "I hope you like it -- It's a thriller about a diabolical secret experiment."

One of those movie experiences that is so good it makes you realize you've been grading everything else on a curve.

There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

SCREAM, PRETTY PEGGY opens w/ a bizarre murder outside of a mansion, then switches to a college campus, where Peggy Johns (Sian Barbara allen) is looking for work. She lands a housekeeping job at the aforementioned estate, where she meets the rather odd Mrs. Elliot (Bette Davis- WHATEVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE? BURNT OFFERINGS) and her sculptor son, Jeffrey (Ted Bessell). Peggy gets right to work. Over time, she learns of Jeffrey's sister, Jennifer, who is -supposedly- in Europe. Peggy also discovers a penchant for the macabre in Jeffrey's sculptures. When Mrs. Elliot is hurt in a fall, Peggy moves into the house. This, in spite of the man she met just outside the grounds, who is searching for his missing daughter, who used to have Peggy's position! Or, the fact that someone appears to be living in the loft over the garage, where she was told never to enter! As events unfold, the mystery deepens, and the weirdness-factor skyrockets! This does nothing to curb Peggy's inquisitiveness... well, okay, her nosiness! Not surprisingly, another death ensues. What is going on? What secrets does Mrs. Elliot know? Peggy is unaware of just how dangerous her sleuthing truly is! Even if she solves the mystery, will it cost Peggy her life? another made-for-TV thriller from the amazing 1970's! Suspenseful, w/ a nice twist(ed) ending. Ms. Allen and Mr. Bessell are excellent, and Ms. Davis is her magnificent self, in another of her horror roles! ...

Sian Barbara Allen stars as Peggy...a rather odd and pushy college student. When she sees an ad for a housekeeper offering ridiculously low wages, she jumps to the opportunity! The home is an odd place...and the sculptor (Ted Bessell) lives with his rather unfriendly mother (Bette Davis). But she still wants the job because she knows who Jeffery Elliot (Bessell) is...he's a famous sculptor and she is a bit of a groupie who is infatuated with him. But as I said, it's an odd house...and it has a secret called 'Jennifer'. Peggy's told that Jennifer is his insane sister...and she's kept hidden in an upstairs room much like Mr. Rochester's wife in "Jane Eyre". But you keep getting the impression that there is far, far more to the story than all this. But what? What is really going on here?!This is EXACTLY the sort of crazy, scary plot folks looked for and expected with installments of "The ABC Movie of the Week". Subtle and sophisticated, this and most of their films were NOT....and instead they went for the weird, twisted and downright odd. This film has this in spades but I don't want to say too much more as it might spoil the film. Just be sure to watch it and try not to laugh too much at the surprise ending!!

Perky college co-ed (Sian Barbara Allen, who looks a bit like Jessica Harper) talks her way into job as housekeeper for a famous sculptor and his elderly mother; soon, she's curious about the person living in the room over the garage, a woman she's told is incurably insane. TV-made extension of "Psycho"'s theme, lacking at the very least one big jolt (no shower scene here). Instead, "Scream, Pretty Peggy" is full of chit-chat, relying on a single plot-hook in which to hang all its weary exposition. The performances are unusually strong for a television feature, particularly by Ted Bessell as the artist, but the reedy-thin story is stretched to the breaking point. Interesting location, appropriately scary music from Bob Prince, pithy supporting work from Bette Davis. Otherwise, pretty tame.

A creepy 1973 TV movie that seems to give nods to PSYCHO and William Castle's HOMICIDAL.Pretty Peggy,a college student and budding artist,goes to work in an old mansion as a housekeeper for a mysterious old lady(Bette Davis) and her oddball sculptor son(Ted Bessell).There is also a deranged daughter who lives in a room above the garage.Peggy starts become more unnerved when a man visits the house looking for his daughter who was the previous housekeeper.He sees a light shining above the garage and,well,is not seen again.Jimmy Sangster worked on the script,and he's infamous for many Hammer horror classics and a lot of American TV.Very atmospheric and spooky,I haven't seen this movie on TV since I was a kid.A darn shame!Good TV horror is not exactly plentiful,so it's very sad that movies like this remain unseen by new generations of horror fans.