Two on a Guillotine
Two on a Guillotine is a 1965 American horror film directed and produced by William Conrad, starring Connie Stevens as Cassie Duquesne, the daughter of a famed but deranged magician played by Cesar Romero, who must spend seven consecutive nights in his isolated Los Angeles mansion to inherit his $300,000 fortune as stipulated in his will.[1] The story unfolds as a suspenseful haunted house mystery, where Cassie, accompanied by a skeptical newsman portrayed by Dean Jones, encounters eerie illusions and apparent supernatural events suggesting her father's return from the dead, including threats involving his signature guillotine trick that once accidentally killed her mother.[2] Released by Warner Bros. Pictures in January 1965, the black-and-white film runs 107 minutes and features a score by Max Steiner in what was his final feature film credit.[2] The screenplay, written by John Kneubuhl and Henry Slesar, draws inspiration from the gimmicky shockers of producer William Castle, blending elements of psychological horror with magician's illusions to create an atmosphere of dread in the Duquesne mansion, filmed primarily on the Warner Bros. backlot and at locations like the Benedict Castle.[2] Supporting cast includes Parley Baer as a lawyer, Virginia Gregg as a housekeeper, and Dean Jones in one of his early leading roles before his Disney fame.[1] Cinematography by Sam Leavitt mixes playful stage magic with creepy shadows, enhancing the film's tension between reality and deception.[1] Upon release, Two on a Guillotine received mixed to negative critical reception, with a 0% Tomatometer score on Rotten Tomatoes based on six reviews, critics like Howard Thompson of The New York Times dismissing it as a "dull, silly, tedious clinker."[3] However, it holds a 6.1/10 average user rating on IMDb from over 1,600 votes, praised by some for its effective scares, Romero's charismatic villainy, and atmospheric production design, though others noted predictable plotting and pacing issues.[1] The film has since gained a cult following among horror enthusiasts for its campy thrills and as an example of mid-1960s genre filmmaking.[3]Synopsis
Plot
The film opens with renowned magician Duke Duquesne performing a daring guillotine illusion during a live show in Los Angeles, in which his wife and assistant, Melinda, participates as the victim. Tragically, the blade falls prematurely, decapitating Melinda in front of the horrified audience, including their two-year-old daughter, Cassie. Devastated and blamed for the accident, Duke vanishes into seclusion, while Cassie is sent to live with her aunt in the Midwest, growing up estranged from her father's legacy.[4] Twenty years later, in 1965, the adult Cassie returns to Los Angeles upon learning of Duke's death.[2] At the reading of his will, she discovers she is the sole heir to his $300,000 estate, but the inheritance is contingent on her spending seven consecutive nights alone in his isolated, gadget-filled mansion on the outskirts of the city.[4] Reluctant but determined, Cassie agrees, unaware of the mansion's history of illusions and traps designed for Duke's performances.[5] Journalist Val Henderson, eager for a sensational story on the reclusive heiress, poses as a sympathetic acquaintance and accompanies Cassie to the mansion, where he too becomes ensnared in the unfolding mystery.[4] As the nights progress, the pair encounters escalating supernatural phenomena: phantom voices echoing through the halls, apparitions of Melinda's severed head and Duke's ghostly figure, furniture moving on its own, and mechanical contraptions activating without warning—spring-loaded blades, collapsing floors, and animated skeletons—building an atmosphere of relentless terror that tests Cassie's resolve and draws her and Val closer romantically.[6] In the climax, as the seventh night dawns, Cassie uncovers the shocking truth: Duke faked his death and has been orchestrating the hauntings from a hidden chamber, driven mad by guilt and obsession to recreate the fatal guillotine act with Cassie substituting for Melinda. A tense confrontation ensues in the mansion's theater, where Duke activates the guillotine, but Val intervenes, causing the blade to drop on a dummy head. Duke breaks down, believing he has killed his wife again, and is arrested by the police. Cassie survives the ordeal, claims her inheritance, and escapes the mansion with Val, forging a romantic bond amid the resolution of her traumatic family legacy.Cast
The cast of Two on a Guillotine features a mix of established character actors and rising stars, whose performances blend suspense, humor, and eerie supernatural elements to heighten the film's horror-thriller atmosphere.[2] Connie Stevens delivers a standout scream-queen portrayal as the lead, navigating terror and family secrets with vulnerability that anchors the supernatural threats.[3] Principal cast:- Connie Stevens as Cassie Duquesne / Melinda Duquesne: The central protagonist, a young woman returning to her late father's mansion to fulfill the terms of his will, while haunted by her traumatic family legacy; she also portrays her deceased mother in flashbacks.[7][2]
- Dean Jones as Val Henderson: A skeptical television reporter who assists Cassie in unraveling the mysteries, injecting comic relief through his wide-eyed disbelief and budding romance.[7][3]
- Cesar Romero as John Harley "Duke" Duquesne: The flamboyant, deceased magician and father figure, depicted in flashbacks as a domineering presence whose illusions persist as a ghostly antagonist.[7][2]
- Parley Baer as Jules "Buzzy" Sheridan: The magician's longtime publicist and business manager, who helps enforce the will's conditions while harboring his own interests in the estate.[7][3]
- Virginia Gregg as Dolly Bast: Cassie's devoted former nursemaid, providing maternal comfort and insight into the family's dark history amid the mansion's horrors.[7][2]
- Connie Gilchrist as Ramona Ryerdon: The longstanding housekeeper at the Duquesne mansion, offering gruff but loyal support as supernatural events unfold.[7][3]
- John Hoyt as Carl Vickers: The family attorney who oversees the will's execution, delivering stern authority to the legal proceedings tied to the inheritance.[7][2]