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A Reflection of Fear

A Reflection of Fear
A Reflection of Fear.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by William A. Fraker
Produced by Howard B. Jaffe
Written by Lewis John Carlino
Starring Robert Shaw
Mary Ure
Sally Kellerman
Sondra Locke
Music by Fred Myrow
Cinematography László Kovács
Edited by Richard K. Brockway
Distributed by Columbia Pictures
Release date
  • November 15, 1972 (1972-11-15)
Running time
89 minutes
Country United States
Language English

A Reflection of Fear is a 1972 thriller film directed by William A. Fraker with a screenplay by Edward Hume and Lewis John Carlino and starring Sondra Locke, Robert Shaw, Mary Ure, Signe Hasso, Gordon Devol and Sally Kellerman. It is based on the novel, Go To Thy Deathbed by Stanton Forbes.

The film is set in an alienated mansion in Eastern Canada that houses Marguerite, 15, the main protagonist, her mother Katherine and her maternal grandmother, Julia.

Marguerite suffers from what appears to be paranoia as is apparent when she is shown talking to her dolls, especially one named Aaron or an amoeba collected from a pond, or painting unsettling pictures in seclusion. She is also known to take shots on a daily basis, the reason remaining unspecified.

Out of the blue, she expresses her yearning to connect with her father, Michael, a writer, who was estranged from the family for a decade and is now in a relationship with a woman named Anne. Katherine and Julia take issue with Marguerite's desire, but Michael, on the pretext of obtaining a divorce from Katherine, arrives at the hamlet with Anne and feels the need to fortify his relationship with his daughter.

In time, Marguerite's affection for her father turns inordinate and her sense of insecurity escalates as she is seen spying on the members of the household through crevices. "Aaron" murders Katherine in her bed with the aid of a wooden pole and also kills Julia.

Following these incidents, Marguerite is comforted by her father who arranges for an outing to a local beach for Marguerite, Anne and himself. There, it is evident to Anne that the father-daughter relationship between Michael and Marguerite is excessive as is revealed by their immoderate physical contact and Michael's doting on her, even disregarding Anne who walks away dejectedly to be met with a knowing look from Hector, the young man at the inn.

After the picnic, Anne confronts Michael about his questionable behavior towards his daughter, following which they attempt to make love and Marguerite is shown masturbating in her room, crying out for her father when she approaches her climax.


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